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2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited Long-Term Road Test - Introduction
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2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited Long-Term Road Test - Introduction
We added a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited to our Long-Term Test fleet to see if Jeep's newest model can hold its own in the cutthroat field of small-to-midsize crossovers.
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Another good choice for a LT car. After all the whining and hand wringing about the styling, these things are flying off dealer lots.
I've seen a bunch of these in person now and my brother-in-law and his wife bought one a few months ago (the Trailhawk version) to replace her Volvo wagon. In person it is really a good looking SUV.
What makes the Cherokee unique (attractive) is the availability of a low-range with locking center and rear diffs and real AT tires in this class.
Good choice for a long term test. I agree with the comments above that, despite a lot of criticism of the styling from the media, it seems to be working. I see a lot of these popping up in my area.
interesting that you picked up the limited version all the other websites/mags went immediately for the trailhawk. i find it also interesting that nobody is reviewing the four cylinder. do you think the v6 will be a big seller because it is only a $1500 upcharge? What i want to also know is do you think upper-scale moddels of the smaller SUVs are a good replacement for the classic american large sedan? Rear legroom seems similer and you have the added utility of the hatchback and ride hight and the prices seems to undercut the large sedan as well.
I'm looking forward to this test...I'm planning on replacing my MINI next summer (I need more room) and this is on my list of "maybe's". I'm really interested in the real world performance and mileage of the V6 (my MINI is the S...so I still want something semi quick/fun)
the rear storage is pitiful in jeeps. owned an 05 grand cherokee and couldn't believe the lack of storage area. while shopping for a '14 grand cherokee i checked the numbers and, yep, same amount of rear storage space as a RAV4!! looked at one of the cherokees at the auto show and the storage floor is very high for no obvious reason...
and by storage space i meant to say cargo area.
Flame away but I'm disappointed you sold a unique and intersting vehicle (the Tesla Model S) for yet another boring SUV.
I expected Edmunds to do the same. The Trailhawk package is, to me, the one reason to pick the Cherokee. It's unique within the class. Take that away and the Cherokee is an also-ran in the increasingly crowded compact CUV market.
I have mixed feelings about this vehicle, so I'm glad you are testing it. Most of the competition feels quite cheap, so I like that Jeep made an effort to install a premium interior and ride here. I also like the off road capability of the Trailhawk and availability of a V6, both are very unique in the segment. However, the cargo space is uncompetitive (this is an SUV after all), and your Trailhawk took 8 seconds to hit 60 with a 270 hp V6 under the hood. Very underwhelming considering what a V6 RAV4 was capable of.
I completely agree with you. I do think Jeep did a good job with the interior, but the Trailhawk is the only way to go, otherwise you just blend in with the incredibly boring, albeit useful, crowd.
Completely get the decision to forgo the Trailhawk. By the same token, I've been shocked how many Trailhawk Cherokees I've seen on the road. It must be good dealer upselling or maybe the Trailhawk falls into a certain price point sweet spot in the market, because, as you point out, the Trailhawk's capabilities really aren't critical to most. I guess the styling flourishes of the Trailhawk may help too. Also, it will be interesting to see how you compare this car to the CX-5 and CR-V that have been in the long term fleet. Jeep is clearly aiming for the heart of the small CUV market and those are two great examples. The Jeep however offers better off road capability at the expense of a degree of utility and cargo room. I think it's silly to make big deals over a couple cubic feet of cargo room difference from one CUV to the next but the Cherokee's cargo area is significantly smaller with a much higher load height than the rest of the cars in it's segment.
Does anyone else hate the headlights on these?
@legacygt-- I see your point, and I'll amend what I said above to @bassracerx. It makes sense for an automotive publication doing a comparison to sample one of the Cherokee's lower trim levels. That makes it more of an apples-to-apples comparison against segment leaders to determine if the Cherokee is worthy as a basic CUV. It's just that as a buyer I would likely only go to the Cherokee for what sets it apart from the pack, which is the 4x4 hardware in the Trailhawk version.
I would have preferred a Trailhawk, as that is the only Cherokee that has my interest. Still, this Limited should give one a pretty good idea as to what it's like to live with this (radically) all-new CUV/SUV. What concerns most is it going to be reliable?