Gorgon beat me to the answer but, he is correct. I overlook Monteros as they are hard to find in Southern Cal. The unibody Cherokee do have drawbacks but they are an inexpensive vehicle and surprisingly durable. As long as you are not into rock crawling and radical frame twister trails.

The Grand Cherokee is a heavy vehicle and a six cycl. Is under power, especially if you add any weight.

When you compare the three basic platforms, you are looking at Toyota, Jeep and Mitsubishi.

Within the Toyota, you have several options: Tacoma, 4Runner, FJ. Jeep you have TJ (2 door) or JK (4 door). The Monteros do come out of the showroom equipped better than most others.

Southern Cal prices are high. When you look at vehicles, if they have been modified with a lift, find out the provider of the lift and who did the install. Some home DIY installs can be budget and a potential problem.