Auto review: The Jeep Grand Cherokee grows in many ways for 2021

Ask Mark Allen, who runs Jeep design, what he finds amusing, and he'll tell you it’s that Americans prefer sport utility vehicles and crossover utility vehicles to sedans, coupes, convertibles and station wagons.

"I was told over and over and over, and read it in magazines, that in the American market you can't sell a five-door hatchback. That’s every CUV on the road," he says.

"Look at convertibles; convertibles are dead, right?" he continues. "We sell hundreds of thousands a year; every Wrangler is a convertible. Something about changing the formula makes it acceptable. They don't buy it because it had four-wheel-drive capability, they buy it because it's a configurable convertible. It will never go in low range."

Need proof? Manhattan is one of the Jeep Wrangler’s biggest markets.

Regardless, Americans are convinced that station wagons with eight inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive are the ideal form of transportation in 2021. And that’s what makes the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee the perfect vehicle. No, its owners will never take it off-road. But they own it because they could, should they somehow lose their senses and suddenly decide to go boulder bashing in Utah.

Whether it makes sense or not is beside the point. But for those few owners who will use its capability, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is a fine addition to the fleet.

For 2021, the Grand Cherokee will be offered as a two-row or longer three-row model, the latter known as the Grand Cherokee L. Jeep added the three-row model and 15 inches in length as three-row SUVs account for the lion’s share of demand in the GC’s market segment. It also explains why it debuts ahead of its two-row companion, coming soon as a 2022 model.

Offered in Laredo, Altitude, Limited, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve trim, the Grand Cherokee L comes with either a 293-horsepower V-6 or a 357-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8 with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear- or all-wheel drive. Towing is rated at 6,200 pounds with the V-6, 7,200 pounds with the V-8.

As you might expect, the V-6 doesn't match the effortless power provided by the V-8. However, most drivers will find it satisfactory, and most GCs will come with it. Fuel economy is about what you’d expect at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway with all-wheel drive. Rear-drive models improve those numbers by 1 mpg. The new underpinnings deliver a far better driving experience, delivering a smooth controlled ride with minimal body lean in corners, good steering feel and response and strong braking. It’s so effortless, you may never notice this vehicle’s extra length. It’s also remarkably quieter than previous models.

But this is more than a family bus. Tromping around Jeep’s off-road proving grounds in Michigan, the Grand Cherokee easily bounded over boulders, waded through water and traversed logs with an ease you’d expect from Jeep.

But the first thing most buyers will notice is the Grand Cherokee’s updated appearance, which blends the brightwork from the Compass with a lean-forward grille that harks back to Jeep’s first three-row SUV, the Wagoneer, along with other styling nods to Jeep’s past.

It continues inside, with a new horizontally oriented instrument panel, a clear nod to Jeep’s past. Finishes have been upgraded and feel far more stylish, with real wood, leather and suede. Better yet, the instrument panel benefits from a digital gauge cluster, infotainment system touch screen and an optional head-up display. The latest version of Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment software provides impressive capability and is as easy to use as your smartphone, and just as customizable. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa are standard.