I recently rented a midsize car in Reno and I got a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee instead. Quite a deal, huh? See this review to see how this happened.

http://scottcolson.epinions.com/content_25929617028

Anyway, what did I think of this SUV??

Exterior

It has average styling for an SUV. They are typically big vehicles and this goes along with the trend. There were already a few chips in the paint, so I don't know if it is poor paint, or the fact that it's a rental. I wouldn't have expected much body damage with only 8000 miles on it.

Interior

The inside was very spacious. I think you could seat 5 without difficulty. The fabric was nice on the seats (not leather, but in the heat I wouldn't have wanted leather anyway). The inside looked more classy than the exterior did.

Interior features

The coolest feature had to be the digital thermometer (outside temperature) and digital compass. I've never driven a car with this before! In addition it had cruise, AM/FM cassette (I'm sure CD is available), A/C, power windows and locks. This car had most of the comforts you would expect.

Power

Now, I'm no car expert ("Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic"), but I think this vehicle is underpowered. It has a V6 engine and for this size SUV, I didn't feel we had enough power. Now I'm used to a manual and I was driving an automatic, but I still think that they could give this a little more. I cannot imagine trying to tow using this beast!

Handling

It's got a nice smooth ride to it, but I wouldn't want to parallel park this thing! I drive an SUV normally (1998 Isuzu Rodeo), so I'm used to big, but this didn't handle well at all.

Gas mileage

I didn't calculate it, but I'd guess it to be about 17 mpg. Now, I know it's an SUV, but even my Rodeo gets about 22-23 mpg.

Editorial note: Wow! It is taking me a long time to write this. I have a patient in labor right now.

Interior space

I don't know the exact specs, and I didn't do a lot of hauling with this SUV, but it seems as though it could hold a lot.

Overall

I think this was an OK SUV to rent (especially since I didn't pay to rent the SUV, only the midsize price), but I don't think I would ever consider buying this. I've not been impressed with Jeep in the past, and I think it is overpriced for the power you get.

Thanks for reading my review.

Amount Paid (US$): rented
Model Year: 2001