Jeep Cherokee reviews

Jeep will have a big presence at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, spearheaded largely by a handful of special edition models for the Renegade, Compass, Cherokee, and Grand Cherokee. Each of the special edition Jeep models will bring something unique to the table, though a few of them will share the same “S” moniker. All special edition Jeeps feature stylish upgrades that should appeal to a wide range of customers across Europe. All special edition Jeeps will also be available for purchase at some point in the year. Most will arrive in the second quarter of 2019, with the earliest to arrive being the Cherokee Trailhawk, which hits dealerships in April. If you can’t wait that long, the Jeep Compass Night Eagle is already available at Jeep dealerships. Pricing details for all special edition Jeep models are not yet available.

Jeep has brought a mild facelift and some powertrain improvements to the Cherokee for 2019. Jeep divulged all the details at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit alongside Fiat Chrysler’s other big reveal, the all-new 2019 Ram 1500.

This marks the first change to the current Cherokee since its introduction in 2014. Despite strong sales averaging around 200,000 per year in the U.S. alone, many complained about the Cherokee’s ugly mug. Jeep obviously listened as the front and rear mark the only external changes, along with five new wheel options. The interior also sees minor changes with Satin Chrome and Piano Black accents, a slightly larger cargo area, and the new fourth-generation Uconnect software that include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on both the 7.0- and 8.4-inch touchscreens.

Jeep didn’t forget about the powertrain, either. An all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is available, while an updated nine-speed automatic transmission is said to have better refinement thanks to new software. The 2.4-liter Tigershark I-4 and 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6 return.

Continue reading for more on the 2019 Jeep Cherokee.

Luxury-like vehicle amenities are becoming evermore popular these days, with automakers putting more opulent cabins inside vehicles that, a decade ago, would have otherwise done well to have leather seats as an option. Small crossovers top that list.

Furthering the trend, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles just announced the addition of the Overland trim level on the 2016 Jeep Cherokee. Topping the range of trims that include Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, the Overland features a trim-exclusive exterior appearance and interior refinements. Of course being a Jeep, the Overland-equipped Cherokee can be optioned with 4WD, giving it respectable all-weather and moderate off-roading capabilities.

Beyond the cosmetic upgrades, the 2016 Cherokee Overland will feature the same drivetrain and suspension parts as the standard (non-TrailHawk) Cherokee. The MultiAir I-4, Pentastar V-6, and nine-speed transmission work well in this five-passenger crossover, so there’s no reason to change.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Jeep Cherokee Overland.

The current 2014 Jeep Cherokee is a funky-looking, off-road-capable compact crossover , but it hasn’t exactly resonated well with Jeep loyalists. Looking to prove that the new Cherokee is worthy of wearing the iconic seven-slot grille, Jeep and Mopar have teamed up to develop the Jeep Cherokee KrawLer concept vehicle. While this vehicle could have just as easily been a Moab Easter Jeep Concept, Jeep wanted to put the tuned Cherokee on global display, so the concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show .

The current 2014 Jeep Cherokee is a funky-looking, off-road-capable compact crossover, but it hasn’t exactly resonated well with Jeep loyalists. Looking to prove that the new Cherokee is worthy of wearing the iconic seven-slot grille, Jeep and Mopar have teamed up to develop the Jeep Cherokee KrawLer concept vehicle. While this vehicle could have just as easily been a Moab Easter Jeep Concept, Jeep wanted to put the tuned Cherokee on global display, so the concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

A play on the Cherokee’s codename, KL, the KrawLer concept shows a more rugged side of the polarizing crossover. Based on the already rugged Cherokee Trailhawk, the Cherokee KrawLer gets more extreme with lots of Mopar add-ons, which are probably one-off for now but hopefully will make it into production. It would be nice if said parts would eventually be available as an over-the-counter and/or dealer-installed kit, but I’m not holding my breath. Just like the other Jeep concepts on display at Frankfurt, the Jeep Cherokee KrawLer is just a way for Jeep to flaunt its off-roading abilities to a broader audience.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jeep Cherokee KrawLer.

The ironic thing about the new Jeep Cherokee is that it replaces the Liberty, which was continuously dogged for being too crude and trucklike, and now its detractors insist that it’s too carlike. But that’s not exactly the case. The Cherokee is much more refined than its predecessor, it’s true. It’s just that this isn’t a departure from Jeep "tradition," because its big brother the Grand Cherokee has been playing the refined-SUV card for decades now.

Jeep has been very assertive about the Cherokee’s off-road ability. It may be the most slick and futuristic-looking Jeep ever, but the Cherokee remains faithful to the brand’s long history of capable performance. Jeep has taken steps to put this compact sport-ute at the head of the technological class as well.
I drove the new Cherokee for a week.

Continue reading for my review.

Jeep’s lineup of concept vehicles for the 2015 Easter Jeep Safari wouldn’t be complete without one of its newest products. Meet the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail concept. This Jeep gets a host of upgrades and off-road performance parts for tackling the tough trails of Moab, Utah.

