The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a mid-size unibody sport utility vehicle produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. European Grand Cherokees are manufactured in Austria by Magna Steyr. The Grand Cherokee was a spinoff of the smaller Jeep Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee's origins date back to 1983 when American Motors (AMC) engineers were designing a Cherokee successor.

The 1989 "Jeep Concept 1" show car foretold the basic design. The Grand Cherokee was the first Chrysler-badged Jeep product since AMC came up with the concept; the AMC engineers/designers behind the project, later Chrysler employees (after the 1987 buyout of AMC) were eager for a late 1980s release date; however, then-CEO Lee Iacocca was pushing for redesigned Chrysler minivans, thus delaying the Grand Cherokee's release until late 1992 as an Explorer competitor. The Grand Cherokee debuted in grand fashion at the 1992 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Then-Chrysler president Robert Lutz drove Detroit mayor, Coleman Young up the steps of Cobo Hall and through a plate glass window to show off the new vehicle. Production of the Grand Cherokee started shortly afterward in the purpose-built Jefferson North Assembly in Detroit, Michigan and has remained there since.