The Cherokee is back?

[VanIsle_Greg]

I see a ton of them around on the roads here. Then again I still see a ton of the early Cherokee's here too. Very popular vehicle for our part of the world and with the minimal amount of snow we get here on the island and the little salt, they last forever. My 2000 is completely rust free.

Renegade will probably sell a ton as well, with gas at $1.42 a liter here, small utes are pretty popular.

Yes, I said $1.42 liter.

So glad I bought the GC with the Hemi!! (actually I love it)

 

[kojackJKU]

Yep, they are still Jeeps. oh, 1.58 a liter on the opposite coast!

 

[Hilldweller]

First impressions, I thought the new Cherokee was ugly, but somehow the Trailhawk version doesn't look that bad. I'll probably sneak in a test drive when they hit the dealer lots.

One potential issue with the 2014 Cherokee is interior room...

I tried on a Trailhawk; I don't fit in it.
Not tallguy-friendly.

 

[kojackJKU]

Ha ha. I have not any problems with that. 5'8" 30" inseam, i fit in a little tykes car. ha ha. I cant wait to take a renegade trailhawk for a spin. The wife is excited about that rig as am I, we are replaceing our mazda 5 with one. Had the cherokee trailhawk out, and were alll ready to pull the trigger, but then we saw the spy shots of the renegade and she loved it.

 

[haven]

"I tried on a Trailhawk; I don't fit in it."

Please report back when you get a chance to sit in the new Renegade. Despite being 18 inches shorter, the Renegade's interior specs are similar to the Cherokee. The Renegade's seating is more chair-like, with more headroom, so taller folks may fit better. (In front, that is. The Renegade back seat has much less legroom than the Cherokee. )

 

[Hilldweller]

"I tried on a Trailhawk; I don't fit in it."

Please report back when you get a chance to sit in the new Renegade. Despite being 18 inches shorter, the Renegade's interior specs are similar to the Cherokee. The Renegade's seating is more chair-like, with more headroom, so taller folks may fit better. (In front, that is. The Renegade back seat has much less legroom than the Cherokee. )

I'd like to try the Renegade, Chip.
I've driven the FIAT 500L and have to say that it's the most comfortable box ever. It's remarkably ugly but just fits soooooo well....

 

[life_w_vagabonds]

18/25 mpg for the Trailhawk? I'm averaging 20 in my JKU sport. Thats mostly intown commuting.

6 speed, nancy boy tires

 

[hudsonhawk]

I am a long time Jeep owner and have been offroading since 2000. I started with a Dodge Durango 4x4, replaced that with a '72 CJ-5 I built for rock crawling and then bought a used '06 LJ that I had started to modify for off-road/expedition use. The LJ worked great but was lacking adequet power for pulling my trailer on the highway. I started looking for a replacement and not long after Jeep anounced the new Cherokee. I placed the order 2 days after the order banks were opened last August. I know this was taking a chance but this was the only vehicle that offered all the options I felt I needed in a new vehicle. Small Size, good towing capacity, 4 wheel drive and comfortable on long trips. I opted for a Trailhawk with leather, comfort/convenience group and tow package. The only reason for the leather is that the cloth seats were not available when I placed the order.


I actually own a 2104 Cherokee Trailhawk and thought I would share my opinions after 6 months and 9K miles of driving it.
1) Quite possibly this is the most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned. Every Jeep in the lineup should come standard with these seats. I am 5' 11" 270 lbs. I have no problems getting comfotable. With the drivers seat set for me I can sit behind it and my knees do not hit the drivers seat back.
2) The V-6 has plenty of power and with the towing package handles my trailer without any issues.
3) there are 2 12V power ports available. One in the center console and one in rear area (perfect for a fridge). each is on its own circuit.
4) There is a built in 120V converter at the base of the console.
5) The cargo rea is small but with the rear seats fodled down there is ample capacity. the added bonus is that the front passenger seat also folds flat. In that configuration I can load 8' lumber inside with the hatch closed.
6) The 9 speed takes a little time to get used too. It likes to keep the engine RPMS low. Thank fully they included a Electronic Range Select function so you can pick the gear that it can not go above. With 4 overdrive gears (6th - 9th) there is a perfect gear for almost any situation.
7) I average 21~22 MPG on my daily commute in Dalals Traffic. On my last road trip I averaged 26+ at 100% highway.
8) I have tried out all the 4x4 functions but have not had time to really put them to the test. They seem to work well but only time will tell.

Overall, I am very happy with this vehicle and glad I bought it.

Don't get me wrong, I am not under any illusion as to what it is capable of. It won't run the hard core trails. But it will take you off the beaten path in comfort and get you back home. The only thing I really want is rocker protection and that is just a matter of getting the funds to do it.

 

[haven]

Truck Trend's web page has a test drive of the Cherokee Trailhawk. They say in most ways, the Cherokee is competitive with compact crossover utility vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, and Toyota Rav-4. The area where the Cherokee dominates the others in its rough road/dirt road performance, just as you would expect from a Jeep. The editors ding the Cherokee's 9 speed transmission, however.

http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/suv/1407_2014_jeep_cherokee_trailhawk_first_test/