Of all the improvements Jeep engineers made to the 2005 Grand Cherokee, none is more impressive than the truck’s new independent front suspension. Combined with a revised rear suspension, this set-up does an admirable job of soaking up the bumps to create a refined ride that’s well suited to the vehicle’s upscale character.
This new suspension design also pays big dividends when it comes to handling. While the Grand Cherokee is no sports car, we found it inspires a level of confidence on winding roads that’s relatively uncommon in such vehicles.
If you consider yourself a driving enthusiast, you’ll want to put off buying a Grand Cherokee until the optional Dynamic Handling System (DHS) becomes available on Limited models equipped with the 5.7-liter Hemi in mid-2005. This innovative system, which will likely be offered as part of a “sport” package with upgraded shocks, springs, and tires, uses a hydraulically-controlled “active” stabilizer bar to deliver all the handling benefits of a stout anti-sway bar without the harsh ride quality normally associated with such hefty hardware. As a side benefit, Jeep engineers say the system should also allow for increased suspension travel in off-road settings.
We were able to compare two identically equipped Grand Cherokees with the standard and DHS suspensions on a closed course and we can tell you the difference is dramatic. Dare we say the system, which is undergoing final tweaking, should make this one of those rare SUVs that is just as long on “sport” as it is “utility.”
Further enhancing the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s pavement performance is a new rack-and-pinion steering system. Steering feel is much more precise, with little of the vagueness that plagued the old recirculating ball set-up.
Rounding out the package are larger 12.9-inch disc brakes up front, ably assisted by 12.6 -inch discs in the rear. The combination makes for powerful stops with good, easy-to-modulate pedal feel. Four-wheel antilock brakes are a welcome standard safety feature on all models.
|
