The Jeep Cherokee has never really been seen as a premium SUV, but the latest model is
exactly that, competing with the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, according to Jeep that is. But what
does it mean to compete with German rivals like that?
Well, interior quality must be top notch, there must be a good range of engines and
it must be either fun or luxuriously comfortable to drive. So where does the Cherokee sit?
Well, premium may not be the word I would use to describe the interior, but for a four-wheel
drive SUV it is pretty good, with a nice mix of hard-wearing and high quality materials,
like the leather wrap on the steering wheel and the lower down plastics. Some may think
a few too many cheap materials have snuck in, but I think it’s a good balance.
Although we have the flagship Limited model, this is a big seller for Jeep, and it brings
parking sensors, an 8.4-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, Bluetooth, Bi Xenon headlights and
cruise control. The touchscreen is also incredibly easy to use and the seats are very comfortable.
One thing that I’m not a fan of is the slightly random positioning of some of the buttons
and functions, like these on the back of the steering wheel, the fuel cap release button
which is down here on the door and the CD player which is under the arm rest – good
luck changing a CD on the move. The back seats are actually just as comfortable
as the front seats – and to make it even better, there is tons of room back here, even
for a third passenger - although our glass roof does eat into headroom a bit. Jump in
and out and the doors open nice and wide and the seats even slide back and forth for extra
versatility. Come around to the boot and there is a nice
flat loading surface and up to 591 litres of space.
The Cherokee’s plaudits don’t really lie with its cornering, as there is a fair bit
of body roll and, well, if you do gun it into a corner the steering feels artificially weighted
and not very sure of itself. The suspension is comfortable on the majority of roads, but
does get unsettled and a bit crashy over small bumps. If you are driving through the city
or on the motorway – which is much more likely – then the Cherokee is happy enough.
The nine-speed automatic gearbox we have is slick up and down the gears, but if you do
put your foot down and drop a few gears, the engine lets off a pretty potent rumble. Speaking
of the engine, we have the 2.2-litre Multi Jet diesel which has 197bhp, 440Nm of torque
and can reach the 62mph mark in just 8.5 seconds – so it’s pretty nippy.
This engine claims to return an average of around 50mpg and its CO2 figure stands at
150g/km – which to be honest, for such a big four-wheel drive car, that’s not too
bad – it’s certainly competitive. As this is four-wheel drive, we have some
selectable driving modes available, including Auto, Snow, Sport – which is pretty fun
and sharpens up the throttle - and sand and mud. In terms of improving traction, these
modes are great for driving in adverse weather conditions, but we wouldn’t recommend going
gung-ho off-road. If you are planning on doing that then go for the Trailhawk model, which
has a fifth Rock driving mode, underbody protection and most importantly if you want to be getting
up steep slopes, a rear differential lock. The Cherokee starts from around £5,000 to
£6,000 less than its key German rivals – but let’s not get too carried away. That price
difference does mean a fair bit when it comes to luxury touches and driving dynamics.
So the Cherokee may not be as polished as some of the premium German rivals – and
it certainly looks more lavish on the outside than it does on the inside. But it’s definitely
worth a look if you are in the market for a four-wheel drive SUV that has plenty of
practicality, and if you want something a little bit different.
But would you consider going for the Cherokee? Let us know in the comments section and don’t
forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Click on the enquire button to find out more
details about this car or for any other models, visit Carkeys.co.uk. And to watch more reviews,
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