Jeep has great things in store for big SUV
lovers as the FCA-owned brand is developing the truck-based Wagoneer and Grand
Wagoneer as well as the Grand Cherokee-based three-row SUV. The photographers
caught a prototype of the latter in action in the United States, revealing a
very generous ground clearance. Looking at the photos, it’s pretty obvious this
three-row SUV prototype features air suspension, likely set in the highest “Off
Road 2” position. Compared to the current Grand Cherokee which has a maximum
ground clearance of 274 mm, this next-generation Grand
Cherokee-based model appears to ride even higher.
Taking into account the height of the
265/50 R20 Pirelli Scorpion Verde tires’ sidewalls and the distance from the
tires’ edges to the center of the 20-inch alloys, the ground clearance could be
between 305-330 mm. Obviously, you should take that with a
grain of salt given the empirical way of determining the ride height. If
accurate, the new Grand Cherokee looks set to offer best-in-class ground
clearance. For comparison, the 2021 Ford Bronco 4-Door with the Sasquatch
package clears 292 mm.
Size and ground clearance aside, the
three-row SUV based on the next-generation Grand Cherokee features packaging
changes such as mounting the spare tire outside of the vehicle, between the
rerouted exhaust. This was done in order to accommodate the fold-flat third-row
seat. Looking at the spare wheel’s packaging, it’s clear that efforts have been
made to give the big Grand Cherokee the best-possible departure angle.
Little else is known about Jeep’s
three-row SUV but since it is essentially a seven-seat 2022 Grand Cherokee, we
can expect it to use a modified version of Alfa Romeo’s Giorgio platform. The
engine lineup should be familiar too and include the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and
5.7-liter HEMI V8 gasoline engines. A plug-in hybrid variant will also be
available.
In all likelihood, the three-row Jeep SUV
won’t carry the Grand Cherokee name, despite it being closely related to the
next-gen Grand Cherokee. In a 2019 interview, FCA CEO Mike Manley described the
Grand Cherokee as an “icon” and suggested he’d be “crucified” if he applied the
badge to a seven-seater. The redesigned Grand Cherokee and its three-row
variant will likely debut in early 2021 as 2022 models, with sales expected to
begin in late summer or fall 2021.
