by Anthony Fongaro - photos by Stellantis - 10/24/2023
When consumers look at a vehicle, they may skip over the base model. It may not have all the technology, upgraded engines, and other features available. Even when you add a few options, a higher trim level might be a better answer. That’s what happened to me this week with the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Laredo 4x4. I’ve tested Grand Cherokee L’s in the past, but those were almost $80,000 vehicles with night vision. This time, I get to see how a base Laredo is, albeit with a $5,000 package which does help. Is bottom-of-the-barrel one to avoid or look at?
Whichever trim you get, the Grand Cherokee L is a handsome SUV. This model was painted in Velvet Red Pearl paint and had gray 18-inch wheels which looked too small. One of the features of that $5,000 package includes an Altitude Appearance Package. When I brought the Jeep to a dealership to talk about trim levels, their first thought was this was an Altitude. Only after I showed them the spec sheet did they agree. Although it’s only one rung above the Laredo, it makes the Laredo look less cheap. Jeep has done a great job with the aggressive-looking headlights and taillights. That package also included a power tailgate.
Let’s first look at the cabin as a whole. There are steering wheel controls for the adaptive cruise control along with media and the front digital screen. It’s a 10.25-inch display, and I enjoyed it. It’s probably the best tech in the cabin. Even in the base trim, that comes standard! Since you all know me quite well, you know I like physical buttons and knobs for climate control. There are some people who don’t like a rotary dial for the transmission, but I think it’s a good idea. It takes up less space and is easy to use. Still…
This brought up a question. What else does that $5,000 package do to the interior? Well…it includes lovely Capri Leather and Suede seats. Along with the steering wheel, both are heated. A sunroof upped the price by $1,440. I was disappointed that, for that price, you don’t get a panoramic sunroof. Thankfully, the rest of the cabin doesn’t feel particularly cheap. There’s plenty of space for the second row, but the third row should only be used in a pinch.
Jeep really has to replace the 3.6-liter V6. It may produce 290 horsepower/216kW and 260 lb-ft/353 Nm, but it’s slow. With an all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic, the Grand Cherokee needs a leisure 8 seconds to get from 0-60 MPH. Garnering around 20 MPG, I would say, upgrade to the V8. Accelerating with the V6 had some harshness to it, always shifting at around 3,000 RPM. That is part of the reason why it gets low fuel economy. I can’t really fault the automatic transmission because it does its job. There are paddle shifters on the steering wheel, but the shifts become even slower. Don’t use it.
A lack of various drive modes surprised me. Jeep included a power button for more power, but that just drops the MPG to around 15 MPG. This is a large SUV, so handling isn’t its strong suit. Grand Cherokee L’s don’t like to be pushed hard. Instead, get onto a highway, set the adaptive cruise control, and let it do its job. That is to transport people and their things. Along with adaptive cruise control was blind spot monitoring and a backup camera. Other than those features, that’s about it.
Base Jeep Grand Cherokee L Laredo’s start at $45,000. That’s not bad, but of course, it needs options. This one had the red paint for $495, a trailer hitch for $695, sunroof at $1,440. When you add in the costly $5,105 package, it balloons this base L to almost $55,000! I can easily say don’t get a Laredo. When options and packages include a panoramic sunroof and ventilated seats, it gets to $60,000. I would normally say a $5,000 increase is a bit much. In this case, it’s recommended. Altitude models don’t get the larger 10.1-inch touch screen infotainment system or the option of ventilated seats.
After testing the Jeep Grand Cherokee L Laredo, it was an easy decision. If you want the Laredo, be prepared to spend almost as much as the Altitude or Limited. That said, it’s a handsome vehicle and I like how the cabin is laid out. Going for the Limited trim gets you way more standard features and the availability of other options. At the end of the day, this is a family vehicle. If you don’t want the tech, you don’t need to. I enjoy ventilated seats and air suspension so I know that I would go far. Still, this is a great family hauler. I would put this on a list of others to consider, but I wouldn’t shortlist. It does what it needs to do, and that’s all that families ask for.
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