"TOO soft, too small and drives too American-like." These were some of the criticisms levelled at Jeep's previous-generation Grand Cherokee. Enter the third all-new incarnation of the iconic US luxury SUV, however, and the old Grand Cherokee stereotypes are crushed, giving critics an all-American one-fingered salute. Actually, as a product of US-German auto giant DaimlerChrysler, the Grand is no longer 100 per cent from the USA - and the CRD version tested here borrows its excellent 3.0-litre turbo-diesel powerplant from the just-launched Mercedes-Benz M-class. But trading a bit of American machismo for German know-how isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, with Jeep's latest CRD, the result is excellent.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Released: March 1996
Ended: June 2005
Family Tree: Grand CherokeeThe previous-generation ZG Grand Cherokee went on sale in Australia in March 1996, priced from $49,990 in 4.0-litre six-cylinder guise. A 162kW/390Nm 4.7-litre V8 was also offered, along with a 120kW/400Nm five-cylinder turbo-diesel. An updated WJ version appeared here in July 1999, offering more power and a chrome grille. It was replaced by the WG in November 2000, and has undergone a number of updates since then. The range included entry-level Laredo, Limited and top-spec Overland equipment lines.
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