Laredo and Limited come standard with rear-wheel drive, but we recommend looking elsewhere if you want a two-wheel-drive vehicle. Four-wheel drive is the soul of the Grand Cherokee. However, it does add $1970 to the price of a Laredo, and $2430 to the Limited. Four-wheel drive is standard on the Overland.

Grand Cherokee's standard power plant is a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine with overhead valves, rated at 195 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission is a four-speed automatic.

A 4.7-liter overhead-valve V8 is an option on Laredo and Limited. It develops 235 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and comes with a five-speed automatic transmission.

A high-output version of the 4.7-liter V8, with 265 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, is standard on Overland and optional on Limited. It comes with the five-speed automatic transmission plus Goodyear Wrangler Eagle ES P235/65R17 tires.

Four-wheel-drive systems vary by model. Four-wheel-drive Laredos use Jeep's Selec-Trac system, whose planetary center differential sends a fixed proportion of torque to the front and rear axles. Manually selecting the low range locks the center differential for maximum traction. Limited-slip differentials are available for both front and rear axles.

Standard on four-wheel-drive Limited and optional ($445) on Laredo, is the Quadra-Trac II on-demand transfer case, which incorporates a progressive, speed-sensing torque transfer coupling that varies torque automatically between the front and rear axles, depending upon which has more traction. A low range is standard on Limited, optional on Laredo; and limited-slip axles are available.

Overland models use Jeep's Quadra-Drive, optional on Limited ($550). Quadra-Drive combines the Quadra-Trac II transfer case with Vari-Lock axles, which use hydromechanical torque-transfer couplings between the wheels. Jeep claims the Quadra-Drive system can send nearly 100 percent of engine torque to a single wheel when necessary.

Also standard on Overland is the Up-Country Suspension Group ($435 on Laredo, $290 on Limited), which includes heavy-duty springs and gas-pressurized shock absorbers, skid plates and P235/65R17 all-terrain tires.

For 2003, the Overland comes with satin-silver aluminum wheels and metallic-painted side rock rails. Inside you'll find an exclusive Dark Slate suede leather interior with redwood burl accents and "Overland" embroidered floor mats. Ceiling-mounted side-curtain air bags are standard.

Laredo comes with a high level of luxury equipment, including a six-speaker Infinity sound system with CD player, six-way power driver seat, tilt steering, and every imaginable power accessory. Limited adds automatic dual-zone climate control, steering-wheel audio controls, fog lights, universal garage door opener, heated mirrors, a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat, a memory function for the driver's seat and mirrors, and leather upholstery. In addition to the heavy-duty items mentioned above, Overland comes with a 10-disc CD changer and express-open power sunroof.

All Grand Cherokees stop with four-wheel-disc brakes and ABS.