The Grand Cherokee has been in production since 1992. And now it’s in its fifth generation. Over the years, this SUV has changed quite a bit. And of course, some models are more sought after than others. One model that seems to be falling under the radar is the second generation Grand Cherokee. Known as , it can be a great off-road SUV that you can find on the cheap.
What is the Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ?
The Jeep WJ is the second generation of the Grand Cherokee. It was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. As a redesigned version of this SUV, there have been some legitimately serious updates. It shares only 127 parts with its predecessor.
is its off-road capability. Jeep introduced Quadra-Drive for this model. And this is one of the first complex 4 × 4 systems that the brand has launched.
Despite this, on the used market, it doesn’t seem to be very successful. A first generation Grand Cherokee is much more likely to command a higher price tag. This is probably why the ZJ is seen as a simpler vehicle. It also retains the boxy look you’d expect from a Jeep SUV.
The Grand Cherokee WJ can be a good off-road SUV
A stock Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ can be a good off-road SUV. Especially if your Jeep WJ has the V8 engine and the 4×4 Quadra-Drive system. But if you know anything about Jeep enthusiasts, you know that DIY is only part of the game.
While the WJ isn’t the most popular with those looking to build an off-road SUV, you can see in the video above that it has a decent amount of community support. As it is, the WJ Jeep is kind of the middle child right now. People are flocking to the ZJ, but what happens when they get more expensive and harder to find? Looks like the WJ Grand Cherokee will be there waiting.
Of course, as I mentioned, you can get a WJ with a 4.6-liter V8 that makes 235bhp and 295Nm of torque. But the standard engine remains the 4.0-litre straight-six. It may not be as powerful as the V8, but with proper maintenance, it has been known to rack up the miles. Plus, you can see better fuel economy.
One of the downsides of this 4×4 SUV for enthusiasts will likely be the lack of a manual gearbox. The WJ Grand Cherokee comes standard with a four-speed automatic transmission. You can replace it with a manual Dodge Dakota. Unfortunately, the NV3500 transmission isn’t known to be the best.
Will the WJ Jeep become popular?
It’s hard to say whether the Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ will ever become a popular 4×4 SUV. Second , WJ was certainly competitive in its day. And today you can get one for cheap. As other off-road SUVs get more and more expensive, some people may be forced to look at something like the WJ.
And with what he can bring to the table, maybe he’ll earn some respect.
