One of the most significant debuts at the 2009 New York Auto Show is undoubtedly the next-generation 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We've just had the chance to see Jeep's new SUV in person ahead of its official unveiling later today, and we're even more impressed with the design in person than in pictures. The clean styling is a departure for the brand, which has lately adhered a bit too closely to its traditional utilitarian box design language. The Wrangler look doesn't work on every vehicle, and thankfully Jeep has softened the Grand Cherokee just enough to look sophisticated, but not so much that it appears incapable of traversing trails. We'll bring you more on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee from its formal debut later in the day, but for now you can peruse our new live shots and the official images from Jeep in the galleries below.

Autoblog

This looks like the Jeep version of the Terrain.

Umm...no.

I'm sorry, but that is one of the dumbest statements I've seen in a while.

This looks like the Jeep version of the Terrain.

Hardly..the Terrain is just a FWD generic underneath, with blocky faux-macho styling. The GC has legit, serious hardware..it's a real SUV, not a lame-ass CUV.

They also don't look, you know, anything a like.

these live shots look a little nicer. front end is still boring as hell.

Seeing the GC and Terrain side-by-side, I still can't get over the Terrain's ugliness. Jeep did a nice job with the new Grand Cherokee...it looks really refined.

This Jeep is a genuine work of art! the Terrain... not so much.

Interior pics?

New York: Muscled-up 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will take the stairs, thank you

Very boring. Interior is typical Chrysler blocks with some slightly more interesting parts.

Looks like a softer, more rounded, higher qualitya nd better detailed version of the current interior to me.

I like it. It doesn't have to be out there like an Acura to be a nice interior.

Umm...no.

I'm sorry, but that is one of the dumbest statements I've seen in a while.

I never said they looked alike... both have squared-off wheel wells, big chrome grilles, small windows when compared to the bodies, and look rugged.

Again, if there was a Terrain with Jeep styling, it'd look pretty similar to this.

The interior design looks like it was taken from Lexus. Boring, but decent:

I never said they looked alike... both have squared-off wheel wells, big chrome grilles, small windows when compared to the bodies, and look rugged.

Again, if there was a Terrain with Jeep styling, it'd look pretty similar to this.

The interior design looks like it was taken from Lexus. Boring, but decent:

Or rather the Terrain is a GMC styled Jeep. The squared wheel arches are a Jeep trademark.

And so on and so forth.

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Interior design...yeah it does look sort of like the Lexus (not bad thing) but also an evolution of the current one.

Only a hell of a lot better.

I like it and I think Chrysler deserves praise for making the new Grand Cherokee the best yet.

I plan to show this to my boss Friday who has a 2nd gen Grand Cherokee and is a Jeep enthusiast, but doesn't care for the current one.

I think they did a good job on it. This should have been the followup to the 2nd gen version.

This Jeep unfortunately, makes the GMC look like it would be the last one picked in a playground basketball game.

Looks better in the live pics, but I think they could have been a little more adventurous with the styling.

Neat, I was reading n Insideline...the wood is real. No more plood.

Love that leather, but there are too many colors going on inside. The aluminum, the wood, the gray plastic, the brown seats, its just seems busy. Not bad, just not to my particular liking.

I'm sure they've got more subdued color schemes, like all black or something. Or this...

I love the interior. Good job Jeep! Now that Mercedes is out of the picture, they aren't dumbing down the cars to make them fit in the corporate brand hierarchy. (GM please take notes).

the live shots emphasize surface elements more, it looks better here. it's gonna look 40% more sophisticated than Terrain parked next to it, but that doesn't make terrain automatically ugly.....thing is with all the sophistication it's moved so much closer to what everyone else [GM aside] looks like.

I'm sure they've got more subdued color schemes, like all black or something. Or this...

You mean like this? :

Ooo...I'm not normally a fan of wood in black interiors, but that actually looks really good!

Neat, I was reading n Insideline...the wood is real. No more plood.

I really like this interior color scheme... I'd want one with that color scheme w/ the wood.

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by moltar

I really lik ethe Auburn colored leather. Its very classy looking, especially with the wood trim.

Yeah, it's nice to see something besides shades of gray for the interiors.

I really like this interior color scheme... I'd want one with that color scheme w/ the wood.

classy old school........very good

I dunno about old school...the only other car I recall with that color seats is the new RL...could be wrong though.

I dunno about old school...the only other car I recall with that color seats is the new RL...could be wrong though.

Kinda really old school... like some 30s and 40s cars, maybe? One color scheme I really like is black w/ the baseball glove color leather than Audi and BMW has done..

The interior still gives me a very Korean vibe for some reason. Something about the lashings of silver plastic on the center stack and console.

The interior still gives me a very Korean vibe for some reason. Something about the lashings of silver plastic on the center stack and console.

x2

its like you could expect this to show up in a sorrento or borrego or veracruz, but maybe thats what they want

all very odd to me considering i like the commander's interior. THAT says Jeep.

i think that maybe had they simply made more drama and butchness in the center stack and console it would be ok overall. this is a jeep for cryin out louds and there are no grab handles on the dash or console. there is nothing about the dash or door panels that signifies ruggedness.

it's almost like nardelli himself styled the interior with a corporate memo.

at least give kudos for material quality.

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by regfootball

Kinda really old school... like some 30s and 40s cars, maybe? One color scheme I really like is black w/ the baseball glove color leather than Audi and BMW has done..

Could be, I just don't know off the top of my head.

The interior still gives me a very Korean vibe for some reason. Something about the lashings of silver plastic on the center stack and console.

Silver you say?

Although I dunno if that's plastic or metal.

Both the CTS and the Jeep look good. The GC to me has always been kind of an upscale luxo ride for some reason.

The interior still gives me a very Korean vibe for some reason. Something about the lashings of silver plastic on the center stack and console.

Silver you say?

Although I dunno if that's plastic or metal.

Aren't alot of manufacturers doing this with silver plastic? It must be the new thing to do.....not just the Korean thing to do:

Lincoln MKX

Aren't alot of manufacturers doing this with silver plastic? It must be the new thing to do.....not just the Korean thing to do:

Yeah, the faux aluminum look has been around for a while, from many automakers.

Better faux aluminum/silver plastic than black plastic or plood, IMO.

I'm pleasantly surprised. It's classy and muscular with a very nice interior. It's basically what they last one should have been. Looks like a perfect evolution of the WJ.

This Grand Cherokee is awesome looking! Closest step yet I'd say to an American Land Rover!

Only more reliable than a Land Rover.

Only more reliable than a Land Rover.

Of course! The most important aspect in defense of our American vehicles. Better reliability than the supposedly infallible Euro brands!

I'm REALLY liking it now.

Very impressive...

Even reminds me a bit of Hummer from the front. (Not a bad thing)

Edited April 11, 200916 yr by FUTURE_OF_GM