BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
The Jeep brand has a solid legacy as the adventurous and can go anywhere, anytime SUV. Although the Grand Cherokee is the more refined and luxurious ‘executive type’ of ride in the model lineup, it carries the Jeep DNA of a conqueror that wants to be unleashed in extreme adversity and return clutching medals for its prowess.
Recently, Jeep launched the 5-door Grand Cherokee in the South African market. This follows the success achieved by its 7-door big brother, who received a nod as one of this year’s Car of the Year finalists. The folks at Jeep have branded this new entrant ‘the most technologically advanced, 4×4 capable and luxurious Grand Cherokee yet’.
To put their claims to the test, they designed a route that combines all the elements and ensures that even those doubting Thomas’ are convinced. They did this while knowing fully well that the average executive who buys this car will never dream of punishing their toy so much.
Luxurious interior
There is no shortage of luxury and the refinement is on point. Inside the car, you are cocooned in pure opulence, feel safe and have a sense of being in control. Being the fifth generation of the Grand Cherokee since its first appearance as the brand’s luxury SUV in 1992, they’ve become quite good at it.
First Drive
The drive started from a chic boutique hotel in Pretoria, where the row of lined-up cars, in all seven colours, looked magnificent under the warm African sun and jacarandas. The road led to the Waterburg region of Limpopo, some two hours away. We cruised through the N1 freeway, struggling to keep to the 120 km/h speed limit owing to the great enthusiasm of the beast that threatened to bolt at a light tap. To avoid enriching the different metros we crossed, cruise control came in handy to keep us within the law.
Off the beaten track
Once the freeway had been adequately tested, it was time for a different terrain.
We cut through the small town of Bela-Bela and found ourselves driving on gravel roads that connect game farms. This was a day after heavy rains had done great damage to these roads. Yet, the Grand Cherokee handled them with enthusiasm. While there was some slippery sliding through thick mud, it effortlessly passed the test and only had heavy mud on the body to tell its story of triumph. After a two-hour exercise of crossing streams and muddy potholes, we were satisfied and ready to return to the urban jungle and pick up some speed.
Off-Road
The real test was coming. Our destination was Serendipity Trails in Mookgopong, an adventure enthusiastheaven that stretches over some 2000 hectares of mountainous bush veld. This private property boasts extreme 4×4 and hiking trails in the tranquil Waterburg mountains. It has it all, from river crossings and steep rocky ascents and descents – we were in for some serious 4×4 business. Even the language changed from polite talk to ‘splash & dash’, a code for using the bathroom in the wild. Faced with fear-inducing obstacles and heart palpitations, we had put full trust in the car to get us safely to the other side using its myriad of Active Driving Assist features.
For two hours we crawled up and down mountains, steams, and dongas, with the car groaning and scraping as it successfully pushed through. Once we got to the highest point on the mountain and saw wide vistas that went as far as the eye could see, there was a sense of accomplishment. While acknowledging that few people who spend between R1 329 900 and R1 735 900 it costs to own one of these bad boys will ever put them through such intensity, they can sleep comfortably assured that should there be an apocalypse they can put their trust in their vehicle to overcome hectic obstacles in the wild.