Jeep’s lineup of concept vehicles for the 2015 Easter Jeep Safari wouldn’t be complete without one of its newest products. Meet the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail concept. This Jeep gets a host of upgrades and off-road performance parts for tackling the tough trails of Moab, Utah.

Like this Cherokee’s six other concept stable mates, the majority of the parts come from Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts catalogs – shopping material that’s open for regular consumers. Not available (yet) to consumers are the prototype 17-inch wheels. Jeep might move them into production given the proper positive feedback.

Jeep designers didn’t leave out this Cherokee’s interior from the upgrade list, nor did they forget the exterior. Both see heavy changes, so keep reading for the full run-down.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail.

The Chinese market got an early look at the new-generation Jeep Cherokee earlier this year. If our Chinese friends are paying attention to the Beijing Auto Show, they might find the Cherokee even more appealing with the debut of the Cherokee Sageland Concept. Featuring a bevy of cosmetic changes on the exterior and the interior, the Cherokee Sageland Concept really does bring out the best in the SUV.

For this specific concept, Jeep drew inspiration from a region in China that’s considered more of a legend than an actual location: Shangri-La.

It’s an ambitious task considering that the historical landmarks and natural sceneries in Shangri-La is more a myth than anything else. But give props to Jeep for embracing the challenge of turning the Cherokee with an aesthetic upgrade that will draw the curious side of the Chinese people.

Considering that we’re not really big fans of the Cherokee’s new look, we have to admit that the Sageland Concept does a good job of drawing attention away from its overwhelming appearance, making the SUV look, admittedly, quite attractive.

The upgrades shown on the concept actually makes us wonder if the Cherokee really is an acquired taste for some people. At the very least, the Sageland Concept has made us believe that it’s actually possible.

Click past the jump to read more about the Jeep Cherokee Sageland Concept

The Jeep Cherokee’s presence at the Beijing Auto Show just goes to show that Jeep is hitching a lot of its hopes on the SUV to be a sales hit in China. In an attempt to drum up even more interest in the Cherokee, Jeep decided that unveiling a pair of Cherokee concepts in Beijing, including the Urbane Concept, would be a smart idea. On that end, Jeep got it right.

Together with the Cherokee Sageland Concept, the Urbane Concept represents a stylish and upmarket Cherokee that gives the iconic American SUV more character than what you can get from its standard guise.

The Cherokee Urbane Concept certainly lives up its name, thanks to a treasure trove of new features on both its exterior and interior. Look closer and you might even notice that Jeep’s design details on the Urbane Concept carries a lot of Chinese elements that include old-school calligraphy and traditional Chinese windows.

It’s a real treat for the senses, especially if you’re one who appreciates unique, production-looking concepts like this particular Cherokee. It might still be a concept by the definition of the word, but we think there’s a production future for the Cherokee Urbane Concept.

And we’re not just talking about the Chinese market.

Click past the jump to read more about the Jeep Cherokee Urbane Concept

The new-generation Jeep Cherokee is making its first appearance at the Easter Jeep Safari. For its first taste of the event, the Cherokee is getting upgrades befitting of the company’s off-road reputation.

First of all, we’re already on record as not being big fans of how the new Jeep Cherokee’s looks. Those slit-like headlights look good on a coupe, but not so much on an off-road SUV. But that’s neither here nor there, because all the modifications given to the Cherokee Adventure makes those lights seem like an afterthought.

Boasting of Trailhawk 4x4 capability, the Cherokee Adventure lives up to its name, nicely balancing the tan exterior with plenty of new adventure paraphernalia best suited for the SUV’s purpose. A prototype matte-black Mopar roof basket rides on top, providing space for owners to stow all their gear for all their outdoor adventures.

Speaking of the outdoors, the Cherokee Adventure has also been prepped to tackle even the roughest of terrains. Jeep Performance Parts rock rails have been installed to provide off-road defense. Added protection also comes in the form of a two-piece underbody skid plate, a front suspension skid plate, an oil tank skid plate and a two-piece fuel tank skid plate.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Adventurer.

As spring kicks in each year, Jeep and Mopar are gearing up for the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, by creating some of the greatest off-roaders which, unfortunately, we can’t buy.

Last year, for instance, the Chrysler-owned brands have come up with the extreme Wrangler Sand Trooper II perched on 40-inch bead-lock wheels, the lightweight Wrangler Stitch, and the production-friendly Grand Cherokee Trailhawk II Concept.

For 2014, Jeep and Mopar are storming Utah highly-anticipated event with another half-dozen of unique climbing-capable machines. Among them, visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a more extreme take on the redesigned 2014 Jeep Cherokee.

Dubbed Cherokee Dakar, the crossover concept pays tribute to the grueling African (err, South American) safari rally with its off-road-spec suspension, massive sand-digging tires and flared wheel arches. From the teaser, it appears that the dark-grey body is complemented by a red window trim, while the two-tone rims benefit from the same contrasting hues. Additionally, the concept will get to keep the Cherokee’s standard red tow hooks.

