Jeep Celebrates 30 Years Of Grand Cherokee With New Special Edition

The Grand Cherokee 4xe is driven by the same PHEV powertrain as the Wrangler 4xe. It consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, and a 17 kWh battery pack, good for 25 miles of all-electric range. The total system output is 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, which is sent to the permanent 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case.

Thanks to five terrain modes, 10.9 inches of ground clearance, and an electronically locking rear differential, the 4xe is a capable off-roader. Jeep also claims it can do the famous 22-mile Rubicon Trail on electricity alone, which means it's old-school Trail Rated and not Trail Rated according to the less-hardcore definition Jeep implemented in 2004.

Even with the 30th Anniversary package included, all but the top-end Summit Reserve 4xe qualify for the new $7,500 tax credit, now payable at the point of sale. Basically, the government pays for the package, and you still get $2,800 off. All models are American-made; only the Summit Reserve costs more than the $80,000 cutoff for SUVs.

"When the original Jeep Grand Cherokee debuted in 1992 by famously crashing through the glass at Cobo Hall, it literally shattered expectations and redefined what a premium SUV could be," said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. "Three decades later and more than seven million Grand Cherokees sold, the most awarded SUV ever is still forging new ground with the electrified plug-in-hybrid 4xe model. The Grand Cherokee 4xe 30th Anniversary edition underscores how far the Grand Cherokee has come and is yet another example of the Jeep brand's goal to be the electrification leader in SUVs."