The Cherokee – as it became known – did much to popularise the SUV concept. Despite the creation of the Grand Cherokee in the 1990s, ostensibly as an upmarket replacement, the Cherokee continued in its familiar squared-off guise, albeit with significant upgrades along the way.
Now, it has been given the clean sheet treatment in its most far-reaching change since launch. Even the name has been changed – but only in North America, where the new Jeep is known as Liberty. The Cherokee moniker continues elsewhere.
A notable first for Jeep is encapsulated in this Cherokee: independent front suspension. The simple fact is that more and more buyers want 4x4s without any rough and tumble. They want performance, comfort and drivability, and the combination of a monocoque body and an independently suspended front end is crucial to achieving a more car-like feel.
At launch, four models were in the South African line-up, with two engine options (2,5-litre turbodiesel and new 3,7-litre V6) with a 2,4-litre four-cylinder petrol model scheduled for the new year. Featured in this test is the 3,7 Limited, available only with auto transmission. Leather upholstery, alloy wheels, radio/CD frontloader, power windows and air-con are just a few of the many luxury and convenience features of this top-line model.
Sitting somewhere between its predecessor and the true 4wd heavyweights, in configuration the new Cherokee seems more like the modern urban 4×4, the “soft-roader”. The head-on looks hark back to the classic Willys Jeep, with circular headlights (the circle motif continues inside, in the doorpulls and vents, for example) and classic seven-slot grille. Side-on, once again it exhibits a lot more of the DNA of the original Jeep/Wrangler, and to many eyes it suggests a four-door-version of these. It may look more compact, if taller, than the model it replaces, but in fact it is bigger in every significant aspect – notably in the wheelbase.
The latter explains why, if the old Cherokee felt snug inside, here there is no such problem: ample head, leg and foot room is provided front and rear. The rear seat squab is a little short in the thigh, though, and the exposed front seat runners present the danger of injury at worst and grease stains at best. Incidentally, the split folding rear seat has a pivoting one-handed operation that does provide a reasonably flat load space without a lot of palaver.
Which brings us to a significant shortcoming: load space. Compared with the smaller urban 4x4s, the Jeep’s 240 dm3 under the removable retracting security cover cover is acceptable, to be fair, and the total of 1 432 with seats flat is very good. The rear seatbacks incorporate shopping bag holders and child seat anchors, and there are cargo lashing eyes on the floor. But it’s going to be marginal, not to say crowded, with a full complement of passengers and luggage. Thank goodness that spare wheel is mounted on the door…
Most of the controls, apart from the ventilation switches, are within fingertip reach of the driver when holding the wheel. Lights (including foglights and interior light), wiper, cruise control and sound system are all controlled by two steering column stalks and two sets of switches on the front and rear faces of the wheel. Ergonomically it works quite well, but adds complexity. The only other switchgear on the facia is all grouped on the centre hangdown section, for the radio/CD and air-con. Lone exception, and sticking out all the more for it, is the remote adjustment wheel for headlight beam angle.
Not all the ergonomics succeed: some found the power window switches on the centre console a fiddle. And as for those attractive retro circular doorpulls, during some high-speed cornering the front passenger grabbed the nearest thing that looked like a handle – namely the doorpull… There is ample space for knick-knack stowage, from covered pockets on the front seatbacks to a storage net in the tailgate. Speaking of which, the tailgate opens by means of a patented dual-action opening mechanism; alternatively, the glass upper part opens on its own. One possible problem area here is the exposed coiled cabling from body to the tailgate’s heated glass: some extra protection might be in order.
Under the bonnet, the new Powertech 3,7-litre V6 is effectively three-quarters of the V8 motor from the top-of-the-range Grand Cherokee. Technical features of this 90-degree even-firing engine include a counter-rotating balance shaft, cast iron block, and aluminium cylinder heads. Peak outputs of 155 kW at 5 200 r/min and 312 N.m of torque at 3 800 r/min comfortably outstrip its predecessor’s. Transmission is the company’s own 45RFE electronic autobox, as used on the Grand Cherokee. When pressing on, the four-speed box has a tendency to hunt, and exhibits an annoying thump when shifted from neutral to drive or back; shifts are otherwise nicely smoothed out. The auxiliary selector for 4wd and low range is no wimpy pushbutton affair, either, requiring unexpected force.
