Jeep Grand Cherokee generations: ZJ, WJ, WK, WK2 and WL

Jeep Grand Cherokee history

The Grand Cherokee made its entrance at the 1992 Detroit auto show, when Chrysler president Bob Lutz drove one through a plate-glass window. It went on sale in April 1992 as a 1993 model, built at Detroit's Jefferson North plant, and won Motor Trend's 1993 Truck of the Year award.

The first-generation ZJ used a unibody structure and Quadra-Coil suspension when most SUVs were body-on-frame, and 1,647,188 were built. The WJ (1999) brought the 4.7-liter V8 and Quadra-Drive, the WK (2005) the 5.7-liter HEMI and the 420 hp SRT8, and the WK2 (2011) independent rear suspension, the 6.4-liter SRT and the 707 hp Trackhawk.

The fifth-generation WL arrived first as the three-row Grand Cherokee L in 2021 and then as the two-row 2022 Grand Cherokee, including the 375 hp plug-in hybrid 4xe.[1],[2]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The ZJ's 4.0-liter inline-six was rated at 190 hp (185 hp from 1995), with 5.2-liter (220 hp) and, for 1998 only, 5.9-liter (245 hp) V8s.
• The 5.7-liter HEMI V8 arrived with the 2005 WK at 325 hp and was rated at 360 hp in the WK2 and 357 hp in the WL.
• A Mercedes-sourced 3.0-liter CRD diesel V6 was offered in the WK, and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 in the WK2.
• The WL offers Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive systems, Quadra-Lift air suspension and up to 7,200 pounds of towing.

Sources:[1],[2]

What changed over the years

1. 1993 (ZJ)Unibody, Quadra-Coil suspension, 4.0L six and 5.2L V8; Motor Trend 1993 Truck of the Year.
2. 1999 (WJ)4.7L V8 and Quadra-Drive; 265 hp High Output V8 from 2002.
3. 2005 (WK)5.7L HEMI V8, independent front suspension; 420 hp SRT8 from 2006.
4. 2011 (WK2)Four-wheel independent suspension, Pentastar V6, 6.4L SRT; Trackhawk 2018–2021.
5. 2021–2022 (WL)Three-row Grand Cherokee L (2021), then two-row Grand Cherokee and 4xe plug-in hybrid (2022).

Sources:[1],[2]

What to check before you buy one

• Match the four-wheel-drive system to the listing: Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II differ in hardware, and Quadra-Lift air suspension is an option worth confirming.
• On HEMI-powered models, listen for ticking at idle and ask for oil-change records.
• On air-suspension WK2 and WL models, check that the vehicle sits level and that all ride-height settings work.
• On a 4xe, ask for charging and service history, and confirm the hybrid system shows no warnings.
• Confirm trim, engine and packages through the build sheet rather than badges — Overland, Summit, SRT and Trackhawk badges are easy to add.

Model-specific problems by generation are tracked on our Jeep Grand Cherokee known issues page. Engine guides: 5.7L HEMI V8, 6.4L HEMI V8, Supercharged 6.2L HEMI (Hellcat).

Jeep Grand Cherokee prices and values

Medians of asking prices, not transaction prices; every trim is blended, so performance variants usually sit well above these medians. "Below new median" compares each model year's median used listing with the median listing price of a new 2026 Grand Cherokee today. More in our Jeep Grand Cherokee depreciation study.

Mileage: across 54,300 used Jeep Grand Cherokee listings in our November 2026 study (all model years), the median odometer reading was 62,569 miles and 1.3% showed 200,000 miles or more. See how long a Jeep Grand Cherokee lasts.

How to verify a Jeep Grand Cherokee's factory options

Grand Cherokees of the same year can differ by thousands of dollars in four-wheel-drive system, suspension, engine and option groups. CarWhere checks the 17-character VIN for licensed factory build data and, when it exists, lists the equipment the vehicle was built with. It does not promise a complete option list for every VIN.