2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe Off Road: Still on Top!

The Grand Cherokee is still at the top of the off-pavement class.
I mentioned it was a gerotor ELSD, but it turns out it uses an electric motor to rotate a geared half disk with a ramp on it that applies pressure on the clutch pack.
ELSD Info:
www.jeepgarage...
This is for older models and isn't correct, leaving it up here for those who are curious:
www.jeepcomman...
• Eaton EGerodisc Differ...
Engine Adventures strives to explore and test the AWD and 4WD systems of all crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks. To do this we test vehicles in real world environments in a way that allows viewers to cross shop and explore any vehicle they may be interested in learning about.
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[@TnTTyler]

Looks like the ELSD isn't working right, that's pretty disappointing. I know it's a different platform, but my WK2 with rear ELSD never let any wheel slip on the rear axle before it locked up. Also on the WK2 the selec terrain modes can lock and unlock the rear elsd on command

[@EngineAdventures]

It has to slip at least a little for the gerotor to generate fluid pressure allowing it to lock up. Did you watch the Rock mode part? It locks very quickly in Rock Mode. The system did a really good job, letting the wheels spin in Mud and Sand, but locking quickly in Rock.

[@TnTTyler]

@@EngineAdventures There is no gerotor pump.......you are still talking about the WK Quadra Drive 2 system, if there is a geroter pump why can i lock and unlock the ELSD on my WK2 with zero movement?

[@TnTTyler]

@@EngineAdventures kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaCWnZqdicueiK8

[@TnTTyler]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIOmpnmBr6x0r68

[@TnTTyler]

@@EngineAdventures kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKvFqZWZireno80 There should be a light on the EVIC which shows when the rear axle is locked or not

[@BabeRuth1978]

Ok, I watched all the ad's and went to the websites to help you pay for the go- pro..Keep'em coming great job..

[@EngineAdventures]

Haha thanks! I've been debating a Go Pro Max (360) for a while, but the image quality isn't as good. Might just get a Hero 10. The Hero 9 is still working for now, but I've been thinking a 3rd camera would be nice (2 outside shots and the inside shot) for the steep hill climb.

[@BabeRuth1978]

@@EngineAdventures No prob. 3rd Camera is interesting thought.

[@giolats8179]

Excellent review Matt, and the technical information you provide during the video is a very good addition. I also like the new style of editing combining PoV and exterior shots. It makes the video more appealing, although some informative footage may be cut this way. Regarding the phev GC, It made it up your test hill surprisingly well for a hybrid with independent suspension (the mild hybrid GLE AMG, climbed a bit easier though). We wait to watch your videos using 3 cameras! What follows?

[@EngineAdventures]

Thanks Gio! I'll have to go back and watch the GLE video again. Next up is a Corolla Cross (I'm super swamped this week, but hopefully I'll still get the video up for Friday). After that I believe is the Nissan Rogue, then a Lexus NX (didn't even try the steep hill climb, it's very torn up right now) and a GMC Denali Ultimate. I still don't have a 3rd camera but maybe soon.

[@JRs-guitars]

Good video man! I had an '18 GC that was pretty capable with mild all terrain tires. With most trails like that...tires can definitely make a difference.

[@EngineAdventures]

Yeah, these tests aren't about the tires, it's about the vehicle's ability to transfer the power where it needs to be. Tires certainly make a difference, that's just not the focus here. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@electropad]

This is the most in depth review I have seen off-road where you really break everything down and explain it. I just purchased a petrol 3.6l Overland with the optional off-road pack that you have on yours. It's clear when the going gets tough you need 4low and rock mode! I had a question, do you remember the tyre pressures you were running on that day? Did you air down at all, or were you running the factory recommended pressure?

[@EngineAdventures]

Thanks for watching and for the support! For all of my tests at this location I run factory recommended tire pressure. I do this for many reasons, but mostly to make everything as similar as possible. Sometimes I have vehicles with large sidewalls and smaller wheels that can handle being aired down without risk of damage. On other vehicles with really small sidewalls and large wheels, I have popped tires by pinching the tire between a rock and the wheel at factory pressure. Lower pressure in that situation will be more likely to damage the wheels.

