The Jeep Grand Cherokee has grown from a showroom stunt in the early 1990s into a lineup that includes a 707-horsepower performance SUV and a plug-in hybrid. Along the way it picked up new engines, suspensions, and body styles. Here are twelve Grand Cherokees that mark its milestones.
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1. Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ, 1993): Through the Plate Glass
The first Grand Cherokee made its entrance by driving through a plate-glass window at the 1992 Detroit show, a stunt that matched the model’s ambitions. Jeep also billed the ZJ as the first SUV equipped with a driver-side air bag, according to the Stellantis debut release.
The 1993 model year followed that Detroit launch, so the debut and the badge do not share a calendar year. Together, the stunt and the air bag framed the Grand Cherokee as an upscale, family-friendly alternative to the truck-based SUVs around it.
2. Jeep Grand Cherokee Orvis Edition (ZJ, 1995): Moss Green Orvis
The Orvis Edition was a Limited-based package finished in Moss Green paint with green-and-tan leather, and the 5.2-liter V8 came standard. Production reached 10,020 units in 1995, according to the figures summarized in Wikipedia’s ZJ entry.
That is a sizable run for a package defined mainly by paint and trim. The Orvis shows how the first generation used appearance packages to give a single body style several distinct personalities, while keeping the V8 as the common thread across the offering.
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk (WK2, 2017): Air Suspension Goes Off-Road
The 2017 Trailhawk added Quadra-Lift air suspension and Quadra-Drive II four-wheel drive, according to the Stellantis anniversary document. Together they gave the trim a hardware list aimed squarely at off-road driving.
Adjustable air suspension and an upgraded drivetrain set the Trailhawk apart from road-focused trims in the lineup. The pairing shows how far the Grand Cherokee had moved from its early four-wheel-drive systems, and it gives the WK2 generation a capable, trail-ready chapter among the model’s milestones.
4. Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ, 1999): A Clean-Sheet Redesign
The WJ was a full redesign, with only 127 parts carried over from its predecessor. It also introduced Quadra-Drive, an automatic all-wheel-drive system, according to the Stellantis anniversary document.
That small carryover count signals how thoroughly Jeep reworked the Grand Cherokee for 1999. The new drivetrain gave the model a more capable story for owners who wanted traction handled automatically, and it marked a clear break between the ZJ and the generation that followed.
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK, 2005): Independent Front Suspension
For 2005 the WK added independent front suspension, aimed at delivering a quieter ride than the solid-axle setup of earlier generations. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 was offered too, rated at 330 horsepower, as listed in Stellantis anniversary notes.
The pairing pointed the Grand Cherokee toward on-road comfort and muscle without abandoning its trail credentials. The independent front end and the strong Hemi together marked a shift in character, making the third generation feel more refined while still offering real power to buyers.
6. Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (2006): Hemi Hot Rod
The SRT8 arrived for 2006 with a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 making 420 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Twenty-inch forged wheels and Brembo brakes rounded out the performance hardware, as recounted in the Stellantis 30th-anniversary summary.
That recipe turned a family SUV into a legitimate performance machine, with brakes and wheels chosen to match the engine. The SRT8 set the template for the hot Grand Cherokees that followed, each pushing output higher than the one before.
7. Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2, 2011): Four Million and Counting
The WK2 launched for 2011 after four million Grand Cherokees had been sold, and it brought four-wheel independent suspension to the lineup. Engines included the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 at 360 horsepower, according to Wikipedia’s Grand Cherokee overview.
The fourth generation proved durable in showrooms, with the same source listing 224,908 sales in 2018. Few SUVs hold their sales momentum that long into a generation, and the figure helps explain why the WK2 became the basis for several hot-rod variants.
8. Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (WK2, 2012): 470 Horsepower
The SRT version of the WK2 used a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 rated at 470 horsepower. Production of the SRT8 began on July 16, 2011, as summarized in Wikipedia’s model history.
The bigger Hemi lifted output well above the first SRT8’s 420 horsepower, keeping the performance flagship at the top of the lineup. It also set the stage for the even more extreme model that arrived a few years later, which pushed the formula far beyond anything before it.
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk (2018): The 707-Horsepower Headliner
The 2018 Trackhawk produced 707 horsepower, reached 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and covered the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 116 mph. Top speed was 180 mph, and Jeep called it the most powerful and quickest SUV ever, as spelled out in Stellantis’s Trackhawk release.
Those figures give the headline its punch and show how far a utility vehicle had traveled from the 1993 original. The Trackhawk stands as the headline act of the lineup, a showcase of what the Grand Cherokee platform could deliver when power was the priority.
10. Jeep Grand Cherokee L (2021): Three Rows at Last
The Grand Cherokee L debuted in 2021 with seven-passenger seating and a longer wheelbase, making it the first three-row Grand Cherokee. The details appear in Stellantis’s anniversary overview.
The added length answered buyers who wanted the badge with more room for people. It widened the nameplate’s appeal without replacing the standard two-row model, and it gave the family its first real answer for households needing a third row of seats.
11. Jeep Grand Cherokee (WL, 2022): Fifth Generation
The WL generation arrived for 2022 with a 290-horsepower V6, a 357-horsepower Hemi V8, and an eight-speed automatic with a rotary controller. Sales hit 244,594 in 2023, according to Wikipedia’s Grand Cherokee page.
That total shows the redesign landing well with buyers, topping the 224,908 sales recorded in 2018. The lineup also reflects a broader shift toward refinement, with the rotary controller and eight-speed automatic giving the fifth generation a modern feel.
12. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (2022): Plug-In Power
The 4xe is a plug-in hybrid producing 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. It offers 25 miles of electric range, 56 MPGe, and 6,000 pounds of towing capacity, based on Stellantis’s 4xe announcement.
That combination keeps the Grand Cherokee’s towing credentials while adding a short all-electric commute. The 4xe shows the nameplate adapting to electrification without dropping its capability, and it joins the 375-horsepower figure to the efficiency numbers buyers now expect.
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