Jeep Cherokee 2018 Review

As the biggest SUV market segment in both Australia and North America – mid-size – continued to boom in 2017, Jeep’s representative went backwards here.

While major players like the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 all found more than 20,000 homes Down Under last year (where the CX-5 notched up almost 26,000 sales), Jeep Cherokee sales were off more than 40 per cent at a little over 1000.

Jeep denies the Cherokee’s slower sales had anything to do with its adventurous styling, which it describes as deliberately polarising, a “show car for the road” and “kick-ass”.

Nevertheless, now it’s seen fit to apply a “softened”, more “premium” and more “mainstream” front-end design for the facelifted 2019 model.

Gone is the existing model’s weird double-decker front lighting design, in which a pair of angry-looking, narrow LED eyebrows took the place of headlights, which were placed down below – a lot like Hyundai’s new Kona baby SUV, which somehow appears less weird.

Instead, there’s a new aluminium bonnet and more conventional headlights with bi-LED projector beams, LED daytime running lights and a split-level lower edge above smaller, more traditional LED fog lights, both flanking a bluffer version of Jeep’s signature seven-slot grille.

Combined with a fresh composite tailgate (now with motion sensor), revised LED tail-lights, five new wheel designs ranging between 17- and 19-inch and 12 exterior paint colours, it’s a far more appealing sight on the road.

What you get
Australian prices and specs will remain under wraps until the 2019 Cherokee arrives here in mid-2018, so it’s unclear how much more value the entry-level front-drive 2.4-litre Sport automatic variant will bring compared to the relatively expensive $35,950 base model it replaces (although the outgoing MY18 Cherokee Sport is currently being run-out with a $5000 factory bonus).

We know that for MY19, the entry-level 5.0-inch colour touch-screen will be upsized to a larger 7.0-inch display and upgraded with the Fiat Chrysler group’s fourth-generation Uconnect infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring – but not satellite-navigation.

Also pushing the Cherokee cabin further upmarket are new high-gloss piano-black dash surfaces, new trim colours and satin chrome highlights around the touch-screen, air-vents and gear shifter.

Improving in-cabin amenity is a revised centre console more space behind the USB ports at the bottom of the centre stack, and all models also score an extra 76mm of cargo area width, which Jeep says now accommodates golf bags, and a handy capless fuel filler.

While the base Sport sticks with premium cloth trim, some US models score luxuries like ventilated front seats, Nappa leather trim and new Storm Blue and Dark Sienna interior themes.

Again, Australian specs are yet to be confirmed, but currently the base Sport already comes with voice control, Bluetooth, reversing camera, six-speaker sound, 17-inch alloys, seven airbags and a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is currently offered only as part of an option pack – also including lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and auto high-beam -- on Limited and Trailhawk models, but Jeep says it will be standard across the 2019 range.

At the moment the mid-range Longitude adds dual-zone climate-control, powered tailgate, auto headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors, leather-clad steering wheel and shifter, auto-dimming mirror, powered front seats, fog lights, privacy glass and roof rails.

Stepping up to the Limited brings leather trim, 18-inch alloys, a larger 8.4-inch touch-screen, navigation, bi-xenon headlights, 7.0-inch colour instrument cluster display, nine-speaker Alpine sound, front parking sensors, heated front seats and chrome exterior elements.

Exclusive Trailhawk features will continue to include unique leather trim with red stitching, steeper front and rear bumpers, 17-inch alloys with off-road tyres, black anti-glare bonnet decals, red recovery hooks and Trail Rated badging.

But it’s underneath where the Trailhawk really sets itself apart from other Cherokees – and other medium SUVs.

What is it?
Built in Illinois, Jeep’s mid-size five-door wagon continues to be based on FCA’s transverse-engine CUS-wide monocoque platform incorporating four-wheel independent coil spring suspension – MacPherson struts up front, four-link at rear – and electric rack-and-pinion steering.

