2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee for Sale Nationwide

The Grand Cherokee picked up sharp new styling in the 2005-model-year redesign, which remains fresh today. Long lines and strong angles help it stand out in a crowd of crossovers and SUVs that have grown rounder and friendlier in recent years.

The Jeep’s interior is clean and simple, but not sparse or frugal. New LED backlights in the gauge cluster greatly improve visibility, and all other controls are clearly labeled, close at hand, and intuitively positioned. Higher trims like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited get thick, supple, leather seats and high-end wood accents that add an extra layer of luxury to the rugged Jeep.

In a sea of soft, road-friendly, family SUVs, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a standout. Off-road performance is unmatched in its segment, with the possible exception of the Toyota 4Runner. Though it comes standard with rear-wheel drive, the available four-wheel-drive system can take the Grand Cherokee and its occupants far, far off the beaten path.

It’s hard to find a bad apple among the Jeep’s crowd of engine choices. The base 210-hp 3.7-liter V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission get the SUV moving without much hassle and makes an excellent companion for scooting around town. The first V8, a 305-hp 4.7-liter unit, pulls strong and delivers great low-end grunt for crawling through the woods. The 330-hp 5.7-liter HEMI V8 sounds the business—and has the performance to back it up. Taking another step up the powertrain ladder, the top-of-the-line gas V8 is a massive 6.1-liter HEMI that makes 420 hp. It’s overkill, to be sure, but it’s overkill in the best sense of the word.

A test drive reveals handling that feels competent, planted, and predictable in nearly all situations. The Grand Cherokee has a major leg up over dedicated off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler, because it’s got real “street cred” off the beaten path, with a real-deal four-wheel-drive system, while offering solid handling and a comfortable ride on the road. If hitting the lake is more desirable than hitting the trail, the Jeep can tow plenty of boat, with up to 7,400 pounds of towing capacity.

Though Jeep labels the Grand Cherokee as a full-size sport utility vehicle, its interior dimensions and capacities are much more in line with midsize vehicles. The cabin is packed with a mix of hard plastics and cheap-feeling materials that run counter to what the vehicle’s price tag would lead buyers to believe. The front seats are cushy, wide, and deep, but are too flat to be supportive on curvy roads or, more importantly, while bouncing through the woods.

Unfortunately for adults stuck riding in the back seat, legroom is more on par with a midsize sedan than a midsize SUV. Rear seats are mounted low and close to the floor, which means tall adults will have to ride with knees bent sharply. There is, at least, a solid amount of headroom, and the available sunroof doesn’t cut into that space to a noticeable degree.

Parents will enjoy the Jeep’s large rear doors for loading and unloading kids in car seats. Their square shape and wide opening make installing the seats easy, and greatly reduces the chances of bumped noggins on the kids’ way in or out. Behind the rear seat, the Jeep’s cargo area can accommodate several carry-ons and swallows up large suitcases with ease.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee gets a standard CD player, MP3 playback, an auxiliary input jack, power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, six speakers, and Sirius XM satellite radio. Available features include keyless entry, remote start, a rear-seat entertainment system, automatic climate controls, a navigation system, voice controls, a DVD player, Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls, and rear-seat audio controls.

The Jeep MyGig entertainment system is simple, but that simplicity makes it incredibly easy to use on the go. That ease of use, combined with clearly labeled controls on the dash, reduce distraction that can come from searching for the right button or option.

Crash-test results were a mixed bag for the Grand Cherokee. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated it "good" for moderate-overlap front crashworthiness, "marginal" for side crashworthiness, and "good" for head restraints and seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Jeep five stars for front crash protection, five stars for side protection, three stars for rear-wheel-drive models’ rollover resistance, and four stars in the same category for models equipped with four-wheel drive.

Standard safety features include hill descent control, an electronic stability control system, traction control. dynamic braking assistance, four-wheel disc brakes, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a rear anti-roll bar, an ignition-disable system, an occupancy sensor, front and side-curtain airbags, height-adjustable safety belts, and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

Not surprisingly, given its available V8 engines, fuel economy is a weak spot for the Grand Cherokee. With rear-wheel drive and the 3.7-liter V6 drivetrain, the Grand Cherokee has EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 15/20/17 mpg city/highway/combined. With four-wheel drive, gas mileage lands at 15/19/17 mpg. The 3.0-liter diesel delivers 18/23/20 mpg with rear-wheel drive and 17/22/19 with four-wheel drive. The 4.7-liter V8 engine and 2WD achieve fuel economy of 14/19/15 mpg city/hwy/combined, and with four-wheel drive, those numbers shift to 14/19/15 mpg. The Grand Cherokee with the 5.7-liter engine and four-wheel drive is rated at 13/18/15 mpg, and the range-topping SRT8 with a 6.1-liter engine is estimated to deliver 11/14/12 mpg.