2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD

While turbo-diesel SUVs are common in Europe, they’re very scarce here. Aside from Volkswagen and Mercedes, only Jeep has ventured to market them. Their first effort, the 2005 Liberty CRD, quickly sold out. Well now, chapter two in the Jeep diesel story is unfolding with this 2007 Grand Cherokee CRD. While the badge says Jeep, the engine is all Mercedes, and the result is a marriage made for the mud.

The challenge is to get Americans to view diesel power in the same way Europeans do.  Here in the States, diesels are still fighting a 1980s stigma of being noisy, dirty, and unreliable.  But near-premium vehicles, like the full-size Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD, just might start convincing the American masses of the virtues of the modern clean-diesel.

CRD denotes the Common Rail Turbo Diesel engine supplied by Mercedes-Benz. This 3.0-liter double-over-head-cam turbocharged V6 generates 215 horsepower and an asphalt-grinding 376 pound-feet of torque from 1600-2800 rpm.  This underpins Cherokee’s monumental towing capacity of 7400 pounds.

The V6 turbo-diesel’s common rail direct-injection system uses newly developed Piezo injectors. 

The clean diesel technology, requiring ultra-low sulfur fuel, produces 20 percent less CO2 emissions than comparable gas engines. The CRD is currently 45-state legal.

It also runs more efficiently, to the tune of 30 percent, with Government Fuel Economy ratings of 18 city/23 highway.  Our Cherokee Limited CRD 4x2 should return 20 miles-per-gallon in everyday driving. A Grand Cherokee with a gas-fueled HEMI V8 might do 15. 

Grand Cherokee CRD power is channeled by a 5-speed automatic with manual shift mode. The top 4x4 package is Jeep’s Quadra Drive II system, uniting a full-time two-speed transfer case with available Electronic Limited Slip Differentials for extreme trail-rated capabilities.  In Overland trim, tow hooks and skid plates are also standard.

But this Diesel is very much at home on the pavement, too.  Our CRD surged from 0 to 60 in 8 seconds flat. That’s only a second off the gas 5.7 liter Hemi. The quarter-mile was covered in 16.2 seconds at 84 miles-per-hour. The CRD proved nicely quick off the line and down the stretch, as well as impressively quiet and smooth.

Handling is defined by an independent front and a 5-link solid axial rear suspension for on-road comfort and off-road maneuverability.  Stability control comes standard.

The Cherokee CRD felt light and well-balanced, and not top-heavy at all.  The chassis is very solid and well-planted, despite some body roll.  The “torque-iness” of the Diesel makes it possible to induce some oversteer, but that’s not the vehicle’s natural tendency.  Four-wheel discs with ABS and Brake Assist gave us an acceptable average stopping distance of 132 feet from 60 to 0. 

From the outside, the Grand Cherokee CRD exudes classic Jeep styling.  Its profile is all too familiar, adorned with roof rack rails and standard 17-inch aluminum wheels.

Up front, of course, is Jeep’s seven-slot grille flanked by SmartBeam auto dimming headlamps.

More impressive features lie within the handsome Grand Cherokee cabin of wood and chrome trim.  Limited CRD trim comes loaded with standards such as power leather seats with heat and memory, a Boston Acoustics Sound system with 6-disc CD/MP3 capability controlled by steering-wheel mounted audio controls, dual-zone automatic climate control, and six airbags with roll detection.

Back-up Camera, Park Assist, and Navigation are standard on the top-level Overland CRD trim.

The rear seat is comfortable if a little short on leg room, while offering a 60/40 split fold, and total cargo volume is small for its class at 67.4 cubic feet.

While our test CRD was a 2007 model, 2008 pricing reduces the cost of the CRD option to $1,655 and less. Base MSRP now ranges from $38,315 for a Limited 4x2, to $45,145 for the Overland 4X4.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD makes a solid case for both itself and clean diesel technology as a whole, especially in a big SUV.  With so many pluses and virtually no drawbacks, it may be the best shot yet for diesel to grab America’s attention, once and for all.