The Jeep Cherokee is living proof that even the most iconic of SUVs aren’t immune to criticism when there’s reason to criticize. The current-generation Cherokee found that out first-hand when its debut in 2013 was greeted by an avalanche of criticism from an indignant public that couldn’t believe that Jeep became a little too playful with the model’s looks. That was five years ago. This year, Jeep is flipping the script on the facelifted 2019 Cherokee. Not only does it have three different engines to choose from, it also arrived at the Detroit Auto Show with a more refined look that, quite frankly, is much better than the model it’s replacing.

This is what the fifth-generation Jeep Cherokee should have looked like from the onset. The pointy grille and stacked lighting fixture of the previous model did nothing to inspire the long legacy of the Cherokee name. Sure, some people liked it, but a vast majority of Jeep fans were close to keeling over, repulsed by what they were seeing.

Mike Hanley, head of the Jeep brand, described it as a progressive look that the company did to spark conversation back to the Cherokee. “It did what it was supposed to do, it called attention to the vehicle,” Mark Allen, head of Jeep design, added.

Fortunately, the new Cherokee has moved on from that phase with a new look that’s far more refined than its predecessor. The headlights — LED lighting on all trim levels — are now more traditional in their shape, a huge correction from one of the old model’s biggest sources of controversy. The Cherokee’s beaky nose has also been re-sculpted to a more traditional shape, resulting in more focus being put on the SUV’s seven-stack grille.

“We took the geekiness out of it,” Allen said. “Now Cherokee is more closely aligned with the rest of the brand.”

Beyond its new looks, the facelifted Cherokee also gets a redesigned composite liftgate that weighs 18 pounds less than its predecessor. The lighter liftgate is part of a concerted effort by Jeep to shed 200 pounds off of the Cherokee’s weight. As it is, the new Cherokee now weighs roughly around 4,300 pounds or just under 2,000 kilos.

The 2019 Cherokee’s physical transformation is one of its most important features. Now, prospective customers can look at the Cherokee and see a proper Jeep, devoid of the gimmicks that played a huge part in its predecessor’s sub-standard appearance. I’d call that a win.

References

Jeep Cherokee

Read our full review on the 2019 Jeep Cherokee.

Read our full driven review on the 2015 Jeep Cherokee.

Read more Jeep news.

Read more Detroit Auto Show news.