The Jeep Grand Cherokee has arrived in the UK, priced from £69,915.
Sold exclusively as a 375bhp plug-in hybrid, playing a core role in Jeep's pledge to go fully electrified in Europe and its drive to grow its market share here.
It combines a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors for combined outputs of 375bhp and 470lb ft, while a 17kWh battery gives it an electric-only range of 25 miles.
It's the third PHEV the American 4x4 brand has launched in Europe, after the smaller Jeep Renegade 4xe and Jeep Compass 4xe, and crowns its range.
It comes in four specifications. Limited is targeted at business customers. Off-road-ready Trailhawk adds 18in wheels, off-road tyres and front skidplates for £73,915. Overland is designed to combine Limited and Trailhawk, with a range of options from both models, and is priced from £75,915. Then £85,615 Summit Reserve gets buyers level-two driving assistance, a 19-speaker sound system, a 10in central display and a separate infotainment screen for the front passenger.
Jeep will stop selling pure-ICE models in Europe (with the exception of Italy, where it's the best-selling low-emissions brand) this year and instead offer only 4xe-badged plug-in hybrids and mild hybrids.
The brand's CEO, Christian Meunier, confirmed that it will add a pure-electric model in "every major SUV segment" by 2025, by which point 70% of its global sales will be electrified.
This phase-out of ICE models in Europe could mean the Jeep Wrangler 4xe – which is claimed to be the best-selling PHEV in the US, accounting for 25% of Jeep's volume there – will arrive in the UK later this year.
Meunier said: "We're accelerating electrification, amplifying 4x4 capability and the spirit of freedom with electrification. It's not only about being more green. It's about emphasising and improving the capabilities of our Jeeps – making them more fun, exciting, sustainable and being able to drive off road quietly."
Join the debate
Add your comment
Superb vehicle. Gets one to work every day on battery power, then doing the sports runs and out to play in the country on the weekend burning the dino-juice.
Nothing stopping you from telling us what the article says? Let me tell you what it doesn't say.
It doesn't say production will be transferred to Europe
It doesn't say that the UK plant will use parts sourced in Europe
It doesn't say Energy costs in Europe are cheaper than those in the UK
It fails to mention their previous UK production ceasing in the UK whilst we were still part of the EU
And best of all, it fails to mention the deal struck by the EU and the likes of Japan and the USA which means it's now cheaper for manufacturers to produce cars in their own country ( eg Honda ).
It also fails to mention the German taxpayer giving Mr Musk 1 billion Euro to set up shop in Germany.
So what difference does Brexit actually make to any decision they make? Zilch.
Anyone with a brain can see this is an exercise to extract more taxpayers money because it has absolutely nothing to do with Brexit.
Back to this article - the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The car is build in Illinois where Stellantis are playing the exact same game with the US government as they are with the British. Go read about the plant being put on Idle. Now that's something I dont see mentioned in the above article either.
Go read about Stellantis's plant in Illinois and stop acting like a sponge at every mention of the word 'Brexit'. Tavares even uses the same words in Michigan... "We need to find a solution". His solution certainly doesn't involve the EU, that's for sure.
Just like certain people in certain institutions who seem to live in a world of their own, called "the sunny uplands", forever happy and smiling.
It's hilarious you're still crying about Brexit! It was years ago and it didn't have any of the (meaningful) negative impacts that some people swore would happen. Not one! As Elsa would say: Let it go, let it go...
:-p :-p :-p
OK, so Nissan pulled out of Sunderland. I suppose you could, at a pinch, argue that's because of Brexit.
Wait, what? That didn't happen? Nissan is going to make the Leaf in England?
See, all of the things you're whinging about and blaming brexit for are happening everywhere. Brexit didn't make a diffrence other than giving you greater sovereignty. You'd think that would be cause for celebration. Are you going to be complaing about Brexit in 2025? 2030? 2050? Why can't you just admit you were wrong - it's actually not that hard and not a big deal at all - move on and enjoy a living in a now Greater Britain?