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First impressions of 2016 3.6L Pentastar

14K views 50 replies 33 participants last post by  RDE_ 
#1 ·
I've put about 4000 miles on my 2016 V6 Overland and I decided to list what I thought were the best features. Hands down, the number one feature is the new 3.6 L VVT engine.

Full disclosure, I test drove the ecodiesel and decided against that platform. I liked the V6 but had reservations about the ESS. I never had a chance to test drive a 5.7L Hemi V8, but decided against that choice because of fuel efficiency and because I don't do much towing. I emphasize the fact that I don't need heavy towing capacity-I think that would change my recommendation.

Before purchase I did my due diligence. I was concerned that I might be making the wrong choice because of the avid fans of the V8. Those reservations have been quickly dispelled. The acceleration is quick and the added torque at the low end is easily appreciated. At highway speeds I feel no lack of power when I need it. Coupled with the second best feature of the Overland, the transmission, driving has been responsive and smooth.

ESS takes getting used to. I have not disabled it, and as others have said, unless you have a lead foot, you really don't notice it after time.

So I give #1 and #2 to the engine and transmission. #3 goes to the Quadra Lift air suspension. I've used this off road and the added ground clearance is awesome. With highway driving in the aero mode or street driving the vehicle is smooth and solid.

If I had a negative, I do wish those owners who hate ESS could permanently disable the feature rather than at each start up.

If you're on the fence between a V6 and V8 I think you owe it to yourself to test drive both. I think you'll be impressed with the new Pentastar V6.
 
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#2 ·
Good review thanks for sharing. I have owned both and they are both great and serve their purpose very well. For my driving the V6 was the correct choice for me. When I had my Summit V8 sometimes I felt a little guilty driving a big V8 with no one else ever in my car and just doing my little 13 mile commute to work getting 16mpg. Great engine, great tranny, but the V6 was the choice for me and now I'm averaging over 20mpg. On the exact same commutes between the two engines I get about 100-150 more miles PER tank in the V6....that adds up! I also never felt like I was in a situation where I needed more power. Love my 2015 Overland High Altitude. Oh and with that said its in the shop right now getting a tranny valve body replaced because it developed a harsh 2-3 shift at 4,100 miles lol. Does this ONLY when tranny temp below 130 degrees so really only for the first few miles after a cold start. A benefit to the V8 is that one does not suffer from the V6 tranny issues. When the V6 tranny works correctly, I actually like how it shifts better than my V8 8spd. Since I didn't need the V8 for things like towing or offroading, I will say for my driving what the V8 really has that the V6 doesn't is that great engine sound!! The V8 just has the perfect interior purrr that is music to the ears!! However, one thing that is nice about the V6 is the cabin is definitely more quiet during acceleration and was noticeable right away at how quiet it is which is also nice.
 
#3 ·
I agree. The new 3.6 is a huge improvement over the 3.6 in my 2011. The new 3.6 has a nice note to it, I can imagine with a CAI it would sound even more aggressive. I have only used the sport mode a few times, but I feel like its more than what I need. The new 3.6 has plenty of pickup and the 8 speed is awesome. I went over Tiago Pass in Yosemite, near 10'000 feet and I was passing people with ease. The car did great, little concerned about the trans temp being around 215 but from reading the threads it seems this transmission runs hot. Even at 10'000 feet I had plenty of pick up. Great car!

My ride: 75th Limited Bright White with QL
 
#4 ·
The current V6 engine is very good.

But I went with the V8 and couldn't be happier (well... the SRT V8 would make me happier... but... :cool: ).

I traded in a 2005 V8 Toyota 4Runner in part because they dropped the V8 option. I have no plans on going backwards or downward in terms of engines. But I'm happy other folks are okay with their choices.

BTW, I don't tow anything either. But I do haul; haul @$$ that is. :)
 
#5 ·
Why did you decide against the EcoDiesel platform? Cost?
 
#6 ·
Primarily yes. It was hard to justify the upgrade cost of the engine vs gas prices. Again, it might have made more sense if I was hauling on a regular basis.

I liked the engine so it would have been my second choice.
 
#7 ·
Yeah, I agree. The cost is a turn off and will not even recoup the corresponding fuel savings over the cost of the engine until around 4-5 years. So unless the intention is to keep it for a long time or truly a workhorse, it doesn't encourage more people to buy.

