Ever since the Ford Explorer rollover problem, SUVs have come under scrutiny for their safety. With the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler is covering its bases well. Standard equipment includes multi-stage front airbags with an occupant classification sensor (OCS) for the front passenger’s seat. The OCS determines whether the airbag needs to deploy or not by measuring the weight on the passenger’s seat, and dictates a low, medium, or high inflation rate depending on the size of the passenger.

In addition to this advanced airbag system, the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee includes front seatbelt pretensioners and constant force retractors that automatically tighten and distribute seatbelt forces evenly, head restraints for all five seating positions, a tire pressure monitoring system, antilock brakes, and traction control. The Grand Cherokee Limited also includes power adjustable pedals to keep shorter drivers farther away from the airbag to lessen the chance for injury during deployment. Optional safety gear includes side curtain airbags, stability control, and a park assist system that can detect objects behind the Grand Cherokee, like children.

Another technology upgrade that could be viewed as a safety feature is Uconnect, which is communications wiring that connects the Jeep to any Bluetooth-enabled cell phone for hands-free operation. Uconnect includes voice dialing, call transfer from your cell phone to the Grand Cherokee, an audio address book, and multi-phone recognition. It can even be programmed to communicate in English, Spanish, and French.

Likewise, the optional navigation system operates in those three languages. It also includes voice command control, and uses a single DVD for mapping of the entire contiguous United States. A trail function allows the driver to determine longitude, latitude, and elevation at any given location.

In case the navigation system isn’t entertaining enough, Jeep offers a DVD entertainment system with two wireless headphones on the 2005 Grand Cherokee. Better yet, the DVD and CD player systems are separate, allowing the kids to revel in their 46th viewing of “The Incredibles” through the headsets while Mom and Dad enjoy the latest “mixed tape” CD of iTunes favorites. Boosting entertainment value is the available Sirius satellite radio system, and Jeep includes a free one-year subscription to the service to get you hooked.