Underneath, the Grand Cherokee still sits atop live axles, like the previous model. The trend among competing sport-utilities is to use independent suspensions, but Jeep's live axle is only a drawback on paper, as we note later. The Jeep retains its unibody integrated truck frame-and-body design. This rare design strategy -- shared by the smaller Jeep Cherokee and the Nissan Pathfinder -- results in a Grand Cherokee that is lighter and more rigid than it would be using more traditional designs. With adjustments for similar equipment, Jeep says the new Grand Cherokee is about 50 pounds lighter overall. Less weight and a tighter turning radius help make the bigger Jeep more maneuverable.

Two engines are offered. Jeep's 4.0-liter inline-6 has been re-engineered for 1999. It's quieter, cleaner and more powerful, producing 195 horsepower -- up 10 horsepower from last year.

A new 4.7-liter V8 is optional. With single overhead cams on each cylinder bank, it produces 235 horsepower, or 15 horsepower more than the previous 5.2-liter pushrod V8. Torque is down slightly, which accounts for the diminished acceleration.

Two familiar trim levels are available, Laredo and Limited, each with a long list of standard features.

Base Grand Cherokees come with rear-wheel drive, but that seems like buying a Louisville Slugger just to hit rocks. Four-wheel drive is the soul of the Grand Cherokee and three different systems are available.

Grand Cherokees with the 6-cylinder engine come with Jeep's renowned Selec-Trac system. In full-time mode, the vehicle is in four-wheel drive with a planetary differential allowing the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds; in part-time mode, the center differential is locked providing maximum traction in severe conditions.

With the V8 engine, you get the clever new Quadra-Trac II system. Its simple but effective automatic locking center differential apportions torque to the front wheels whenever the rear wheels slip.

The Quadra-Drive system is optional on both the 6-cylinder and V8 models. Quadra-Drive is the same system as Quadra-Trac II, but it adds hydraulically locking front and rear differentials. By using three differentials, the system automatically sends torque front-to-rear and side-to-side whenever a wheel slips. It can lock all four wheels together for maximum traction. If just one wheel has the slightest bit of grip, the Quadra-Drive system can keep the Grand Cherokee moving -- a real benefit when it's icy.

None of Jeep's three available four-wheel-drive systems need any input from the driver for four-wheel-drive operation. And all three systems come with a low-range set of gears that can be used for serious traction situations.