Not long ago, a $100,000 Jeep was a laughable idea. Times and tastes change.

Now, the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee can touch six figures and 60 mph faster than a Saturday spit-take.

The base Jeep Grand Cherokees Laredo is at least equipped with 17-inch wheels, cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, two USB charging ports, a 7.0-inch touchscreen for infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alert—the last two are new for 2019.

That’s good equipment, but automatic emergency braking isn’t available on the base model and only standard on top trims. There are many bundles and trims to choose from, and all are equipped with a good infotainment system that earn points above average. We land at a 7 for features. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

Jeep offers the 2019 Grand Cherokee in seven trim levels: Laredo, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT, and Trackhawk that we distill down to three: Street, Trail, and Track.

The street versions, Laredo, Limited, and Summit editions are geared more toward on-road duty and daily detail. The trail versions, Trailhawk and Overland, can be fitted with beefier tires, tow hooks, off-road assist features, and an air suspension. The track versions: SRT and Trackhawk sub in go-fast gear that’s hardly believable on an SUV.

For the record: You can pay more than $100,000 for a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 2019 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk starts in the mid-$80,000s and all-in with premium paint, rear-seat entertainment, a panoramic sunroof, premium audio and premium leather, it rings the bell at more than $100,000. On one hand, it’s the first six-figure Jeep from the factory. On the other hand, it’s a relative bargain next to Porsche Cayennes and BMW X5Ms. We’re not sold on its value, but those who may be swayed should consider that the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is equipped with active dampers, 20-inch wheels, leather upholstery, premium audio that’s upgradeable to a 19-speaker system, active safety features (covered above), an 8.4-inch touchscreen for infotainment with navigation, and launch control. Guess what feature is our favorite.

We bring it back down to earth at the Overland trim level, which starts at half the cost of the fire-breathing Trailhawk, but offers the best mix of luxury and off-road features that we think will serve Jeep buyers well.

The Overland is equipped as standard with an air suspension, panoramic sunroof, 20-inch tires (18s are an option with off-road rubber), leather upholstery, premium audio, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Options include active safety features, which we recommend, or hardcore off-road add-ons such as skid plates, a full-size spare, and uprated four-wheel drive system with electronic locking rear differential.

Jeep infotainment

This year’s big upgrade inside for the 2019 Grand Cherokee is a high-resolution 8.4-inch touchscreen that’s standard in all trim levels above base Laredo, where it’s optional.

The 8.4-inch touchscreen features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, but we’re not so sure we’d give up control to the smartphones yet.

Jeep’s baked-in system, dubbed Uconnect, is responsive and intuitive, one of the best systems we’ve used. The icons are bright and clear along the bottom, with common-sense ways to navigate through the menus to set climate controls, radio station, or clock lap times.

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