Fully revamped Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV available in Korea

Jeep introduced a fully revamped Grand Cherokee SUV in the Korean market Wednesday, in both gasoline and plug-in hybrid versions. The Cherokee SUV and Grand Cherokee 4xe, the plug-in hybrid version, are the latest models added to the Grand Cherokee

From left, Managing Director at Stellantis Korea Jake Aumann, Sales and Marketing Senior Vice President at Stellantis India & Asia Pacific Billy Hayes, Grand Cherokee's ambassador actor Kim Sung-ryoung and Vice President of Interior Design at Stallantis North America Chris Benjamin pose next to Jeep's new Grand Cherokee SUV at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Wednesday. [STELLANTIS KOREA]

Jeep introduced a fully revamped Grand Cherokee SUV in the Korean market Wednesday, in both gasoline and plug-in hybrid versions.

The Cherokee SUV and Grand Cherokee 4xe, the plug-in hybrid version, are the latest models added to the Grand Cherokee lineup, followed by the 3-row Grand Cherokee L, which was released to the Korean market in November last year.

“We are confident that the two models we are introducing today will lead the market as each of them delivers value for customers in the very hot luxury SUV market in Korea,” said Jake Aumann, managing director of Stellantis Korea during a press conference held in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, on Wednesday.

Jeep is owned by Amsterdam-based Stellantis.

Compared to the Grand Cherokee L, the new Grand Cherokee is 5 millimeters wider and 5 millimeters shorter. The overall length is 4,900 millimeters.

Jeep's iconic seven-slot grille and trapezoidal wheel arches are maintained in the new design.

The vehicle will be the first model to have Jeep Connect standard, a system for Jeep drivers to connect with the car through its mobile application. The location of the vehicle can be tracked down and other functions such as emergency response systems are included.

Equipped with a 3.6-liter gasoline engine, the vehicle generates a maximum of 286 horsepower and 35.1 kilogram-meters of torque.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a 400-volt battery pack. It generates a maximum of 272 horsepower and 40.8 kilogram-meters of torque. The plug-in hybrid version can be driven in three different modes — hybrid, fully electric and gasoline — depending on the driving distance.

The new Grand Cherokee’s sticker price starts from 85.5 million won ($64,630), while that for the Grand Cherokee 4xe starts from 103.2 million won. Both models are available in two different versions, depending on the specs.

The very first version of the Grand Cherokee was introduced in the Korean market in 1995.

Jeep has pledged to bring at least one eco-friendly model, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, to Korea every year starting in 2021. By 2025, the company said it will release four all-electric SUVs in the automobile market.

Jeep sold 3,280 cars in the domestic market in the first half of 2022, down 44.7 percent on year.

Stallantis sells four brands in Korea: Jeep Peugeot, DS and Citroen.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]