I just went to the dump and got some interesting data on the scales.
For a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with a little more than half a tank of gas and just me inside (no tools or work gear), and with non-standard equipment like ORA step side rails, Chief Products skid plates, and a full-size spare, the empty weight on the scales was 5,460 pounds.
My overland 5.7 weighs between 5,300 and 5,500 pounds depending on the amount of fuel. The factory dry weight is just under 5,200 pounds. We’re only 500 pounds lighter than a Suburban.
I totally agree. The WK2 is heavy but gets pretty good gas mileage.
I used to have a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland (WJ) with a 4.7L PowerTech High Output V8. The horsepower of the 4.7 V8 and the Pentastar V6 are similar—265 hp vs 290 hp. However, the V8 has a lot more torque, and the WJ is several hundred pounds lighter than the WK2. So, the 8-speed transmission in the WK2 likely helps with gas mileage.
I’d estimate that my WK2 gets about 5-6 mpg better than the WJ under average driving conditions (mixed highway and street driving) and maybe 8 mpg better on the freeway.
I loved the WJ, but the WK2 is much more efficient.