All new Jeep Cherokee: No compromises, it’s the complete car

The all new Jeep Cherokee is where legendary off-road capability meets premium driving dynamics in a stylish, high quality and efficient package. When it goes on sale here this month (June 2014), the new Cherokee will introduce smart new technology to the mid-size SUV segment, instantly becoming one of the most user-friendly cars in its class.
 
Initially the new Cherokee will be available with a choice of 140 and 170hp 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines. The more powerful engine is linked to a nine-speed automatic gearbox, a first for the mid-size SUV (Jeep classification 4.5-4.8m) class. This ground-breaking transmission is also available to all four trim levels: Longitude, Longitude+, Limited and Trailhawk. Three of the four – Longitude, Longitude+ and Limited – can be specified with either diesel engine and in two or four-wheel drive. The more off-road focused Trailhawk model comes only with a 3.2-litre petrol engine and only automatic transmission. It will be available by special order only from the end of the year.
 
Thanks to the light-weight materials used and the efficiency of the 2.0-litre MultiJet II engine, the new Cherokee becomes one of the cleanest cars in its class. The front-wheel drive 140hp version returns 53.3mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 139g/km of CO2. Yet performance is hardly hampered: the 170hp automatic 4x4 will do 0-60mph in a lively 10.3 seconds.
 
As the Cherokee wears the legendary Jeep badge it will be one of the most capable cars around, no matter what surface it’s on. New suspension combines with a very rigid bodyshell to make it comfortable, refined and enjoyable to drive on the road. The fuel-efficient Jeep Active Drive I four-wheel drive system automatically switches between front and all-wheel drive when required. And Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system offers up to five different four-wheel drive modes to ensure drivers employ the most suitable settings for the prevailing conditions.
 
Taking cues from its Grand Cherokee stablemate, the new Cherokee has a stylish, well-equipped interior that exudes premium craftsmanship. It’s also comfortable and versatile with figure-hugging front seats and in the back, seats that fold and recline as well as sliding backwards and forwards to maximise either leg room or boot space.
 
All new Cherokees are packed with technology. Each model features a Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) screen in the instrument cluster available in either monochrome or colour. On the centre console there’s a choice between a 5-inch colour touch-screen for the Uconnect media system and, in a first for this class, an 8.4-inch display. Even the entry-level Longitude model comes with cruise control, parking sensors and dual-zone air-conditioning as standard. And some neat options can be specified. These include the full-length CommandView sun roof and a charging pad that can replenish some smart phones without the need to plug them in.
 
The Cherokee is one of the safest cars on the road: it has already been awarded five stars by EuroNCAP and has more than 70 available safety features. These include systems such as Forward Collision Warning with Crash Mitigation which employs radar to help the driver avoid, or limit the effects of, any impact. Meanwhile, ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist finds parking spaces that will accommodate the Cherokee, then helps the driver reverse into them by controlling the manoeuvre.
 
The result is a car that combines the traditional Jeep values of simplicity and versatility with style, efficiency and technology to create a no-compromise all-rounder capable of doing the famous seven-slotted grille justice.