2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee: How it Brought Back Enough Memories to Fill Its Cargo Space
Erica Mueller
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Looking for the stats? Click here for the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee fact sheet.
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit: My First Car Grew Up
How often do you get the chance to drive a brand new version of the first car you ever bought? For most of us, that first car purchase was so exciting. We shopped around till we found just the model and color we wanted, and we loved that car. Maybe even named it. Mine was a fire engine red 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. It was so modern… CD player, electric locks and windows, and cruise control. It had a sporty gray bumper and body panels all around the bottom and it had my heart. I bought it on eBay and had it transported from New Jersey to Kentucky. Fast forward sixteen years and I got to spend a week in a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit… the absolutely loaded cousin of the Laredo.
First of all, there is no name like Jeep when it comes to all-purpose vehicles. No matter which model you choose, you know it’s going to be capable of going just about anywhere, and they never go out of style. The Grand Cherokee family, which carries a price tag from $32,000- $67,000 for the Summit Edition, is the largest of the Jeeps and boasts plenty of room for the whole family… even the dogs.
Related: If you love luxury and a big price tag doesn’t concern you, check out the $180k Bently Bentayga Hybrid SUV.
What We Love About this Jeep
It’s oh-so-roomy. This is what puts the “Grand” in the Grand Cherokee Summit. When I was originally shopping for a Jeep, I looked at some Cherokee models and they were just too small. I felt cramped when I was driving and the second row was too small for friends. As a teen, I wanted to be able to load up my pals and take them with me. So I went up a size to the Grand Cherokee. While both models have gotten bigger, I still feel a lot more comfortable in the Grand Cherokee, and the Summit’s panoramic sunroof and interior package just adds a level of luxury that makes you forget for a moment that you’re driving an off-road capable vehicle. It really is the best of both worlds and the Grand Cherokee would still be my choice today.
Family Friendly, Despite All the Luxury
It’s super kid-friendly if you add the DVD player and dual-screen entertainment system. The leather seats are easy to clean and you get lots of cup holders and media charging options for everyone.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit may be a luxurious family car or get-you-around-town SUV but it can also take you through a weekend of rock crawling and mud-slinging fun. Strap some skis on top and head for the slopes, or run it through the car wash and pick up some friends for a night on the town.
Related: See what Connie thought of the 2019 Cadillac XT4 SUV
A Jeep Load of Memories, Relived in a Week
Driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit brought back lots of fond memories. I spent so much time in my old red Jeep, traveling to singing gigs, going to amusement parks and concerts with friends, locking my keys in my car for the first time, just 2 days after I bought it, and sliding down Interstate 75 through the mountains of Tennessee after a nasty ice storm. And of course, being mad at my brother when he totaled it just weeks after I passed it down… I even went hunting for a picture of my old Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and found a first-drive look on Motor Trend where the model they drove was red, just like mine. Wow!
What was your first car?
This 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit was loaned to be by FCA for the purpose of this review. All the love, memories and opinions are my own.
