Jeep Cherokee Reviews

Add Cherokee and one has a sense of tribal power. It's an alluring combination and, frankly, I've long harboured a whim to get behind the wheel of a Jeep Cherokee.So, all my Christmases came at once when a feisty silver 2005 turbo diesel was put into my hands for girl testing. They make them for girls these days – fuel injection, power steering, automatic ...As an habitual manual driver, I was a bit askance at first but, hey, automatic is just a bit delicious. Like a duck to water, I took to it and off we chugged. Amazingly, this high-riding hard worker is as comfortable in the city as it is on dirt roads. It fits better into tight city parking stations than most sedans. You would not think it, looking at the vehicle. But it's a lean machine – and it even has flipper wing mirrors, which tuck flat in when you are going into a tight spot. How good is that.Between home, the shops and work, the Cherokee refused to drink, or so it seemed. The fuel gauge stayed so long on full that I started to worry. But when a couple of hard-driving days in the country took the fuel only to half, I figured it is just plain economical.The interior is classy without being showy. There are not too many gadgets, with a lot of controls neatly confined to the steering wheel. Above the rear-vision mirror is the temperature read-out etc – with the added feature of telling one in which direction one is travelling.I love that.The cup holders are a bit of an issue. There is one in the central console area – and the central storage unit is a bit awkward, being set a bit far back for the short-legged driver.But the interior door handles are the best I have encountered in a car. Sleek stainless-steel grips one slips the hand through. There are nice, sturdy hand-holds on both passenger and driver's side, too. Nifty for swinging sportily in to the car or for steep off-roading.The rear window opens with a double click on the key-ring control and the lower gate can be opened manually thereafter. The luggage area is like the car. It is more capacious than one thinks. And the interior generally seems spacious for the growing world of long-legged people. Headroom, too. It is quite a tall vehicle.Naturally the fun with this vehicle is in going out on to the rough roads – and the Cherokee surged merrily on the dirt, at home in front of a cloud of dust. Despite the warning signs about tippability inside the car, its road holding felt very secure on the winding dirt roads.Not that I am inclined towards any idiot derring-do in any motor car. Which is why I only got to open up the turbo power for one country overtake – and I was glad of the sure surge which made it a safe and easy manoeuvre.In all, the Cherokee is a trim, taut and terrific member of the compact 4WD family.

The Cherokee has a bit of a name to live up to, having been crowned 4x4 of the Year 2005 by Britain's 4x4 magazine recently.The Cherokee underwent a week of trials by 4x4 experts, notching up high marks for performance, off and on-road ride quality, and interior and exterior appearance.With the Grand Cherokee named World's Best Off- roader 2005 by 4x4 magazine, the 3.7-litre V6 Cherokee automatic took out the mid-size category, scoring 39 points out of a possible 50.Land Rover's Range Rover came in second with 38, and Toyota's LandCruiser third with 37.While Aussie conditions are another thing, the petrol-driven 3.7L V6 automatic version proved itself a capable allrounder during our test over some 800km.The 12-valve SOHC Power Tech engine produces 150 kW of power and 307 Nm of torque which, when mated with a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and lockup torque converter, provides plenty of grunt in all situations.Style wise, the Cherokee wears its proud heritage in its front end treatment, where a six vertical bar grille and recessed round headlights give it an unmistakable look. That's got to be a nice thing in a world of cookie cutter vehicle production.The Limited edition test vehicle boasted 16 x 7 inch Mechanica cast aluminium wheels and seats trimmed in dark slate grey leather. Looks good, but these are seats you feel you're sitting on, rather than in. More lateral support would be nice, particularly when the going gets tough off road.The six speaker sound system is all quality with steering wheel mounted audio controls a practical touch. The six disc remote CD changer is located in the cargo area.Look beyond the creature comforts and Cherokee is a tough rooster, having been built on a high-strength steel UniFrame.Four-wheel antilock disc brakes are standard and work well pulling up the vehicle's 2540kg gross weight.Cherokee's solid-axle rear suspension makes for true off-road capability while the independent front suspension contributes to on-road flexibility.Running ground clearance is 221mm.Having a full-sized spare wheel hanging off the tailgate – unlike some more upmarket off-roaders, which opt for space-saver spares – is reassuring when you head bush.Fold away mirrors on both sides are an obvious plus when also going gung ho through the gums.The 3.7l V6 has a towing capacity of 750kg/ 2265kg (unbraked/braked).Chrysler Jeep claim a combined cycle of 13.3l/100km which proved pretty well spot on – our test vehicle returned 13.5/.100km.The 3.7L V6 Sport costs $39,990 and the Limited Edition $45,990 (both plus on road costs).

