Not too long ago, for the first time in its nearly 30-year history, the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee gained a third row of seats and seven-passenger capacity with the release of Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Other than the Grand Cherokee L's third row, what exactly is the difference between both models?
Exterior
From the naked eye, the Grand Cherokee L is best seen as a blend of the current generation Grand Cherokee and the new 2022 Grand Wagoneer concept, incorporating the latter's seven-slot grille and upright proportions, especially around the back where the extended roof leads to a more squared-off design than the current two-row.
Dimensions
According to MotorTrend, as expected, the entire Jeep Grand Cherokee L is longer than the Grand Cherokee. If you park the Grand Cherokee next to the Grand Cherokee L, you will find the wheelbase of the three-row Jeep has grown by seven inches to a total of 121.7 inches, while front and rear track grows by 1.5-inches and 1.3 inches, respectively.
Length extends as well, with the Grand Cherokee L incorporating an additional 15.1-inches in length when compared to the Grand Cherokee.
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Interior
With the addition of a third row comes a completely revised interior, complete with a reworked center console and driver gauge cluster. There is also a redesigned steering wheel, interior upholstery, a new 10.1-inch display, and a 10.25-inch digital cluster.
Related: Jeep Grand Cherokee L and its Impressive Interior
Passenger Space
For those who tend to have big families or more often than not, plenty of passengers, the Grand Cherokee L and its cabin space is a huge win. For example, the total interior passenger volume is an impressive 159.9 cu. ft.
The front headroom changes only slightly with a 0.1-inch reduction compared to the Grand Cherokee, contrasted by a 1.0-inch improvement in front legroom and a 0.5-inch increase in shoulder room in the Grand Cherokee L.
Cargo Space
Providing that extra third row of seats is additional cargo capacity, as the Grand Cherokee L packs significantly more interior cargo volume than the Grand Cherokee with an extra 16.3 cu. ft. of maximum capacity (84.6 cu. ft. total).
Powertrains
Contrary to the other differences between the SUVs, the powertrains are not changed over the Grand Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee L's base engine remains the 3.6-liter Penastar V-6 – with five less hp and three lb-ft. less than the two-row Grand Cherokee. Upgrade to the Grand Cherokee L's 5.7-liter V-8, and power drops three hp to 357 hp from 360 hp, but torque remains the same 39. lb-ft. as the Grand Cherokee.
Overall, both the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L are excellent SUVs. It all really comes down to what you are looking for and what fits your lifestyle.