I wonder how many diesel engines could really be sold if Jeep offered it for free or at a more palatable price.
 
#9 ·
Personally I think Jeep doesn't care how many diesels they sale - the price bump is just prohibitive especially in "diesel skeptical" US market - they have to know that. Having diesel though lets them put 29 mpg in ads and also helps with mpg average for the model lineup. All about politics ... I think.


Sent from my iPad using JeepGarage
 
#21 · (Edited)
I suppose that could have some merit . . . depending of course on that persons "political-point" of view . . . of course ! ?

ps; I've learned to keep my "2-cents" worth on that sort of Opinion off THIS site, for obvious reasons; it's about Jeeps, not (ugh!) politicians. :D

However, My new 2016 75th Laredo with V6 has performed Very Nicely, as said in another thread, I got 26.7 mpg on a variable-roads trip of about 500 miles in 3.5 days - 2 day stay in town driving ! Not bad considering the stated Hwy. (only) is 25 ! I DO take Exception to those darn paddle shifters though, but that is for a different thread to "vent" at ! After 800 miles I've decided to turn them OFF ! IF need be there is the Shifter that can be used to down or up shift, with a simple tap to the left then either forward or back !
 
#16 ·
So anyone who has owned a 2014/15 and the new 2016 3.6 care to comment?

Can you tell the new version has more TQ and better mileage?
 
#22 ·
Do yourself a favor (and any others reading this thread)....

Do NOT drive the Ford/Lincoln 2.7tt V6.

Going into month 2 of ownership of a 2016 Lincoln MKX (besides a 2012 Grand Cherokee) and the torque of the 2.7tt is VERY addicting.

My wife rarely lets me drive her new toy.... :D
 
#24 · (Edited)
I absolutely love my '15 overland with the 3.6. I came from the truck world and owned various early 2000's silverados/sierras with a V8 and last year I owned a 2013 Sierra 5.3 and also a 2015 sierra 5.3. I have zero regrets going to an SUV with a V6. It has more than enough power to accelerate to 80 quickly and the 8 speed trans shifts way better than any transmission I've had on a GM product. The air ride suspension is so much smoother than the GM pickups too, but that's another story. One happy customer here.

I also average 22-23mpg highway and I've seen upwards of 26mpg (500+ miles to a tank) on long drives at 60-65mph. My trucks never broke 19mpg.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Test drove a 2016 3.6L today.
Engine seems shifting smoother and better mated to the transmission.vs my 2015 diesel.

No lack of power at all, zippy enough, quicker pickup than a stock diesel for sure.

ESS never switched on as it's hot up here today (31c) and engine kept running when stopped.

The U connect has more customization and seems much faster.Like the fact i could set my tire pressure to PSI but maintain KM on the speedo(not possible previously)

Also the steering wheel restistance setting an option in U connect, due to full electric power steering

HK Sound, solid as ever on 2016

Quick fuel economy check, excellent for this size car, but as expected about 10-15% more butn than the diesel.

Noise....pretty dam quiet!

The cluster LCD Layout and images are slightly different from previous years.
 
#26 ·
No lack of power at all, zippy enough, quicker pickup than a stock diesel for sure.
You hit the nail on the head. Most people here say the Pentastar is inadequate, slow or not suited "for a vehicle this size," when the reality is - it is very much so. There's nothing wrong with the Pentastar, performance wise. And it's more than awesome that Chrysler offers the Hemi and EcoDiesel as well. Definitely a better engine setup than the 3.6 V6s offered by Furd and GM (that only offer 6 gears, not 8).
 
#38 ·
At the risk of being flamed and jumped on :slapfight:, I test drove a 2015 V6 Summit, and found that I had to get on the pedal to wake up the engine, as there was a brief lag and hesitation as the V6 surged RPMs and the tranny correspondingly downshifted in response to throttle inputs. Overall, I found the V6 to be rather uninspiring for a true SUV with a curb weight of nearly 5000 pounds. (Add in kids, mother-in-law, dog, and luggage...)

I went with the 5.7L Hemi V8.:thumbsup: I commute about 530 miles/week (plus city driving) and with Eco-Mode on highways I am averaging 21+ MPG, which is actually better than what I was getting with a V6 AWD Acadia Denali and a V6 AWD Acura MDX. At any rate, I am very happy with my decision to go with the V8 engine.