There are no clues as to what might be hiding under the hood, but we’re not hoping for more than a 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6. Not that we wouldn’t love to see a Hemi V-8 in there, but the Cherokee’s bay is not roomy enough for a 6.4-liter mill

Updated 04/10/2014: Jeep unveiled the official details on the new Cherokee Dakar concept set to be unveiled on April 12 at the Jeep Easter Safari.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Dakar.

After being officially unveiled in 2012, the special-edition Altitude models return to Jeep’s lineup for 2014. For the first time, this special treatment will be applied to the Cherokee, and it will also return to the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. All three models will be put on sale this spring.

The Cherokee Altitude is distinguished by a "blacked-out" exterior with special added elements and a series of upgrades inside the cabin. The Cherokee Altitude is available a choice of two engines: a base 2.4-liter, in-line four-cylinder engine or a more powerful 3.2-liter, Pentastar V-6 engine that delivers a total of 271 horsepower and afford the model a 4,500-pound towing capacity.

The Cherokee Altitude is available in both two-wheel and four-wheel-drive configurations and prices starting from $24,995 and $26,995, respectively. Sales will begin later this spring.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Altitude.

To no one’s surprise, one of the 20 vehicles that Mopar is displaying at the 2013 SEMA Show is based on the all-new, 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Dubbed the Trail Carver, this SEMA concept displays the off-road abilities of the light-footed Jeep, and endear itself to Jeep faithful.

The concept is based on a Trailhawk 4x4 model that uses a 3.2-liter, V-6 engine that delivers a total of 271 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque. Mopar added in a cat-back exhaust system that is sure to release 5 to 10 horsepower. With this as a starting point, Mopar added some pretty nice flavors that completely transform the look of the Cherokee.

The concept is painted in Auburn Pearl paint combined with low-gloss black, Granite Crystal and orange highlights. Mopar then rounded out the interior with bright door-sill guards with the Jeep Cherokee logo, a wireless smartphone charger, and WiFi. The Jeep Cargo Management Receiver System.

For the interior, Mopar focused on adding in high-quality, Katzkin Amaretto leather upholstery.

Because we are talking about a concept designed for off-road, the Trail Carver received large wheels wrapped in off-road tires and rock rails that will offer improved protection.

Click past the jump to read more about the Jeep Cherokee Trail Carver.

The new-generation Jeep Cherokee was just unveiled at the 2013 New York Auto Show to rather mixed reviews, thanks to relatively over-the-top styling. Even with its odd styling, it is starting to grow on us a little. An now, rumors of an SRT version have us thinking even more fondly of this new model.

First details from the Jeep experts over at AllPar suggest that this hopped-up Cherokee will come equipped with an all-wheel-drive system in place of the standard front-wheel drive, a nine-speed automatic transmission and an engine that oozes power.

Anyone that knows anything about Chrysler’s SRT group knows that the Cherokee SRT will feature an engine with tons more power. However, the origins of the engine and the exact output is still up for speculation. One suggestion is a 3.0-liter V-6 sourced from fellow Fiat subsidiary, Maserati. This may be a little too much for the petit Cherokee, as that would put it over the 400-horsepower mark. There is also the idea of it using a 2.4-liter boosted engine with an output of about 300 horsepower, but that’s likely not enough power to drum up interest in this model.

The most likely of scenarios is to use one of the existing Pentastar V-6 engines — 3.2- or 3.6-liter — which can be tuned to well over 400 horsepower, using a pair of turbochargers. If Chrysler chooses to only use one turbo, it would still put it in the 350- to 375-horsepower range. Either way, the Pentastar would have to undergo some big changes, including strengthening the internals and dropping the compression to around 9-to-1.

No matter what engine the Cherokee SRT uses, we can’t wait to see what it can do.

Click past the jump to read more about the Jeep Cherokee SRT.

When we saw the first leaked images of the new Cherokee, we found them rather hard to believe; after all, they were revealing something never seen before on a Jeep model. Those images however were very accurate and the model finally made its world debut today at the 2013 New York Auto Show.

When initially announced, Jeep claimed the new Cherokee will deliver "even more best-in-class capability, exemplary on-road driving dynamics, and fuel economy improvements of more than 45 percent versus the outgoing mid-size SUV model," - aka Jeep Liberty.

The new Cherokee will be built at the company’s assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio and will be put on sale in the third quarter of this year. Customers can choose from the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Sport, Cherokee Latitude, Cherokee Limited and the Trail Rated Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk.

Updated 06/10/2013: Jeep announced today prices for the 2014 Cherokee set to go on sale in the third quarter of this year. Click past the jump to see how much you have to pay for the new SUV.

Updated 08/09/2013: Jeep launched an online configurator for the 2014 Cherokee that will allow you to customize the look of your upcoming SUV. This configurator also allowed us to find out the prices on some options offered for the Cherokee, so check them after the jump.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2014 Jeep Cherokee.