I think the High Altitude is actually an Overland with some black trim and wheel substitutions and maybe a couple options made standard (but don't ask me to list them). For me, the HK stereo is a high priority option. Headlight washers I could take or leave. I have them now on my 5 series and they don't change my life.

I like the look of the High Altitude, so that would be my choice, with the HK audio being the only option I'd choose. Here and there I read about the High Altitude having stiffer suspension treatment, which would be nice, but I'm not sure I believe it.

I'm nervous about the high-tech noise-cancelling windshield on the Summit. We replace a lot of windshields in Colorado and that sounds like an expensive liability.

I think I agree with you, an Overland or a High Altitude, depending on the look you want, is the best choice.

 

What's "ideal" is very much a personal choice. For "all around", Overland is the most practical because it offers a high level of "lux" plus the body contours that are most favorable for off-road, but different folks have different wants/needs/preferences. For me, Summit is the "ideal". I wouldn't by an HA...I don't do black interiors. Ever. Even if they discounted it thousands below other options. That's a hard personal preference. I could live with an Overland optioned out (and it would be similar to my MY12 Overland Summit in that respect), but it would be missing some features that I'd like to have and are only available on the Summit. 80% of my driving is long distance highway. 1% of my driving is "off road" and that's muddy parking lots or my own lawn or maybe a beach on vacation.

 

What's "ideal" is very much a personal choice. For "all around", Overland is the most practical because it offers a high level of "lux" plus the body contours that are most favorable for off-road, but different folks have different wants/needs/preferences.

Indeed. Some of the things OP seeks are of no value to me. On the other hand I do find front parking sensors handy and the sound system is nice. But my Summit also has two things that an Overland could not - a color only available at that trim level, and the California edition which gets rid of most of the godawful chrome that makes the GC look ridiculously blingy (imo of course).

Thanks to this thread I investigated what the headlight washers actually do. Cool I guess?

Did not realize there is a noise cancelling windshield. That sounds a little scary from a cost of repair standpoint.

Glass coverage though. I've already had to get mine repaired as it was cracked like three days after I got it. I believe liability for glass coverage differs by state so maybe this would be more problematic elsewhere. Here (AZ) the driver can't be held liable and it can't increase premiums. Useful considering the highways feature a lot of trucks hauling gravel and flinging rocks all over the place.

 

Did not realize there is a noise cancelling windshield. That sounds a little scary from a cost of repair standpoint. Air suspensions are not different though. Its understandable that not everyone is going to take their grand off road, but why wouldn't they add skid plates to the higher end models just for the added protection even while driving down the road. Cant say it happens all the time, but there have been numerous occasions where ive hit debris on the road such as blown out tires, road signs, dead animals, and other things that without the skid plates, I would have been real concerned, to not have them on models that are trimmed above limited models seems odd to me, it is Jeep after all. Just think that the higher trim levels should include ALL options, not just a few more here and there. A majority of the buying public may not see them necessary, but no doubt there are buyers out there that would want it all, but its just not available unless you buy them after the fact.

This is why I purchased the overland and not the summit. It was as far as I could get without losing skid plates, if that could have been done with the summit, I might have gone that direction, but even then, its fascias are not conducive to the type of places I go on vacation, and having a 19 speaker sound system, suede headliner and some of the other options aren't necessary. I just wanted a Jeep that could take me wherever I needed to go comfortably. Here in Toledo, in order to really go where I want to go requires at least a thousand miles or so, Im not trying to do that in a Wrangler, so I had to give up that capability. Either way, the WK2 seems more than capable as long as you don't need a long arm suspension or another 6 inches of lift.

 

This is why I purchased the overland and not the summit. It was as far as I could get without losing skid plates, if that could have been done with the summit, I might have gone that direction,

Skids have been a factory option on the MY15 Summits and that option continues for MY16.

 

At least the option is available. Smaller tow hooks should be available behind the front bumper as well.

Just another question sort of off topic...

does anyone know where, if at all, is the recovery point on the WK2's without tow hooks? From the rear you could hook into the trailer receiver, but what about the front?

 

There are no formal front recovery points, per se, without tow hooks. I would think that a tow operator would need to be very careful about where they place their grapples for that purpose, but they are likely used to that given most vehicles on the road don't have "tow hooks" like many JGC do as an option.

 

If I did it again and still couldn't afford the SRT, I'd go High Altitude for sure. I like the look and the features of my Summit, but not a fan of all the chrome.


