Love the ride, love having another JEEP!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Better ride, better dash controls,better fold-down back seat system.

Cons: Less storage up front, less A/C vents up front-Gas mileage

The Bottom Line: 
We would buy another Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X4 in a flash! We enjoy driving in the winter where we want to go NOT just where the plow already plowed!

Author's Review
We just leased our fifth Jeep and our second Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X4. We got the Silver color with Slate interior color cloth seats (I do not like to sweat on leather all summer.) BASE PRICE was $29,135 with towing package-$30,200. We kept our lease payments lower than if we'd have bought a Small Honda CRV! (With the same down payments!)

LADIES: Other drivers treat women-drivers in Jeeps or big SUVs differently than when you are driving another car! Several friends have also noticed this in our area.

We got the 3.7Liter V6 Engine with the 5-speed transmission. We notice that around 28/30 mph (on back roads at night or during lots of traffic) the car seems to miss or quiver a little. The SERVICE Dept. told us to drive it awhile and see if it continues and that it might just be where the auto-transmission shifts. WE WILL SEE.

The car seems to have enough power and hauls logs on our small trailer with NO problem but it sure won't win any races. Good thing we don't race or pass people on the jug-handles of expressways as many drivers do today!

We got Trailer Tow Group-Class II Hitch receiver and they put on P245/65R17 OWL ALL TERRAIN TIRES--which does NOT enhance the ride but it still rides much better than last Gr. Cherokee (2004).

I like the ride and the way it corners, I love the response to steering and how I can make U-turns and Y-turns so easily. The 8-way power driver's seat is a good thing since my hubby is over 6 feet tall and I'm 5'3"!

They moved the temperature and compass console to the dashboard which I didn't like at first (as passenger) but now that I'm used to it and I can see it from the passenger side so it's still good. I would REALLY miss that if we didn't have it. Winter-time rain and you wonder how close it is to freezing--we all look for the temperature readout! And if we're in a strange area the compass has saved us many miles.

The 60/40 folding back seat is great and even with sore wrists, they fold down really easily! and they make a FLAT FLOOR NOW--REALLY GOOD! Better than 2004's system. The back has reversible waterproof cargo storage and if you're a gardener like I am--this is GREAT for keeping my husband's car CLEAN!!

The back still has a lift gate which I like much better than the door with the pop-out window. I saw a lady in a parking lot who opened her back hatch/door and when her window popped out-it just missed her chin--so I am glad we have the hatch style that lifts up.


We get 18.7 combination MPG (3000 miles on it) and 20.3 on trip (turnpike driving). It really sails on the turnpike and NO NOISE a real improvement over 2004! THE interior is really quiet compared to older models and much more comfort for driver and passenger. We hope the mpg improves once we get it broken in a little longer.

THE STORAGE up front is terrible and the glove box doesn't hold much at all. The doors hold less than the old models and the central console (arm rest combo.) holds not much at all! That is the only thing we've found to in this year's car. Chrysler seems to think the only thing you want to store is JUICE BOXES--NOT cups etc.!! BUT there are lots of little storage areas around the car for storage of juice boxes etc.

The Air Conditioning system REALLY cools the car but I notice that they have four vents up front-each set of two of each end of the dash board which is a sort of U for driver and passenger. This puts the vents almost in your face and I have to direct them away otherwise they blow right in my face but it's minor and once you get them adjusted--it's really comfortable. I use the RE-cycle inside air setting on the far right of dial (at 5 o'clock) Then if we get near trucks or if it's REALLY hot outside-the air conditioning system doesn't have to work so hard-the inside air is cooler than the outside air so it's easier and faster to cool this way.

The traveler/mini trip computer is great--you can keep track of 2 trips at the same time and it gives the mpg for both! IT even keeps track of the time spent driving on trips separately if you use the buttons as they instruct in the DIRECTIONS (if all else fails--read the directions!!) ALL the buttons for the computer that tells you the

The standard sound system is good--I love classical and the bass sound is very good. The radio keeps stations that other cars lost during driving. You get an AM/FM/Stereo with CD player and changer controls and 6 speakers.

The 4-wheel traction control is super for avoiding problems in snow and I love the gear shift (automatic) even though we have the auto.trans. when you're in D on a long hill--all you have to do is to tap the lever against the opposite side of the gear-slot and you see that you can down-shift into 4 or 3 or even 2--which slows your car and doesn't wear out your brakes. In 4--it's like Drive with NO OVERDRIVE so it would be LESS GAS mileage BUT less braking on hills--I only use it for down-hill on a mountain.

Standard equipment includes LUMBAR ADJUST for DRIVER and FRONT PASSENGER. That really makes these seats comfortable.


One WARNING--if you get a lower rate-with Chrysler Financial GOLD KEY lease/buy option--DO BE CAREFUL--we got it not knowing it was different from our regular LEASE! We traded in our 2004 Grand Cherokee, the dealer said it was in perfect condition not one scratch and LOW mileage! FOR the next 6 weeks (up until this past SATURDAY 8/19/06--we are still getting mail about closing out our 2004 Jeep! The dealer has done all they are to do and the car is waiting for Chrysler to pick it up--the paperwork is done. NOW Chrysler sent us a bill for DISPOSITION for over $200 but I called and 800 number ASKED for a SUPERVISOR right away--waited and waited and got a very nice man who seems to have straightened out all our problems. HE made a great point of giving me a phone number that goes DIRECTLY to him and so I won't have to give a name and have the person have NO CLUE where that person is located!

THAT alone would make us hesitate to buy another JEEP but we have to say this is the only time it's happened and our dealer assures us that they'll back us and take care of any problems.

We tried a Honda CRV and while we loved the engine, gas mileage and storage for size of car--it just didn't seem so solid on the expressway and the short (about 6"+/-) arm rests were a "pain"--my arm kept slipping off all the time.
The car was neat and really nicely appointed but it just wasn't a JEEP! The rubber floor mats and noise really sounded loud. And we decided we'd rather drive less (gas prices!!) and KEEP to JEEP!