Among those who are happy with the V6, please understand that I am in no way trying to pee on your parade. That said, if you have the opportunity to test drive both the V6 and the V8, I would urge you to do so and then decide for yourself.
 
#39 · (Edited)
The beauty here is that the GC has an engine that caters to just about anyone. The Pentastar in latest generation is quite refined and descent fuel economy for it's size.

The GC is one of the few cars left that offers a v6, v8, Diesel and SRT btw.
Something for everyone.
I've driven all and owned the Diesel and v6, the latest v6 is not a powerhouse but MORE than adequate for this SUV

The v8, Diesel and the SRT Are not inspiring (to me) enough to really make a difference that blows my mind, but quite a range of choice!!
 
#40 · (Edited)
That's true kitty cat there's not a drastic difference in power or mileage between the v6 or v8 but whats also nice is the cost between them to upgrade is cheap. I know it may have gone up a little but when I bought my 2014 GC to move from the v6 to v8 was only $2599 and that included the added ELSD which is a a several hundred dollars option on its own. I remember thinking at the time how few SUVs even offered a v8 anymore let alone it only being 2k to upgrade to it on a 55k vehicle. Of course no one pays anywhere near invoice so the true cost was even less than that. Wasn't much of a thought there to me but it's good they have an engine for everyone and I hope the GC never turns into one of those SUVs that offers one engine take it or leave it and looks like a minivan
 
#44 ·
Want to add my $0.02 here.

I've now driven the 3.6L V6 second generation three times, twice in Grand Cherokees (one base Laredo, one Limited w/ Lux II) and once in a Durango. Perks in being a National Emerald Executive member.

I thought the motor worked well in the WK2s, but in the Durango I thought it seemed to struggle. The 845RFE doesn't have the same 1-2 shift lag that my 8HP70 does. The shifts were crisp and precise, and when I kicked it down at highway speed it happily dropped from 8th to 5th or 6th. I thought it kept the engine well in its sweet spot to provide good acceleration when necessary. Even had the AC running at 68F and it didn't seem to miss a beat.
At 70mph its turning about 1800RPM. Not bad, I think.

However, the auto stop-start is something I started to find annoying. The time between vehicle stop and engine shutdown needs to be lengthened. I would pull into a parking space and keep my foot on the brake. The engine would turn off within two seconds before I even shifted into Park. I'd shift into Park and the engine would restart, and then I would turn it off. A waste of a start cycle, IMHO. Five seconds would be more ideal. Stop and go traffic it was just maddening and I ended up turning the system off.

I also noticed a restart shudder transmitted throughout the cabin when the engine restarted.

The new hybrid power steering system I really like. It does make me feel connected to the road. I test drove a 14 V6 and hated the steering.

For most people, the second generation V6 is probably a good choice. For me, I'll stick with the V8. The sound the V8 makes in the cabin is just addicting..

-Kyle
 
#46 ·
silver', I think that regardless of how one calculates the highway fuel economy...EVIC or manually...it has to be over a period of time and miles, not per tank. There are too many "little things" that prevent any kind of accuracy otherwise. The EVIC has a "mileage window" so you have to drive enough miles to clear out any "local" travel and get to where you're at entirely highway miles. My best mileage performance is either long vacation runs or when I take a business trip to visit a customer in Parkersburg WV a few times a year...a nice thousand mile round trip. By the end of that run, I'm pushing 22mpg and yes, if I manually calculate it, assuming I want to buy expensive PA gas at the end of the trip (I prefer NJ prices :) ) that number isn't much different than the EVIC. By the same token, multiple tanks are required to get an accurate reading for manual calculation because it's pretty much impossible to fill up to exactly the same point each time...it can vary by more than one might think due to variances in the way the pump shuts off, etc.
 
#48 ·
I didn't know there was a power, or torque difference between the '15 and '16 Pentastar V6 in the Grand Cherokees. My wife test drove a '15 last week. Although it had noticeably more power than her '09 Grand Cherokee with a 3.7 V6, it didn't seem to be anything to write home about. We thought about looking for a GC with a 5.7 V8, but decided to get her the SRT Grand Cherokee instead. The dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse! He should, I just bought a Challenger Hellcat from him two months ago!
 
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