When it was conceptualized in the early 1970s as a full-size body-on-frame SUV, and as such, was much larger than the Cherokee we know of today. In fact, the Jeep Cherokee is considered to be the forefather of the (now) larger and more expensive Grand Cherokee. While the first-generation Cherokee was more of a hastily modified version of an older Jeep SUV, the second generation was built on a completely new platform. Where the Grand Cherokee went on to become the American brand’s flagship model, the smaller Cherokee also had its own market share.
Over the next two generations, the Cherokee maintained its traditional boxy design. However, when the all-new, fifth iteration was launched it 2014, it ditched it heavy ladder-body chassis for a more car-like unibody shell. In fact, this new Jeep Cherokee utilized the same underpinnings as that found on the Chrysler 200 sedan. The 2019 Jeep Cherokee has gone through a drastic design reformat and now looks way more appealing and modern than before. In the UAE, this new Cherokee will go up against the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Kia Sportage.
Exterior
The most notable design change can be witnessed on the front and rear of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Of course, as with all Jeep vehicles, the front fascia of the new Cherokee features the brand’s seven-slot grille, but is now more flat and flush with the hood. It also has some chrome garnishing for a more premium feel. The heavily revised headlights now look sleeker and feature eyebrow-like LED daytime-running lights. The restyled bumper looks more traditional and gets integrated foglamp housing with some faux air vents, and the central portion gets an air dam, skid plate, and towing hooks.
The side profile remains more or less the same, and the highlights here are the muscular fender flares with squared-off wheel arches, chic 19-inch alloy wheels, black lower-body cladding, and prominent roof rails. The bulky-looking rear end features sophisticated LED taillamps, a jutting roof spoiler, and a beefy bumper with some chrome garnish, dual tailpipes, and rear diffuser. The 2019 Jeep Cherokee measures in at 4.624 meters in length, 1.860 meters in width, 1.681 meters in height, and has a wheelbase of 2.718 meters. Its overall boot volume is around 800 liters, which is indeed quite impressive.
Interior
The interior design of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee has been updated, and now feels slightly more premium, and upscale than before. Its styling is nothing to write home about, but it’s certainly not horrible, either. The build quality and materials that have been used have certainly improved over the outgoing model, so has the general fit & finish. There’s decent space for all five occupants, though it isn’t vastly superior over the old car.
As for its features, the new Cherokee can be equipped with automatic LED headlamps, adaptive cruise control, electric tailgate, power sunroof, leather upholstery, heated/cooled front seats, electronic handbrake, ambient lighting, digital driver’s display, an 8.4-inch touch-infotainment screen with navigation, and a premium sound system. The Cherokee’s safety kit includes 7 airbags, plus multiple passive and active electronic gizmos.
Engine and performance
There’s a choice of a 2.4-liter four-banger or 3.2-liter six-cylinder engines with the 2019 Jeep Cherokee. While the former makes 184 hp with 234 Nm of torque, the latter produces 272 hp and 316 Nm of twist. The drive is sent to all four corners via a 9-speed automatic gearbox. The V6-powered Cherokee can do 185 km/h, 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds, and return 10.1 L/100 km.
Verdict
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee range costs between AED 124,900 and AED 175,000, while insurance costs from AED 2,810 to AED 3,938.
