2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
Not long ago, before every manufacturer offered one if not more, if your family drove an SUV it was likely either a Ford Explorer or a Jeep Grand Cherokee. And over the past 3 decades, the Grand Cherokee has advanced to the position of the flagship Jeep, with some trim levels so powerful and opulent that their price tags can rise above $100,000. But never has there been a Grand Cherokee big enough for a 3rd row. Enter the all-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L with 7-passenger seating. Moving off of its German-derived platform for the first time in over a decade the unibody Grand Cherokee L now rides atop an Italian-born, rear- or all-wheel drive architecture preserving its iconic 4X4 capability while promising an even more premium experience on-road. Top of the line Overland and Summit models feature an updated air suspension with adaptive damping shocks that Jeep says delivers world-class driving dynamics. Combined with active engine mounts that stiffen at higher speeds and an enhanced noise cancellation system, this should be one very quiet and comfortable cruiser. The powertrains are familiar with the 290 horsepower Pentastar V6 serving as the standard engine and the don’t-call-me-a-HEMI 5.7-liter V8 an option on Overland and Summit. It’s rated at 357 horsepower and can tow 7,200 pounds. Both are paired to an 8-speed automatic with the choice of 3 available 4X4 systems ranging from a basic, single speed transfer case to one with a low range and a limited slip rear differential. Add the Off-Road Group to that system and you’ve also got steel skid plates, more aggressive tires, and up to 24” of water fording capability. With the Quadra-Lift air springs, there’s up to 4+” of additional height span, more impressive off-road geometry and nearly 11” of ground clearance. Selec-Terrain offers 5 different modes for set-it-and-forget-it driving.
But the Grand Cherokee’s biggest evolution likely lies in here where the objective was to create one of the most exquisite and technically advanced interiors in the industry. Using handcrafted materials with an attention to detail, available features include seat back massage, ventilated 2nd row seats, a mix of 12 USB ports, customizable ambient lighting, quad zone climate control, and something I’ve always dreamed of owning, a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system – an automotive first.
The second row comes with standard “tip and slide” bucket seats and an available power-folding third row. Bench seating is optional. The third-row seat features a 50/50 split and both the second- and third-rows fold into a flat-load floor.
An all-new UConnect5 system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there’s a rear seat monitoring camera first seen on the Chrysler Pacifica, a digital rear view mirror, a head-up display, night vision, and more…including late availability of advanced hands-free driving. Don’t need the 3rd row? The 5-passenger Grand Cherokee will also be redesigned later this year with plug-in hybrid variants also on the way and an even more luxurious Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer to follow.  

Think of the Bronco Sport as the Escape’s country cousin. Built South of the Border upon a unibody, front-wheel drive platform that’s significantly shorter than the Escape’s but about 3” taller, the Bronco Sport is equipped with standard 4-wheel drive and carries a starting MSRP of just over $28,000. Ford has given the trim levels cool names like Big Bend and Outer Banks but it’s this Badlands model that they deem the pinnacle of off-road performance. So if you want the more powerful engine, the better 4-wheel drive system, the differential lock, more drive modes, all-terrain tires, off-road tuned suspension, an extra inch of lift and more aggressive off-road geometry, then this is the only model for you. $34,315 is where the pricing starts and this one with the amenity-laden Badlands Package and Co-Pilot360 Assist + driver tech checks in at $37,705; slightly less than a loaded Jeep Compass Trailhawk which serves a similar purpose in life and about $12,000 less than a comparable Bronco Badlands.
The best part of the Badlands is that it kicks butt off-road while providing a really, sophisticated, softly-sprung ride on-road. And the cabin’s quietness adds to the sense of it being more substantial than the price would indicate. The turbo’s strong too and Ford has made it sound good from in here. I’m less impressed with the heavy dose of Escape interior bits which felt old and less-than right out of the gate when it was last redesigned. But all told the Sport makes for an excellent, more affordable companion to its bigger brother. And those who choose this Badlands model are getting one tough little SUV.

The GV80 is a reality with its concept look very much intact. It’s exciting that I get to drive a first-ever model from a relatively new brand. And though there are some familiar parent company bits in here, this GV80 truly feels like a Genesis and not just a premium-level Hyundai. It’s exhilaratingly fresh in every way and for those who play close enough attention to: 1) Even know what Genesis is? And, 2) Where to find a dealer? Discovering the GV80 will be automotive bliss.
When you drive the GV80 it feels as though you’re behind the wheel of something even more expensive. For instance, the shocks are fed information from the forward-facing camera which previews the road ahead so that the GV80 can preemptively keep the ride comfortable. And even without the noise cancellation feature, this is one quiet SUV. It drives beautifully in all situations backed by an engine that delivers its turbo power with maturity. For $66k, this is very hard to beat.

Toyota considers this XSE Hybrid the RAV4’s flagship model. It features a sport-tuned suspension, racier styling and a standard 2-tone paint scheme. So if you’re shopping for a small SUV that delivers fun and frugality, put the XSE Hybrid on your short list. The RAV4’s redesign has been a runaway success for Toyota, partially because they’ve done such a good job at offering it in multiple flavors. From a very capable TRD Off-Road model to plug-in hybrids and everything in between, there’s likely a RAV4 that’ll specifically fit your small SUV needs. And this one here is the sportiest one you can buy without a plug; the XSE Hybrid.

If you want the biggest SUV on the market with better fuel efficiency than a Honda Pilot, the Suburban diesel is in a class of its own.
Here we are with the 2021 Suburban and indeed this aluminum, 3.0-liter in-line 6-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel is an attractive option for high-mileage drivers.  Equipped with 4-wheel drive, this Suburban is rated at 20mpg city and 26mpg highway.  And as is the case with these types of engines it’s all about the torque and this one produces the same 460 pound-feet as the mighty 6.2-liter V8 but does so beginning at only 1,500RPM.  It’s even paired with start/stop engine technology that’s as smooth as butter.  And you can barely even tell that it’s a diesel under the hood.