How the Jeep Grand Cherokee Has Changed Through the Years

For more than 30 years, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has been one of the most popular and important SUVs on the market. This is a vehicle that has defined what a midsize SUV should be for a huge number of drivers, so it’s no surprise that it remains such a terrific choice for many people. Whether you are looking at used Jeeps for sale near Palmer Lake, or you’re simply interested in what the Grand Cherokee has brought to the road year after year, you’ve come to the right place. When you have this kind of legacy, a pre-owned vehicle is just as impressive an option as one that’s from the current model year and is perfect for a wide range of drivers. Let’s take a look at where the Jeep Grand Cherokee started and how it has evolved over the years to remain one of the most exciting vehicles on the road.

Beginnings and Development of the Jeep Grand Cherokee

Although the first model year for the Jeep Grand Cherokee was 1993, its origins actually go back quite a lot further than that. It all started in the 1980s when Jeep was still owned by American Motors Corporation (AMC), which wanted a vehicle to be the follow-up to the popular Jeep Cherokee. The designers and engineers at AMC developed early versions of what would become the Grand Cherokee using computer-aided design and advanced software long before such tools became a common part of the industry.

In 1987, Chrysler bought AMC and Jeep along with it; higher-ups at Chrysler were impressed by the work on the Cherokee successor and continued funding the project. Those working on the vehicle expected it to be released toward the end of the 1980s, but Chrysler was going through a period of rejuvenation at the time under the leadership of CEO Lee Iacocca, whose turnaround of Chrysler has become the stuff of legend. He wanted a focus on new, redesigned minivans, so those were first to market. The first Grand Cherokee wouldn’t hit roads until the 1993 model year, making it the first new Jeep product launched under Chrysler rather than AMC.

One of the things that set the Grand Cherokee apart from other midsize SUVs at the time, like the Ford Explorer, was its unibody design. Rather than being built like a truck, the Grand Cherokee used a car-like design with a single body and frame. This has become quite common in the auto industry today, but when the Grand Cherokee was designed, it was an impressive and remarkable choice that demonstrates the kind of ingenuity at play. While new minivans helped Chrysler bounce back, the introduction of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was a massive moment that greatly improved Chrysler’s place in the auto market of the 1990s.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee of the 1990s

The first generation of the Grand Cherokee kicked off with the 1993 model year, and it was considered part of the luxury SUV segment at the time. Three trim levels were initially available, including the Laredo and Limited; remarkably, you still see these two trim names more than 30 years later, though they’ve been joined by many more options. This first-generation Grand Cherokee launched with powerful engine options, an automatic transmission, and great interior features. Options included things like power windows and door locks, leather seating and interior details, power seats, and more.

A manual transmission was available for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but it didn’t last very long because drivers greatly preferred the automatic. Rear-wheel drive was standard for this first generation, with four-wheel drive available, which has remained the configuration for this SUV throughout the years. Toward the end of this first generation, a special 5.9 Limited edition was available that featured a more powerful V8 engine, improved exhaust, and more features to make it the world’s fastest SUV at the time. Just over 14,000 of these special editions were available for the 1998 model year, and they remain a popular choice for collectors interested in a piece of Jeep history.

A New Grand Cherokee for a New Century

As the 20th century came to a close, Jeep celebrated its important part in it by releasing a second generation Grand Cherokee for the 1999 model year. Jeep gave the Grand Cherokee a full redesign, and only about 100 parts remained from the previous generation, none of them major components. At the heart of this redesign was a new engine that was simultaneously lighter and more powerful, providing a superior driving experience for this midsize SUV. Quadra-Drive became available for the first time on the Grand Cherokee with its second generation, which provides automatic four-wheel drive performance that adapts to road conditions and makes it perfect for driving around Palmer Lake and the Colorado Springs area.

Jeep followed this up with a third generation of the Grand Cherokee that launched in the 2005 model year. Once again, it enjoyed a full redesign with a number of major engineering upgrades, including a Quadra-Drive II system, a new V6 engine, and an independent double-wishbone suspension that replaced the previous live-axle front suspension. Powerful HEMI V8 engines were offered throughout this generation, ensuring drivers could get a Grand Cherokee that was fun to drive and incredibly responsive.

Changes for a Fourth-Generation Jeep Grand Cherokee

For the 2011 model year, Jeep launched a fourth-generation Grand Cherokee—it had wanted to get it to market sooner, but the financial crisis toward the end of the 2000s interfered with that plan. True to its heritage, the fourth-gen Grand Cherokee features a unibody design, but Jeep gave it a four-wheel independent suspension to improve its performance and ride quality. This makes the fourth-generation Grand Cherokee an incredibly adventurous SUV that’s perfect for a wide range of drivers, while new V6 and HEMI V8 engines elevate its capability and deliver terrific fuel economy. Coming out of a tumultuous time for Jeep and the auto industry in general, this Grand Cherokee is a beautiful reminder of what blissful power and exciting capability can still look like.

A Modern Grand Cherokee for Today’s Drivers

After a decade of the fourth-generation model, with a couple revisions and updates along the way, Jeep released a redesigned fifth-generation Grand Cherokee for the 2021 model year. The redesigned version was kicked off with a larger Grand Cherokee L model that includes a third row of seating; the standard two-row Grand Cherokee joined it the following year. Numerous trims have been available for this generation, including the Laredo and Limited, though they’re now joined by the Overland, Summit, and off-road-focused Trailhawk models. This means there’s something for every driver these days, and Jeep has made it clear that the Grand Cherokee will continue to be the premier midsize SUV on the market for many years to come.

The Grand Cherokee’s Future for Palmer Lake Drivers

Speaking of the future, while the auto industry is in a period of change and upheaval, Jeep is once again leading the way with the impressive Grand Cherokee. We’ve already seen some of what Jeep will offer in the future thanks to the Grand Cherokee 4xe, a plug-in hybrid version that combines the gorgeous design and bold power of the Grand Cherokee with incredible fuel efficiency and limited all-electric range. This gives you more options than ever before to ensure you have a fantastic time on (or off) the road, combined with a stunning interior that’s more comfortable, technologically advanced, and sophisticated than ever before. Rumor is that we’ll see the next-generation Grand Cherokee in a few years (perhaps as a 2028 model), but until then, we have plenty of excitement and amazing driving to look forward to.