Hi all. This is my first ExPo post, but I am not foreign to overlanding/offroading/rockcrawling. I worked as the Website Manager at American Expedition Vehicles before my current job. I know the Wrangler is the be all end all of off-roading with a Jeep and I've experienced that in hemi-equipped AEV JKs in Moab (it is delightful), but it doesn't fit my current needs.
In the next 2 months I will be making a decision between a Cherokee Trailhawk and a Grand Cherokee Laredo "E" 4x4. Sounds like a strange comparison, but in terms of pricing it makes sense.
Cherokee Trailhawk V6 + Leather Interior Group, Cold Weather Group and Hood Decal: $33,726
Grand Cherokee Laredo "E" 4x4 + All Weather Capability Group: $35,385
Obviously the Grand Cherokee offers much more cabin space and rear storage, but the Trailhawk is pretty attractive because of the creature comforts (leather, larger touch display, etc) included as well as skid plates, locking rear diff, hill descent and ascent control.
The Grand Cherokee configuration I've done does include the quadra-trac II 4wd system, but I don't believe that includes any ascent/descent control. I could be wrong though. It also comes with cloth instead of leather and the smaller 5-inch touch display. It's kind of difficult to A/B all the features on these 2 vehicles!
Some background: I'm married and we have a 4 year old. Car will be a daily driver to take her to school and me to work, but will also be used for family road trips as well as satisfying any itches I have for some mild off-roading. I plan on keeping this vehicle for the long haul, so there could also be some back road/off road/overland style trips in the U.P. at some point. I live in South East Michigan, so the vehicle won't be seeing any serious obstacles with any regularity. Unless you count the snow that the plow dumps at the end of my driveway a serious obstacle...
Anyway..I'd like some opinions on which you'd choose and why!
In the next 2 months I will be making a decision between a Cherokee Trailhawk and a Grand Cherokee Laredo "E" 4x4. Sounds like a strange comparison, but in terms of pricing it makes sense.
Cherokee Trailhawk V6 + Leather Interior Group, Cold Weather Group and Hood Decal: $33,726
Grand Cherokee Laredo "E" 4x4 + All Weather Capability Group: $35,385
Obviously the Grand Cherokee offers much more cabin space and rear storage, but the Trailhawk is pretty attractive because of the creature comforts (leather, larger touch display, etc) included as well as skid plates, locking rear diff, hill descent and ascent control.
The Grand Cherokee configuration I've done does include the quadra-trac II 4wd system, but I don't believe that includes any ascent/descent control. I could be wrong though. It also comes with cloth instead of leather and the smaller 5-inch touch display. It's kind of difficult to A/B all the features on these 2 vehicles!
Some background: I'm married and we have a 4 year old. Car will be a daily driver to take her to school and me to work, but will also be used for family road trips as well as satisfying any itches I have for some mild off-roading. I plan on keeping this vehicle for the long haul, so there could also be some back road/off road/overland style trips in the U.P. at some point. I live in South East Michigan, so the vehicle won't be seeing any serious obstacles with any regularity. Unless you count the snow that the plow dumps at the end of my driveway a serious obstacle...
Anyway..I'd like some opinions on which you'd choose and why!
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