2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Review: A Fun, Capable Off-Roader
Gilbert Smith
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is like most Jeeps: Your best friend on backroads and dirt trails, and a money pit if you treat it like a daily driver. As long as you know what you’re getting yourself into, those under-$7,000 list prices are hard to resist.
Is the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee a Good Used Car?
Overall Rating 8/10 – It’s an excellent off-roader, and a pretty lousy daily driver.
Interior, Comfort & Cargo 7/10 – The Grand Cherokee rides rough, the back seat is tight, and cargo space is adequate, but unimpressive. In other words, it’s a Jeep.
Reliability 7/10 – You might not have any big problems for the first 200,000 miles, but a Jeep is a ticking time bomb after that.
Safety 8/10 – It’s well built, crash test scores are decent, and safety equipment is up to par.
Gas Mileage 6/10 – The Laredo’s 17/22 MPG average isn’t bad, but there are long haul trucks that can just about beat the SRT8’s 11/14 with a light enough load.
Value 7/10 – A Grand Cherokee is a smart purchase as a second vehicle. It’s a bad deal as a primary vehicle.
What Do Critics Say About the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Consumer Reports found the 2009 Grand Cherokee powerful, and they report that the SUV has become more comfortable over the years, but it still comes in pretty low in the overall rankings in this regard. They note that fuel economy isn’t that much better for this generation than it was for the one prior.
Kelley Blue Book found the 2009 Grand Cherokee to be a fair compromise between rugged power and manageable dimensions. They didn’t like the lack of a third row seat, and note that the Suburban, Armada, and Dodge Durango all offer larger cabins.
Edmunds liked the “true off-road capability” and the wide range of engine options. They note that the 2009 Grand Cherokee handles pavement surprisingly well. Tight backseats, poor fuel economy, and a “bouncy highway ride” compromise the SUV’s versatility. If you don’t want a dedicated off-roader, you don’t want a Jeep.
What Common Problems Does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Have?
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee has generated 130 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with electrical issues taking up about a third of the total. Drivers report sudden loss of electrical power, engine stall, and ignition failure.
22 powertrain complaints point to issues with the SUV failing to go into gear. One driver reports putting the Jeep into neutral in order to drift to safety. A powertrain recall was issued in 2013 for potential rollaway, with some drivers reporting their issues didn’t start until after the recall was administered.
The biggest engine complaint has been engine stall, but one driver reports a radiator hose failing, leaking coolant fluid all over the engine.
There have been just 3 recalls for the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee. This number is pretty low for a Jeep.
How Long Will the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Last?
You should expect a 2009 Grand Cherokee to last around 200,000 miles with adequate maintenance. Jeeps tend to make poor daily drivers, but if you only take it out on weekends there’s no reason you can’t get another ten, fifteen years out of a 2009 Grand Cherokee.
Repairpal estimate an annual maintenance cost of around $601, with new rack and pinion systems being the most expensive common fix by far, ranging from $2,982 to $3,176, at which point you might want to consider replacing the whole vehicle.
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment tech in the 2009 Grand Cherokee is pretty good. You’ve got a CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers in the base model, and you can upgrade that to include a DVD player and a Boston Acoustics sound system.
Safety technology in the Grand Cherokee is good. Traction control, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and Quadra-Trac 4WD all come standard.
Is the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee a Good Value?
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a good deal if you’re buying it for the right reasons. At the entry level, you can find them going for around $6,477, which is a fair price for a used SUV, while a performance-oriented SRT8 will go for around $16,603, which is more than a bit steep.
With around 150,000 on the odometer, this leaves you with another 50,000 miles to play around. Given the gas prices and maintenance costs of driving a Grand Cherokee, the SUV is a very poor choice of daily driver. But if this is your weekend getaway vehicle, you’ll be getting a lot of fun out of the deal.
What are the Different Models of the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The 2009 Grand Cherokee is available in four trim levels, from the base Laredo to the high-end Overland and the performance-oriented SRT8. Note that the main draw to the Overland and the SRT8 are their engines.
With the entry-level Laredo you’re getting:
8-way power adjust driver seat
Cloth seating
CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers
Anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control
Remote keyless entry Manual air conditioning
The mid-range Limited adds:
Sliding/tiling sunroof
LCD monitor
Rain sensing windshield wipers
Leather seating
Dual zone automatic air conditioning
Heated front seats
Navigation system
MyGig multimedia system with DVD player and 6-disc changer
In the top-of-the-line Overland you’re adding:
18″ aluminum wheels
With the SRT8 you add:
Suede and leather seating
What Engines Come In the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The base engine found in the Laredo and the Limited is a 3.7L V6 delivering 210 horsepower and 235 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 5-speed automatic transmission in four wheel drive and it averages 17/22 miles to the gallon. The 3.7L can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
In the Overland you’re getting a 5.7L V8 Hemi delivering 357 horsepower and 389 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 5-speed automatic in four wheel drive and it averages 14/19 miles to the gallon. The Overland can tow up to 7,200 pounds.
At the top of the food chain you’ve got a 6.1L V8 Hemi delivering an impressive 420 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 5-speed automatic in four wheel drive, and it averages 11/14 miles to the gallon. The SRT8 can tow up to 7,400 pounds with the right equipment.
What Colors Does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The 2009 Grand Cherokee is more comfortable than most Jeeps. Which is to say not incredibly comfortable.
You’ll find the cabin is a little smaller than other SUVs in this class, but you still get a decent 62 inches of hip room and enough space for your head and legs to go. The suspension is stiff, but not quite as stiff as in a Wrangler or earlier Grand Cherokees.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Have?
The 2009 Grand Cherokee offers 34 cubic feet of storage space with the seats up, or 68 with the seats down. This doesn’t quite put it in the same league as, say, a Ford Explorer, but it’s not bad, and should pack everything you need for a weekend in the great outdoors.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
The 2009 Grand Cherokee was the second to last of the 3rd Generation (WK), running from 2005 to 2010.
2007: Flex fuel engines made their debut for 2007.
2008: Minor upgrades throughout include little things like new foot rests, improved LED illumination, and extra chrome and leather here and there.
2009: 2009 saw the reintroduction of the 3.7L V6 engine, missing from previous WK models.
2010: No major changes for 2010.
2011: Quadra-Lift air suspension sets the WK2 generation apart from the WK.
How Does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee Compare to the Competition?
Jeep has carved out their own niche as the leading developer of off-road SUVs, but they’re not the only game in town. If you want something more versatile, and a little less fuel-thirsty, the 2009 Ford Explorer is an excellent alternative selling for about the same price at the entry level.
The 2009 Toyota 4Runner holds a Vehicle History Owner’s Choice award, as it may be the most versatile and long-lasting off-roader released in 2009. But, it’s even thirstier than the Jeep, delivering a meager 14/17 miles to the gallon, and list prices start at around twelve thousand bucks, nearly twice the cost of a Jeep or Ford.
For what it is, the 2009 Grand Cherokee is an excellent vehicle. It’s a capable, fun-to-drive off-roader that tows better than most pickups. The question is whether that’s something you really need in your driveway right now.
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Posted Aug 11, 2023
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee may not be a practical daily driver, but it's more affordable and low-maintenance than a Wrangler.
