With all these upgrades you’d expect to see a big bump in the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s price tag, but that’s not the case. Laredo models start at $26,775 for the two-wheel-drive version and $28,475 for the four-wheel-drive. Limited editions start at $32,100 and top out at about $40,000 for a four-wheeler with all the bells and whistles.

To put those numbers in perspective, Chrysler’s marketing folks tell us the entry-level 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo includes $300 worth of additional standard features and yet is priced nearly $1,800 less than last year’s model. The Limited version has a similar value-oriented story to tell, with $700 of additional content and a price tag that’s $1,000 lower than that of the model it replaces.