[@electropad]

@@EngineAdventures that makes perfect sense. It seems there is a lot of hate towards to e-lsd and from reading these comments I feel kind of silly for upgrading to it. Do you think it deserves the hate it gets? Is it essentially no better than the standard differential?

[@EngineAdventures]

@@electropad the E-LSD is good, but it sounds like some people have had problems with them. The E-LSD performed really well in my testing, so no negatives from me. I'll stand by my opinion that the best differential by far for today's vehicles is a gear driven limited slip. They work extremely well in combination with brake based limited slip systems. Of course selectable lockers for a vehicle that is designed for heavy off-road use. Ram Power Wagon rear diff is a Torsen style with an e-locker. That's what I'd love to see more of.

[@greggb681]

This has the same issue as my 2015 Grand Cherokee in that you have to be in Rock Mode for it to go up anything. Land Rover's traction control system walks over anything no matter what mode you are in.

[@EngineAdventures]

Yeah, it's a plus and a minus. I like that the different drive modes actually make a pretty big difference on the GC. There are many vehicles where sand mode allows for a little wheel spin, then applies the brakes heavily and it basically transitions to Rock mode on its own. The GC doesn't do that, which puts more responsibility on the driver, but is more useful for those who know what they're doing. Also, I have yet to test a Land Rover so I can't comment too much on those.

[@TnTTyler]

You must not have had the rear elsd, it should lock anytime there is the slightest wheel speed difference

[@greggb681]

@@TnTTyler Even the new Trailhawk has the same issue even with the the rear elsd. It is a shame tbh

[@TnTTyler]

@@greggb681 I just rewatched driving sports TV's review of the non 4xe trailhawk, some problem.....it really is too bad

[@CrumResearch]

Utah County? Keep up the great work, test the Rubicon 4xe as well, then the Wagoneer 4xe when it comes out in a few years! Grand Cherokee may be the very best in this class, especially with 4xe and these Trailhawk-class options.

[@EngineAdventures]

Yup, thanks for watching! I've tested the 4xe Rubicon, but I haven't had the chance to get into a regular Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer yet. I really want to test one of those!

[@CrumResearch]

@@EngineAdventures OK, I found your review and off-road evaluation of the Rubicon 4xe, fron 9 months ago and in wet conditions no less. Excellent consistency in reviewing! Love your objectivity, keep it up, I subscribed and will tell my friends.

[@EngineAdventures]

Thanks for the support!

[@KAREKINFPV]

Really great video man thank you! Im considering trading my gladiator in for one, but i dont think this will be able to touch any of the trails we do. Which makes me sad because i love the design and features.

[@EngineAdventures]

These are quite capable, but with the Gladiator things you won't have to worry about will take a lot more attention in the GC, and things that are challenging for the Gladiator will be a serious workout for the GC. On the other hand the GC is much better on pavement, smoother, quieter, faster, more comfortable, and in my opinion, better for all weather conditions on pavement.

[@KAREKINFPV]

@ thanks so much! My gladiator has is a rubicon on 37s with basically no stock parts. 😅 so if its a challenege for the gladiator the GC is staying on pavement. Im just getting sick of missing out on the lux ride from something like a grand but my wife still wants to go camp and wheel a little. Im just not sure just how much the gc would be able to do here in CO even though i think it would be perfect for overlsnding and our RTT.

[@EngineAdventures]

I'm sure there are plenty of trails the GC can do, probably make for a great over landing platform, just not a dedicated off roader.

[@rondail5675]

Good review as always. I like the Cherokee except for the price.

[@EngineAdventures]

Yeah this one was way more expensive than I was expecting!

[@fahdabdulaziz5067]

I've got a 2017 Wk2 trailhawk and the quadra drive 2 is definitely faster and better than the new one even though it sounds like they are using the same thing. Ofc one would like to have a better system like the one in the new defender. Also, what's up with transmission overheating?

