An excellent choice of vehicles, sometimes called a "stealth Mercedes" because it was originally designed when Daimler owned Chrysler, and it has a lot of Mercedes tech in it. ...
John. In fact it's better than the Mercedes ML350, which is its sister. I had the 2012 MB and drove it to Mexico last year. It was fine on the highway, but hopeless off road.
I switched to a new 2014 Grand Cherokee because it's a real off-road vehicle, with a Low Range transmission, variable height air suspension, 6 setting traction control, and hill descent control.
Frankly, it is better finished than the MB. Equally pleasurable on the highway and in a totally other league when it comes to off road.
The MB stuck out a bit here in Mexico and was too high profile in the back country. The Jeep is just another Jeep, though a bit flash. Nevertheless, the State Police here drive them so they are a common sight on the road.
Interestingly the V8 that's in it is made here in Mexico, about 50km from where I live. The transmission is German (the new ZF 8 speed) and the car itself is built in Detroit – the last one to still be built in that city proper, and not that far from my home in Toronto.
And so far, in 9 months and some 20,000 km of on-and off road driving the Jeep has been absolutely perfect. Not a single thing has gone wrong. I can't say that about any other car that I've ever owned.
Oh yes, and the warranty is good in Canada, the US and Mexico, something that few other cars offer. And, the V8 runs on regular gas. :-)
Needless to say, I love this vehicle, and if this was an auto review site I'd have a 30 page write-up online.
Michael