Beneath the cosmetic facelift it so badly needed, the Cherokee retains its unique-in-class nine-speed automatic as standard (unlike its chief rivals), V6 petrol engine (from Longitude level) and genuine off-road capability (Trackhawk).

The 3.2-litre all-wheel drive Longitude (currently priced at $41,450) and Limited ($45,950) and four-wheel drive Trailhawk ($49,950) models will continue to be available here, where both engine options will be carried over.

Disappointingly, that means we won’t get the MY19 Cherokee’s new Alfa Romeo-sourced 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, nor the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel that was previously discontinued due to lack of demand.

Nor, for now, will we see the rumoured Cherokee Trackhawk, which would set a new performance benchmark in the mainstream medium SUV sector, or a seven-seat Cherokee to rival the Honda CR-V, Nissan X-TRAIL, Mitsubishi Outlander and, soon, Volkswagen Tiguan.

All models come standard with FCA’s reasonably clever nine-speed automatic, which has retuned software for improved drivability, and the base 2WD Sport sticks with the Cherokee’s Multiair2 Tigershark 2.4-litre engine.

The all-alloy SOHC MPI petrol four continues to deliver a competitive 130kW of power at 6400rpm and 229Nm of torque at a revvy 4600rpm, but remains relatively thirsty at 9.1L/100km and a touch on the loud side too, despite the reduction of noise, vibration and harshness levels for MY19.

Making the Cherokee unique in class, all other models come with Chrysler’s 3.2-litre Pentastar V6, which churns out a solid 200kW/315Nm, consumes about 10.1L/100km and ups tow capacity from 2000 to 2200kg.

In the Longitude and Limited, it’s matched exclusively to Jeep’s Active Drive I on-demand AWD system, which scores a new rear-drive module that is 7.7kg lighter and a 50 per cent reduction in low speed drag to improve fuel economy.

The Trailhawk ups the ante with the Jeep Active Drive II Lock 4x4 System (including a mechanical rear diff lock), raised suspension liberating a big 221.6mm of ground clearance, two-speed power transfer unit with low 2.92 drive ratio and wider 245/65 R17 Firestone all-terrain tyres.

There’s also a Rock Mode for the Jeep Selec-Terrain Traction Management System, hill descent control, Select-Speed Control and four steel underbody skid plates.

On road and off
Jeep says all this makes the Cherokee Trailhawk the world’s most off-road capable mid-size SUV and we have no argument with that.

A reasonably testing off-road course proved it has lost none of its off-roading prowess, using its tenacious low-speed traction and sizeable clearance to tackle steep and loose inclines, huge rocks, impressive ramp-over angles and scary lateral inclines without breaking into a sweat or breaking anything, despite the lack of serious wheel articulation.

But we already knew the Trailhawk could do all that; what was more informative was the way lesser versions of the handsome new Cherokee traversed the twisting roads of northern California.

On bitumen, where 99 per cent of Cherokees will spend 99 per cent of their time, the incremental chassis upgrades have made all models a little quieter at all speeds, slightly better riding on all surfaces and just a bit sharper in terms of handling dynamics.

It’s no quantum leap, and the Cherokee still doesn’t steer as accurately or communicatively as the class-leading CX-5, but it’s now above-par for the competitive mid-size SUV course in terms of agility, comfort and refinement.

Combined with a more rugged look and Jeep’s new five-year warranty and five-year capped-price service plan, there’s now no reason to overlook the Cherokee, which also has unique-in-class V6 and Trailhawk options on its side.

If Jeep Australia can specify the right equipment levels and bring base pricing closer to its mainstream rivals – even if it’s nearer to its own new Compass (auto from $30,750) and the pint-size Renegade (auto from $28,990) – then expect to see a lot more Cherokees on the road.

2018 Jeep Cherokee Sport pricing and specifications:
Price: $TBC
On sale: Mid-2018
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 130kW/229Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP

2018 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk pricing and specifications:
Price: $TBC
On sale: Mid-2018
Engine: 3.2-litre V6 petrol
Output: 200kW/315Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed Automatic
Fuel: 10.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP