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The 5.9 Limited exterior is treated to a body-colored side molding, hood louvers, a front grille with a silvery mesh and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The 5.9 Limited is nothing if not organic. The interior sports "premium calf's nap grain" leather seats, a new Infinity 180-watt, 10-speaker audio system, 60/40 folding rear seat with armrest, and leather trim on the doors, armrests and console. Mechanical changes are limited to a torque-monster 5.9-liter V8 engine and free-flowing exhaust system, reducing back pressure by 25 percent and making the big engine a little easier on gas. Jeep included several perks with the Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited for 1998 (the Ferrari of sport-utes). Otherwise, we have few quibbles with this sport-ute. The Grand Cherokee doesn't have tiny tires, and the cargo area is among the smallest in the class to begin with, so why is the tire in the cargo area? It should be under the cargo floor, mounted under the truck or placed on a rack on the liftgate. A retro touch we could do without is the location of the spare tire. The exterior is all hard edges and angles, but is instantly recognizable as a Jeep product and looks rugged.
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Equipped with a dual airbag system and four-wheel antilock disc brakes, Grand Cherokee buyers have a long list of equipment to wade through, including three different drive systems (2WD, part-time 4WD, full-time 4WD), four different trim levels (Laredo, TSI, Limited, 5.9 Limited), and a host of luxury and convenience items. In fact, with the optional 5.2-liter V8 pumping away under the hood, the Grand Cherokee becomes the Porsche of sport-utes. Indeed, this Jeep has the most car-like feel of sport utilities, and is among the most stable on pavement. However, it did outsell every other sport utility on the market, and became the Explorer's biggest threat. For years, the Ford Explorer has been the best-selling sport-utility vehicle in this country, but in 1992 a new challenger called Grand Cherokee arrived to try and wrest the sales crown away from the champ.
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