Rental Car Review: 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

A year ago, I wrote this review of the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L in the magazine I was Managing Editor for. The context was to tie the review in with the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series that was taking place in the Twin Cities ahead of the issue’s publication. 

Ultimately, I suggested that when teams fly and rent their vehicles for the run of the tournament that they should enjoy the three-row Grand Cherokee L. It yielded space for both passengers and their gear. I thought it was a great choice…although a Chrysler Pacifica would work much better, in my humble opinion.

A recent spin of the Rental Car Roulette wheel yielded a result that seemed a bit odd. What I suggested a year ago has become somewhat of an alternative universe. At least that was my thought…

This 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Altitude model almost shares the same specification as the last one. The suede inserts on these seats are the same pattern and color. The 293-horsepower Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 is underneath its hood. The same black grille, as well. 

There were some marked changes compared to the last tester. It wore black 18-inch alloy wheels instead of the 20-inch wheels on last year’s tester. However, the equipment content looked practically the same as last year’s Altitude model. There may be a few items missing, but I could not tell.

All of my observations remain the same. It is a spacious cabin that accommodates seven passengers across three rows. The rear doors open wide and access to and from the third row is as easy as flipping a lever on the top outboard part of the second-row seatbacks. When you need to reset the second-row seats, please make sure you manually position for rake to accommodate all passengers.

If you do not play with the digital instrument cluster, it is quite a minimalist experience. Yet, you get all of the necessary information for your trip. That’s really all you need.

You also need UConnect 5 – Jeep’s infotainment system – to assist with your travels. On this Altitude rental, the 8.4-inch touchscreen works well. Wireless smartphone integration is augmented by wireless charging in the console below. There should be more than enough USB-A and USB-C connections, if you need wired charging. 

Performance was quite spirited, as expected with the Pentastar engine. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels. During my time with this rental, I achieved an average of 20.9 MPG. 

The driving experience was quite nice. The smaller 18-inch wheels improve the ride quality of the Grand Cherokee L compared to the 20-inch wheels. More sidewall means a more comfortable ride. The handling is still a bit soft, the steering system and the brakes were fine.

Other than bringing some of your softball teammates along, what are the other things you can do with a Grand Cherokee L? All sorts of things, really. While family vacations would the obvious answer, there’s a lot of uses you can put a rented Grand Cherokee L through. 

If you were to buy this unit as new, the sticker price would come to just $49,030. A well-equipped three-row mid-size SUV for under $50,000? It’s possible! 

Needless to say, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L would be a fine vacation rental to take away from the city. It has the space and the comfort to take you anywhere. The V6 will get you there, but please watch your fuel consumption. You might even better than what I averaged. 

There is no need to wait for a softball tournament – or, any amateur sports tournament – to rent a Grand Cherokee L. If one is coming up, see if you get the agent at the rental car counter to put you and your team in one. They actually cost less per day than the “obvious choice” – a large SUV. 

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle rented by Victory & Reseda

All photos by Randy Stern