Introduction

The 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee, flagship of the Jeep brand, offers a better ride, improved brake pedal feel, and easier steering effort over last year's models. Also new are enhanced interior features and child seats that are easier to install. Power adjustable pedals are now available for all models. Jeep built its reputation by building the genuine article, the real deal. Jeep vehicles offer serious off-road capability to match their tough looks. The luxuriously appointed Grand Cherokee along with the nimble Wrangler are the basis for Jeep's reputation for off-road prowess. The Grand Cherokee can prowl canyons and crevasses, negotiate steep slopes, and slog through slippery mud. Yet it's civilized enough to satisfy buyers whose idea of high adventure is a visit to Builder's Square without a blueprint. Introduced nearly a decade ago, the Grand Cherokee was extensively redesigned in 1999. In 2002, Jeep released the flagship Overland model, which combines plush suede leather seat inserts with a full complement of off-road equipment, including skid plates, a raised suspension and limited-slip axles.

Walkaround

The Jeep Grand Cherokee brings a powerful sense of identity to a market crowded with on-road SUVs. From its jailhouse grille to its squared-off wheel openings, there's no mistaking the Grand Cherokee for anything but a Jeep. Short overhangs contribute to its off-road capability, and to its pulled-taught styling as well. Slightly rounded edges and a subtle bulge in the roofline modernize, but do not detract from, a design heritage traceable to the 1941 original.

Interior Features

Safety has improved for 2003 with optional ceiling-mounted side-curtain air bags, which provide head protection for front- and rear-seat occupants. LATCH child-seat anchors are standard. New rain-sensing wipers are standard on Overland, optional on Limited models. We found the Grand Cherokee's front seats comfortable, with thickly padded longitudinal ribs. They seem a bit cushy for serious off-road driving, however. The bottom cushion has ridges to keep you in place, but the backrest lacks lateral support. This makes it easy to slide into the seat while wearing a bulky coat, nice for those cold winter commutes, but if you charge into a hard corner you may find yourself sliding into the door. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland's adjustable pedal option moves the brake and throttle up to three inches closer to accommodate shorter drivers. But if you're a six-footer with proportionately long legs, you'll leave the pedals all the way forward. The pedals move with the memory seats and mirrors, a boon to folks who are significantly taller or shorter than their significant other. A button on the key fob activates the memory function, so you can pre-adjust everything to your settings before you even climb into the vehicle. The gauges on Limited and Overland are electroluminescent, so the dials themselves appear to glow at night. It's a more pleasing look than the conventional setup, where the pointers and numerals are lighted against a darker background. It's hard to tell at a glance, but the Overland's Redwood Burl trim is real wood. Similarly, its wood-and-leather steering wheel isn't as plush or thick as that of a Jaguar, but its does have remote stereo switches on the front of its horizontal spokes. That feature relieves the long reach to the dashboard for the radio controls, a reach made longer by the Grand Cherokee's high seating position. Our initial impression from the driver's seat was that the hood was too high, blocking vision immediately in front of the vehicle. But the hood slopes down on its sides, so your vision isn't blocked while turning. Rear legroom is tight for long-distance trips with large fishing buddies, but adequate for a night on the town with another couple. Climbing into the back seats is relatively easy (compared with the Land Rover Discovery, for example), thanks to generously wide doors. The rear tire lies under the floor, which allows more space for cargo at the expense of a high liftover at the tailgate.