Jeeps carry distinctive design cues such as a seven-slot grille, round headlights, trapezoidal wheel arches, and a squared-off greenhouse – and those are the only features that give the slab-sided, monochromed 2005 Grand Cherokee any hint of character. Somehow, this new Jeep is bland, but the only two styling elements that have disappeared since last year are the faster tumblehome (the difference in width between the roof and the beltline) and the gray plastic cladding on the bumpers and rocker panels of the Laredo models. Still, the new Grand Cherokee lacks the rugged panache of the previous model. The reduction in body-to-glass proportions results in dull, flat flanks. The wheels and tires, despite their 17-inch dimensions, don’t adequately fill the wheel wells. Viewed from the rear, the new Grand Cherokee looks almost like a minivan thanks to its vertical side glass.

Inside, the design is better, representing a big leap forward over the old model. All models get two-tone decor for an upscale appearance, accented by white-on-black gauges with red pointers and LED nighttime illumination. Displays feature classy dot-matrix letters and numbers, and all controls are laid out in a tidy, symmetrical theme. Laredo models are more functional and purposeful inside, lacking the chrome accents and perforated leather seats found on the Limited, which exudes an upscale ambience.

However, both models could use improvement in terms of materials – specifically, the hard, shiny, heavily grained plastic on the dash. “It looks like someone spread Vaseline all over it,” said one editor. The plastic on the door panels and center console gets a nice matte-finish coating with a rubbery texture – we’d recommend using this on the dash, too. On a positive note, the leather on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited feels and looks good, and the cloth of the Laredo seems durable. The mesh headliner is nice, though we wish that same fabric coated the plastic-clad A-pillars, and all storage areas except the center bin and the glovebox get rubber liners to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. The secondary switchgear of our Limited pre-production unit felt cheap, but our production Laredo was equipped with climate, stereo, navigation, power window, and power door lock controls that all felt terrific and exhibited the heft and refinement of a luxury vehicle.

Quality has not been a Jeep strong point in decades past, but warranty repair expenses have dropped 60 percent over the past five years, according to Chrysler. Based on the build quality of our Laredo test sample, we’d be tempted to believe it. There were no rattles and squeaks in any test model, and the only major flaws were how the dash assembly left a gaping hole where it met the driver’s side A-pillar in the Laredo and the moaning sunroof seal in the Limited 4.7L. Note that 2005 models come with seven years and 70,000 miles of powertrain protection – that drops to 3/36 on 2006 versions.