Jeep Cherokee

Changes on the inside have been made for improved utility. The legroom is a bit cramped at the back as compared to the front seats, while luggage storage space has been increased by 84 litres to 781 litres. Knee room and head space are also tight, which makes it a bit uncomfortable for a 6-feet tall person at the rear. The list of comfort features is long, albeit most of it is missing in the base Sport variant such as dual-zone climate control, push-button start, keyless entry with remote proximity, heated front 8-way power adjusting front seats, among others. The heated & ventilated front seats, exterior mirror with memory function and automatic high beam control are standard on the Limited variant, while these could be availed as optional on the Trailhawk grade. A 7.0-inch infotainment unit comes with the entry-level trims and the larger 8.4-litre Uconnect unit with AM/FM, digital radio Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, nine-speaker audio system, etc is available with the higher variants. Another welcoming change inside is enhanced utility space which allows keeping mobile phones and other tidbits. The electric parking brake switch is now enclosed and cabin features multiple USB outlets for charging. Talking in terms of fit and finish, it is quite impressive at this price point. Besides, the quality of material throughout the cabin is premium.

The latest iteration of Cherokee sees several styling changes to the exterior over the previous version. Cherokee’s split headlight design has been replaced by the more conventional single headlight set-up. The LED-equipped headlamps are now standard across line-up, while the automatic high beam function comes only with specific variants. Styling in front is highlighted by Jeep's signature seven-pillar slatted grille, while the rear receives LED-equipped tail-lamps. On the other hand, the off-road-focused Trailhawk variant gets additional exposed and functional red recovery hooks at both the ends. Fog lamps are available at the front and rear save for the base trim which misses out on the front units. Moving to the side, the 17-inch alloy wheels are common across line-up except for the limited grade which sports larger 18-inch units. While the SUV receives styling changes, the dimensions remain intact, measuring 4,651 mm in length, 1,859 mm in width and 1,680 mm in height. The Jeep Cherokee can be availed in multiple colour options including firecracker red, pearl white, granite crystal, velvet red, olive green, hydro blue, diamond black and standard bright white. 

The Steering wheel is light and allows easy manoeuvring, while brake pedal remains composed throughout the pedal travel. Moreover, it handles well around the corners and the ride quality is also excellent. The four-wheel drivetrain and rear differential along with hill descent and ascent set-up enhance the overall performance. 

The Cherokee line-up is available with two engines, a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol and the high capacity 3.2-litre six-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol unit. Tuned to put out 177 PS of power and 229 Nm of torque, the 2.4-litre motor powers the base Sport. While the 3.2-litre powerplant, good for 272 PS of power and 315 Nm torque powers the rest of the range. A nine-speed automatic gearbox is linked to both the engines with an FWD system specific to the 2.4-litre unit and the all-wheel-drive available with the 3.2-litre engine. Fuel consumption for the four-cylinder unit is rated at 11.7 kmpl and 9.8 kmpl for the V6 motor. Talking of performance, the Limited and Longitude variants propel to 100kmph mark from 0 in 7.5 seconds, while the Trailhawk takes 8.5 seconds for the same. 

The force to retard speed comes from ventilated disc brakes at the front and solid disc units at the rear. Safety features such as Parkview reverse parking camera, front parking sensors are standard only in the higher grades. The entry-level variant misses out on rear parking sensors, parallel & perpendicular park & unpark assist with stop system, side distance warning, adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, which could be availed at additional cost on Longitude grade. Other prominent safety tech,such as security alarm and adaptive cruise control come at no extra cost with the Limited variant, while these are available as optional on the Trailhawk. Save for the above features, the entire range gets seven airbags, advanced brake assist, full-speed forward warning collision warning plus, pedestrian emergency braking, lane departure warning plus, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, cruise control, speed limiter, tyre pressure monitoring system, electric power steering, electric roll mitigation, traction control, engine immobilizer, front passenger active head restraints and passenger seat belt alert at both ends. 

The 2019 Jeep Cherokee is a capable off-roader, Trailhawk variant in specific. Aside from its excellent off-road abilities, the mid-size SUV packs a comprehensive standard safety kit. Jeep also offers a five-year warranty, capped price servicing and lifetime roadside assistance with Cherokee. Interestingly, the fuel consumption numbers are slightly more in real-time conditions opposed to the claimed figures. Overall, it is a fun SUV to drive, loaded with a plethora of features. The V6 engine is however not as impressive as the drivetrain.