The first time you parallel park in a tight spot, you'll see why the front park sensors are awesome. The stuff in the advance tech pack is actually more useful than I thought as well. I'm a driving purist, but Adaptive cruise control is really useful in many situations. The HK stereo is also really nice compared to the lower models.

 

Agreed, with being a purist. I was never a big fan of the reverse camera either, still not really. Its nice in some instances but being aware of your surroundings and knowing how to use ALL of your mirrors to me is much more important that having a back up camera. It must be said though that its extremely useful when hooking up a trailer.

The adaptive cruise control is a must have more than any other feature I think so far. Its not an autopilot, and you should ALWAYS pay attention and stay focused while driving, but it certainly allows you to relax and enjoy your drive much more than you ever could without it. This will be a must have feature on new cars moving forward.

Still think all jeeps should come with skid plates and tow hooks.

 

Agreed, with being a purist. I was never a big fan of the reverse camera either, still not really. Its nice in some instances but being aware of your surroundings and knowing how to use ALL of your mirrors to me is much more important that having a back up camera. It must be said though that its extremely useful when hooking up a trailer.

The adaptive cruise control is a must have more than any other feature I think so far. Its not an autopilot, and you should ALWAYS pay attention and stay focused while driving, but it certainly allows you to relax and enjoy your drive much more than you ever could without it. This will be a must have feature on new cars moving forward.

Still think all jeeps should come with skid plates and tow hooks.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

 

The WK2 has low visibility and substantial blind spots compared to many of my previous cars/trucks.. I can use all the spotting help I can get. The side firing RADAR is a godsend. I like parking close to curbs but also hate curb rash on these expensive wheels. The reference points in the backup camera helps me line things up.

 

Blind spot that bothers me the most is 10 and 2 o'clock. The A pillar and sideview mirrors really block a large area of view toward the ground at those points. Have to scan ahead when making short turns, for example in a parking lot where there are curbs. Easy to not see the curb just below you near the front wheels unless you noticed it before.

 

These discussions crack me up. It seems that people post on this type of topic only to seek validation that the vehicle choice they made was the correct one. Everyone likes each trim package of the Jeep Grand Cherokee for different reasons. What feature one person finds unnecessary, another may find necessary or needed. Why not just discuss the different trim packages and what they each offer?

 

^ because this is an enthusiast internet chat forum, not the help desk. People come here to debate and validate their opinions. It's what this is.

 

Folks should not need to "validate their opinions," they should own them. I see these forums as an information gathering tool, not a means for strangers to tell me I did the right thing.

 

My choice was simple, I could only afford a Limited but hoped to squeeze out a deal for an Overland. My local dealer had an Overland he couldn't sell, it had a HEMI engine in liberal environmentalist oil company hating Portland, it also had a tan interior when the JGCs he sold were 96% black interiors. It was exactly what I was looking for (not that I told him until we had a deal) and he was willing to sell it to me at the price of a Limited. Never looked at a Summit as more than I could pay, and there were no High Altitudes then. Very happy with my choice.

 

I had a 2007 WK and if anything I think they were worse in this respect. But as you say the problem is with the WK2s as well. Sometimes cannot see another vehicle at an intersection as well unless you move your head to double check the blind spot.

My 2008 did have a bad blind spot when entering the intersection. That's the one thing I don't miss from that car. I still wish I had it though 😢

Billet Silver 2015 Grand Cherokee Limited V6 - Luxury II Group, 20" wheels

 

A large percentage of vehicles these days have more blind spots than in the deep, dark past. The combination of safety needs along with aerodynamic design needs for fuel economy have helped that to come to be.

 

The 19 speaker sound system was a major reason we decided to go with the Summit. There is a significant difference in sound quality in my opinion.

 

That was added as an option to the Overland/HA, too, for MY15 and MY16

 

That was added as an option to the Overland/HA, too, for MY15 and MY16

True as I discovered AFTER I paid too much anyway for the Summit. But that is another story.

 

Yea, but you got a Summit out of the deal.

 

I have a 2014 Overland Diesel and I'm considering trading it in for a 2016 High Altitude for the right deal. I have few items that need to be replaced (radio unit, the driver's seat is creaking like crazy, passenger seatbelt sensor goes off randomly, broken windshield washers). Minor things but these minor things are starting to pop up more and more with the 2014 that it offers a good excuse to consider a trade-in. I really want the HK speakers and can use the headlight washers.

Besides the seats and the outer cosmetic stuff, what else is different between the Summit and HA? They did away with the adaptive headlights in the 2016 Summit, right? Both have noise cancelling windshields. I think the Summit has some adaptive noise cancelling feature on the inside along with an acoustic laminated rear windshield.