Dan H.

My wife is looking for a new SUV for our family. We have a 3 month old baby boy and realizing her old saab is not up to the task of being the family truckster.

I agree and we have started looking. I'd like something that I can steal on a few weekends to use to tow my car to the track. I have an 02 Z06.

I've done some research and I see the Jeep Grand Cherokee can tow between 6200 and 7200 pounds depending on trim level. Several other SUVs are limited to 5000 pounds an example being a toyota highlander.

Another factor is our commute, 70 miles a day round trip. She also doesn't want (and I don't want to pay for) a giant full size SUV.

Anyone have experience with the Jeep?

I don't envision doing more than 4 track weekends this year and probably no more than 6 weekends in any given year. So I'm not an every other weekend track guy. I just want something I can use occasionally. I'd probably look at an aluminum open trailer to keep the weight down, trailex or something similar.

Thoughts? I'd love to get to Road America in the next couple years, but 13 hours is a "tow trip" not a "drive to the track" trip.

tytek

I met a guy at one of the track days this year who tows with a diesel Grand Cherokee. His trailer and track car (S2000) had a combined weight of just shy of 5000lbs. He said that he didn't have any issues when towing. I have read about plenty of people towing with the previous gen Grand Cherokee and it was a nice tow rig. Don't think that you will have any problems with the new one. May not be an optimal SUV for relatively heavy towing duties, but occasional use should be fine. I'd either go with a HEMI V8 or a diesel though...

I towed my C5Z on an aluminum open car hauler (combined weight of ~4500lbs) with a 2013 Nissan Pussyfinder for a year and the CVT gave up the ghost after 40,000 miles of highway driving and about 3k miles of towing. I traded it in on an Armada and feel much safer towing the trailer.

bsalie99

I tow with a 2014 Jeep SRT . it is the 1st year that can tow and is rated for 7500lbs. I tow a 18ft quikload open trailer with my vette on it and it tows like it is not even there. In fact it tows better than my 2002 tahoe Z71 did

c4cruiser

You need to figure out all of the weight you will be hauling and the weight that will go into the tow vehicle so you can make a decision. Ask the Jeep sales person what the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) would be for the vehicle you are interested in. Make sure you get the values based on engine options and differential gear ratios you select.

The GCWR is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and trailer and includes any passengers, cargo, and extra equipment. Also include the tongue weight of the loaded trailer (10-15% of the loaded trailer weight). It's a good idea to not go much beyond a total 0f 80% of the GCWR.

hklvette

GCWR != GVWR. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the total weight allowed on the towing vehicle's axles. Gross Combined Weight Rating is the allowed total weight of the tow vehicle and trailer(s).

Mark2009

You will need the 5.7 engine with the extra heavy duty class IV tow package. You will also need a weight distributing hitch on the trailer.

You will also need a quality transmission cooler and gauge if the Jeep stuff is the typical Dodge junk.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...82001339,d.eXY

http://www.jeep.com/en/jeep-capabili...dCherokee2Tab*

FAUEE

I had a 2011 Overland V8 4x4, and my instructor has one as well. I towed a decent sized Uhaul trailer and it handled it like a champ. It pulled and stopped it like it wasn't even there(except for the lack of fuel economy!) It did get kind of crappy fuel economy, I would get about 13 city and 21 highway. I sold it to get my first C6, before I thought about towing any cars.

My instructor's wife drives a very similar GC. He towed with it once, and refused to do it again. He said having a long car trailer behind it was horrifying, and it pulled the truck all over the place (his is a V8 Summit and so has all the toys). He refuses to do that anymore, and got an Expedition EL for his vehicle so he could tow.

I'd look at a longer wheelbase vehicle, like a Tahoe or Expedition, or at a minimum the Durango to tow.

crimlwC6

I tow with a bmw x5 diesel. It is an excellent tow vehicle. I think you'll be fine. I used to have a 2011 5.3 liter chevy truck. I prefer the bmw as a tow vehicle. Lots of info on airstream forum about how SUVs can be good tow vehicles (within reason).