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Introduction
Jeep Grand Cherokee -- 2005 First Drive: After spending the day driving the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee in a variety of settings ranging from winding two-lane roads to gnarly off-road courses and wandering among the four-wheel-drive faithful gathered for the first annual Camp Jeep California, we are left with three distinct impressions:
· First, that buying a Jeep is more than just a mere financial transaction. It's more akin to being inducted into a secret society.
· Second, that the card-carrying members of this club will likely be thoroughly delighted with this all-new version of the company's flagship SUV.
· Third, and to our way of thinking most significant, that this much improved 2005 Grand Cherokee has the goods to bring many new members into the fanatic Jeep family.
First introduced in 1992 as an uptown cousin of the no-frills Cherokee, the midsize Jeep Grand Cherokee received its last major update in 1999. To say a lot has happened in the sport-utility vehicle category since that time is a serious understatement.
Crowded field
Since then, there are now more than two dozen midsize SUVs on the market, each one backed by squads of engineers and marketing types pitching their product as best in the class. With all of these entries fighting for share in a shrinking market, the challenge facing this new Grand Cherokee is to remain loyal to its core buyer, yet attract shoppers new to the brand.
Of course, the Jeep brand and the Grand Cherokee nameplate have an advantage in that they are rightly perceived as quintessential off-road vehicles, while the Grand Cherokee is a great way to get to the boonies and back in comfort and style.
Despite those strengths, the outgoing Jeep Grand Cherokee came up a little short when compared to newer sport-utes and crossover vehicles. While utterly capable off-road, the second-generation JGC's on-pavement performance and cramped back seat left it at a distinct disadvantage in the very areas that most impact the way the majority of SUV buyers typically use their vehicles.
Jeep product planners have addressed this with the redesigned 2005 Grand Cherokee by keeping intact all that was good about previous generations while adding the paved road ride and handling characteristics the vehicle needs to remain competitive. While it may not seem to be a revolutionary redesign at first glance, the result of their efforts is nothing less than the best Jeep Grand Cherokee ever.
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