After an absence of almost nine years, Chrysler is back on Australian shopping lists with the Jeep - a legendary name in motoring.  Monday is the official on-sale date for the Jeep Cherokee four-wheel drive, which is available in two models, Sport and Limited.DrivetrainBoth versions feature an overhead-valve 4.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with a cast-iron block and cylinder head, described by Jeep engineers as "simple, not over-scienced".  Fitted with sequential multipoint fuel injection and using unleaded fuel, it delivers power of 136kW at 4750rpm and 290Nm of torque at 3950rpm.The engine is driven through a four-speed electronic automatic transmission with two modes - comfort for normal driving, and power when extra acceleration and torque are needed.  Acceleration from 0-100kmh is sprightly - about 10 seconds - with a maximum speed of 180kmh and fuel economy of 14.4 litres/100kmh at a steady 120kmh.The transfer case offers two-wheel drive for normal motoring, part-time 4WD for gravel roads, full-time 4WD when the going gets tougher, and low range for the really rough stuff.  You can switch between 2WD and 4WD any time at any speed, and the Jeep can be driven on any surface in full-time 4WD without excessive wear or damage to driveline components.The vehicle must be stopped or almost stopped to shift into low range, which operates at a ratio of 2.72:1.  Jeep officials say an oil cooler is not needed for the engine, but there is an auxiliary transmission oil cooler.  Both models feature solid axles, even though Jeep has examined proposals for an independent front end.EquipmentStandard features include air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, remote-control central locking, a 76-litre fuel tank, tilt-adjustable steering column, and power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes.  The Sport model gets all-terrain tyres, an off-road suspension package including heavy-duty springs and shockers, and a skid plate to protect the front suspension, fuel tank and transfer case.The Limited is distinguished on the outside by body-colored bumpers, grille and front air dam, fatter tyres designed mainly for bitumen, and aluminium wheels.  Inside, it gets an overhead console which includes a compass and outside temperature readout, electrically adjustable seats covered in leather, and six instead of four speakers for the sound system. Anti-skid brakes are standard and the spring and shocker rates have been altered to produce a softer ride.DrivingMore than 600km of testing in central Australia this week showed the Jeep Cherokee to be a capable performer both on-road and off-road.  Although the rear tended to bounce around, the Jeep Cherokee handled the sandy and rough conditions with ease. Steering was too vague, but the production line in Toledo, Ohio, is now installing a 14:1 ratio which requires more effort instead of the 17:1 ratio offered on the test drive.The interior does not have the most ergonomic lay-out of instruments, but the rectangular dash will be replaced in 1996 with a modern rounded unit.  Seats in the Sport model do not support the thighs properly, but this is overcome with electrical adjustment in the Limited.Late next year a diesel version will be available in Australia with manual transmission only.  This will be followed in 1996 by the availability of airbags plus the introduction of the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler models.1994 JEEP CHEROKEEBody: WagonTransmission: AutomaticModel: CHEROKEEEngine: 3 - 4Variant: SPORT (4x4)Fuel: UnleadedSeries: XJPower: 80 kW - 150 kWVehicle Segment: SUV MEDIUMTorque: 290Nm