[@EngineAdventures]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. I'm not sure if the 2017 had the gerotor diffs front and rear, but this generation seems to only have that in the rear. This one does just fine in 4-low and rock mode, the different modes certainly make a big difference in this 2022. Choose the right settings and it responds very quickly. The transmission overheated because I wasn't being nice to it. This hill is steeper than it looks and most people would only attempt this in 4-low. Had I put it in 4-low and simply gone up the hill once it wouldn't have been a problem. I run through everything multiple times both on and off camera. Doing this in 4-high multiple times let the torque converter slip enough that the fluid was getting hot. Not unusual, as I've had overheat warnings in many vehicles.

[@fahdabdulaziz5067]

@@EngineAdventures it has the dame system an elsd in the rear that can act as a locker and BTC in the front so the same in the new one. In my trailhawk, if you put it in sand or mud mode in most cases it locks the rear deferential immediately. It could be a glitch with the system or something. As of the overheating that makes sense. Thanks man

[@TnTTyler]

@@EngineAdventures There are no gerotor pumps, the transmission overheated because in uphill cimbs and off camber 4-low should be used, by not using it that causes the transmission to heat up when it doesn't need to

[@TnTTyler]

@@fahdabdulaziz5067 You are absolutely right my QD2 WK2 doesn't exhibit any of this terrible ELSD behavior

[@off-roadingexplained8417]

Worth noting: looks like park works fantastic. You need that ! You don't want to park on a hill... Get out.... And then have your vehicle roll away.

[@EngineAdventures]

Haha, does park not work on other vehicles?

[@off-roadingexplained8417]

@@EngineAdventures no... not like that lol.

[@xXBurntBaconXx]

Have you done a video of the Grand Wagoneer?

[@EngineAdventures]

Not yet, but I'm trying!

[@paultruesdale7680]

So, it is a very impressive vehicle, and I am an admirer of Jeeps. I think it needs to force the driver to use the correct settings to avoid some of the exciting moments you were able extract from it due to too many confusing options. I found the rollback while it was momentarily locking up the rear diff more than a little disconcerting. I am sure in a situation with the wife and family onboard. that would have generated a few gasps and screams, and a few colorful metaphors. I personally prefer body on frame with good articulation to keep the wheels on the ground, E-lockers or air lockers, low gearing and good ground clearance. Unibody 4X4 with sophisticated computer traction systems have allowed vehicles like the very capable Cherokee Trailhawk to go a lot deeper than would have been thought possible at one time. During the berm test, the Grand Cherokee did very well in 4 low, with very little chassis lift, however in the other modes it got quite a lot of daylight under the wheels. I don't expect the majority of owners have any intention of making use of its offroad abilities. I do commend Jeep for being the first company to offer hybrid off-roaders, especially with the price of fuel these days. Imagine Tesla power and low gearing, serene off roading. EA, I always look forward to your off-road reviews.

[@EngineAdventures]

I agree for off-roading, solid axles offer the best articulation. A nice compromise is independent up front and solid rear. I also prefer body on frame, but I'm not anti unibody. Unibody vehicles are typically lighter which is better off-road and on road, however having a real frame to work with for modifications is much easier!

[@paultruesdale7680]

I completely agree on the unibody reply. I like any vehicle design that excels on any surface. Horses for courses, and your channel reveals how well or not they really do work. The GC is a wonderful vehicle, but its trying to hard to be a Trailhawk in its present trim. The flashback rollback is unacceptable for a vehicle with an automatic gearbox mated with a traction system. Crawling uphill with a manual gearbox, requires clutch, throttle and quick foot brake or hand brake to prevent rollback. Many of the trails here in Washington state have steep drop offs and a rollback can be a butt puckering experience. Toyotas noisy trail system aggressively tries to prevent this, same for the wrangler Rubicon and amazingly the Cherokee Trailhawk. EA👍

[@EngineAdventures]

I usually two foot it as well to prevent that, I honestly don't remember exactly why it happened in the GC. Sometimes it happens when wheels start to slip as well. Either way it's not a fun feeling, haha!

