The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most popular SUVs on the road today. Introduced in 1992, the 93 Model Year (MY) Grand Cherokee was brought in to replace the outdated, full size, Grand Wagoneer. Four trim levels were offered in 1993: Base, Laredo, Limited, and Wagoneer. Jeep faithful refer to it as the ZJ, which was the model designation from Chrysler.
The Base entry-level Grand, coming from the factory with cloth seats, and full instrumentation and the iconic 4.0L Inline 6 engine. The Laredo added power windows and locks, cruise control, body cladding, and aluminum wheels.
The Limited model was a luxury model, with leather seats, CD player, power seats, and the V8 option.
The Wagoneer model was a Limited with wood panels on the exterior. This model was designed to help transition from the Grand Wagoneer to the Grand Cherokee.
The 1993 and 1994 MY Grand Cherokees were the only ones to offer a 5-speed manual transmission. These are pretty rare.
The I6 is an AMC-designed engine, first introduced in the early 70s. Tried and true, many of these engines have been documented to well over 300,000 miles. It was rated at 185hp and 220 lb/ft torque in Grand Cherokee applications
The other engine offered was the Chrysler 5.2L V8 engine. Not as proven as the I6, the 5.2 proved to be as strong as an engine. These have also been documented to well over 300,000 miles. It was rated at 230hp and 300 lb/ft torque.
Three transfer cases were offered in 1993. The 242, or Selec-Trac, was a multiple speed transfercase. 5 settings gave the operator a full amount of options for their 4wd needs. The 2wd setting was used for every-day use, with 100% of the power going to the rear wheels. 4wd Part-Time was for off-road use, it locked the center differential between the front and rear axles, and a 50/50 power split between the front and rear axles. 4wd Full-Time allows the driver to use 4wd on all road conditions. The center differential was not locked, so the wheels could spin at different speeds, which allowed for use on dry pavement. The 4wd would react to changing road conditions. Neutral is just as it sounds. The wheels spin freely. Finally, 4wd-Low was used for extreme off-road conditions. The 2.72:1 gear ratio allowed the Jeep to get it's full amount of torque to the wheels. Only to be used at low speeds,
The 231, or Command-Trac, was another multiple speed transfercase. This transfercase offered all of what the 242 did, without the 4wd Full-Time option. This was considered the heavy-duty transfercase.
The 249, or Quadra-Trac, was a "single speed" transfercase. It was an all-wheel-drive system that transferred power automatically between the front and rear axles. Drivers didn't have to think about changing their TC setting for varying road conditions.
For 1994, the Base and Wagoneer model were dropped, leaving only the Limited and Laredo models. The 231 transfercase was also dropped, leaving only the 242 and 249. The same engines were offered.
1995 brought about a new model: The Orvis Edition. Orvis is an outdoor gear outfitter, catering quite a bit to fly-fishermen. This model featured two-tone leather seats, red pinstriping, and a Forest Green paint job. The wheels were also trimmed in dark green. It also featured the Up-Country Suspension Group, which gave the Jeep about 0.75" lift over stock.
1993-1995 Grand Cherokees claimed MANY industry firsts for SUVs:
- Standard Front driver-side airbag
- Standard Anti-lock brakes
- Standard rear wiper/washer
- First unibody SUV
The Grand Cherokee also boasted the most powerful engine in it's class, even in 4.0L form. It was also the lightest SUV in it's class, and had the most hip and shoulder interior room.
The Grand Cherokee became the benchmark for SUVs in it's class.
Some pics:
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