Generally refined in operation, the V6 emits a purposeful throb at idle. With the bonnet up we noted a surprising degree of engine vibration – fortunately this seems not to reach the interior. Pressed hard, it emits an urgent note, rather different from the previous straight-six woofle. Out on the test strip, we discovered Jeep’s performance claims of a 180 km/h top speed and 0 to 100 km/h in 10,8 seconds to be on the conservative side. A limiter intervened at 180, in fact, and we charged to 100 km/h in just 10,44 seconds: impressive stuff for an SUV.
With nearly two tons to lug along, and 3,7 litres to feed, there is little hope of the Cherokee being an economy champ. At a steady 100 km/h it drinks 10,13 litres/100 km, which translates into a reasonable-looking fuel index of 14,19 in overall driving. However, during our two-week test period we found this figure to be unrealistic. Tank-to-tank averages were nearer 18 litres/100km. It’s in the areas of ride and handling that the Cherokee is such a revelation.
With three times the torsional body stiffness of its predecessor (according to Jeep, more than 70 percent of the underbody is high-strength steel) it rides the bumps of the urban jungle with some jiggling, but little significant body flexure. Steering is accurate enough, and well weighted, though kickback could be better damped out. Body lean appears worse than in reality because of the tall seating position, and, in fact, it corners rather well, with just a slight wiggle of the tail to signify particularly forceful throttle on/off. In tighter turns, the kind of “pushing” effect familiar from previous Jeeps was noted; possibly the action of the limited-slip diff is responsible. Traction, even in 2wd and in the wet, is excellent, given the engine’s massive grunt and its potential for spinning the rear wheels.
Off-road, Jeep has managed to find a compromise between providing enough on-road comfort to satisfy the bulk of users, while retaining the brand’s hallmark off-road ability. Sadly, in the case of the 3,7, the autobox doesn’t provide nearly enough engine braking for steep downhills, though for unskilled drivers it can help lessen wheelspin on loose upslopes. The substantial front wheel articulation is more likely than a beam axle to result in underbelly grounding, so some care needs to be exercised there. However, axle-twisters in general aren’t going to be a problem.
Underbody protection is good, with reinforced covering over the fuel tank, and a heavy-gauge skidplate under the sump area. At 200 mm, ground clearance is not quite up there with the top 4x4s, but usefully better than the “soft-roaders”. A wading depth of half a metre is claimed. Short overhangs contribute to handy 38-degree approach and 32-degree departure angles, and there is an impressive 24-degree ramp breakover angle.
The rear beam axle is located by a central trailing A-arm and, at each end, a massive trailing arm in line with dual box panels running the length of the passenger compartment floor, following the basic outline of a ladder frame chassis. Up front are coil springs with lateral links do duty, trading off the ride refinement benefit of lower unsprung mass and greater wheel articulation (and hence less body movement over bumps) against ground clearance and ultimate traction off-road.
Top models in the Cherokee line-up get Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel drive, with centre lockable differential, which allows full-time 4wd on or off firm surfaces, and is the kind of arrangement used by the serious. Also standard is a limited slip rear differential. In line with the increasing sophistication of SUVs, the Cherokee’s new ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution is said to have been refined for quieter operation and less pedal pulsation.
An automatic separate calibration for off-road use allows some wheel lock-up during hard stops on loose surfaces, presumably to allow a wedge of, say, gravel to build up in front of the wheels to aid stopping. In our simulated emergency stop routine, we recorded a good (for an SUV) 3,5-second average from 100 km/h to standstill. In normal use, the good pedal feedback allows satisfactory brake modulation. Dual progressive front airbags, and side curtain airbags, are standard equipment, plus a seatbelt pre-tensioner for the driver and constant force retractors for both front occupants.