[@michealk6563]

That jeep either doesn’t have the ELSD or it isn’t working. Probably the former because jeep has been having supply issues with the ELSD and building trim levels that should have it instead with an open diff and a small credit. Prodigal Overland has a video comparing quadradrive2 (has rear ELSD) with quadratrac2 (has rear open diff with brakes used to limit wheel spin) with multiple different GC’s on the trail. The ELSD behaves like a locker. The quadratrac2 jeeps behaved like in your video i.e it works but needs a lot more throttle and wheelspin.

[@EngineAdventures]

I had someone else mention that theirs engaged faster as well. This one the ELSD did engage, you can see it grab and make the Jeep slide sideways, but it seemed slow to engage in some modes. In Rock Mode, if I remember correctly, it was pretty much locked the whole time. I think Jeep varies how much to engage the ELSD depending on what drive mode you're in.

[@michealk6563]

When you were going through the offroad pages at around 13 minutes in, it was in rock mode but showed the rear diff as unlocked. Makes me still question if it was actually equipped with the ELSD. I guess alternatively the WL could have different ELSD programming. I have a WK2 trailhawk and Sand, Mud, or Rock mode locks up the ELSD clutch pack 100% as soon as the mode is selected and it stays that way until it’s put into a different mode. Same goes for the transfer case.

[@EngineAdventures]

Interesting, thanks for sharing! I'm guessing it has much different programming for whatever reason. I'll have to watch the video again to be sure, but I remember the back end sliding to one side when the rear locked up. Usually in brake based systems it doesn't do that.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

There is no Trailhawk with the V6 or V8 for the 2023 model year in the configurator. I fear they gimped these drivetrains in order to promote the plug-in hybrid. I absolutely hate this behavior.

[@EngineAdventures]

They didn't even offer the Trailhawk for a few years. I agree it's lame, but Jeep knows they can make more money per vehicle by forcing people into a more expensive hybrid option. I'm sure it helps them CAFE standards as well.

[@TnTTyler]

@@EngineAdventures You could outfit the Grand Cherokee WK2 since 2011 with the mechanical drivetrain that the trailhawks got. It was called offroad adventure 2. Came with Quadralift and the rear ELSD. My 2014 Grand Cherokee limited was identical to the Trailhawk models, just didn't have SRT seats or red tow hooks

[@kennethwomack8678]

I wasn’t terribly impressed with this GC. Wheels in the air constantly. Tires spinning out and sliding. Maybe the Trailhawk would do better. I’ll take the 4 Runner.

[@memememine1]

I agree I'm disappointed in the traction control. The Mercedes amg he had on did a much better job at transfering power.

[@EngineAdventures]

I think that really depends on what drive mode you're in. In mud and sand mode it was very squirrelly. In Rock mode it was very controlled. Yes it definitely lifts wheels a lot, not a lot of travel in the independent air suspension. 4 Runner definitely would be a better off-roader (and a simpler vehicle overall). I don't really classify these two the same. The Grand Cherokee is more of a new Defender competitor than a 4 Runner competitor.

[@EngineAdventures]

@@memememine1 it's been a while so I don't remember the AMG very well, but I think I'd take the GC over the AMG for off-roading. In Rock mode the GC is much more controlled. I probably should have done a complete run in Rock mode instead of just a little near the top to show how well it works.

[@kennethwomack8678]

@@EngineAdventures I like your reviews. Keep up the good work!!

[@sking2173]

I’d take the Jeep … What I have chosen is the Silverado 3.0 diesel … Loving it !!

[@Electrix_NoS]

That must be Quadra trac. That is embarrassingly bad off-road performance.

[@EngineAdventures]

It's quadra drive, but there have been some comments from others with quadra drive who have had better performance out of their vehicles. Not sure if this one was missing since hardware or something, but it still performed better than pretty much everything in this class.

[@Deatomizer]

Problem with all Jeeps, they maybe capable for short time. After about 30k on the OD they become unreliable. They are unfortunately all trash. Most mechanics will tell you to stay away from them.

[@EngineAdventures]

I think it really depends. I've talked with people on both sides. Two friends have the same year Cherokee Trailhawk. One has nothing but problems and with less miles than the other who has no problems at all. My family had a problem free WJ V8, many people aren't so lucky. My XJ Cherokee has 226k miles on it and is running great (XJs are different from most Jeeps though).