Overview & Reviews

When the original Jeep Cherokee debuted back in 1984, its compact dimensions, unibody (as opposed to heavier body-on-frame) architecture and go-anywhere capability made it an immediate success. But the SUV scene changed dramatically over the course of its nearly 20-year production run. By the early 2000s, car-based "crossovers" like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 had usurped the antiquated Cherokee's throne. With the arrival of the modernized Jeep Liberty for the 2002 model year, the Cherokee was put out to pasture, its time seemingly having come and gone.

The Liberty never really caught on with consumers, however, whereas the trusty Cherokee's reputation continued to resonate. Accordingly, Jeep resurrected the iconic Cherokee nameplate for the Liberty's successor. Today's Cherokee is a true crossover that shares its platform with the front-wheel-drive Dodge Dart sedan, departing from the rear-wheel-drive tradition established by the original Cherokee and upheld by the Liberty. Its aerodynamic shape, feature-rich interior and carlike driving dynamics speak soothingly to today's pavement-biased shoppers. But rest assured, it's still a Jeep -- so if you do want to hit up some trails, three available four-wheel-drive systems plus numerous off-road-ready options ensure you won't get left in the dust.

Current Jeep Cherokee
The current Cherokee is offered in Sport, Latitude, Trailhawk and Limited trim levels. The Sport is pretty spartan, but it provides convenience features like power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a six-speaker touchscreen stereo with USB/Bluetooth connectivity. The better-equipped Latitude entices with its alloy wheels, foglights, LED interior lighting and options like dual sunroofs, nine-speaker audio and the excellent 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen interface. The Trailhawk focuses on heavy-duty hardware, including standard 4WD with the locking rear differential, flared fenders, wider wheels and tires, skid plates, tow hooks and an off-road suspension with a 1-inch lift. The fancy Limited lacks those rough-and-ready items but boasts bigger alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery and other luxury-oriented provisions. A panoramic sunroof replaces the dual sunroofs on the options list for both the Trailhawk and Limited.

In the engine room, the Cherokee is powered by either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder (184 horsepower) or a 3.2-liter V6 (271 hp). The transmission for both is a nine-speed automatic. Front-wheel-drive is standard, but Jeep offers three four-wheel-drive systems: an introductory setup with a single-speed power transfer unit (referred to by most automakers as "all-wheel drive"), a two-speed unit with low-range gearing, and an upgraded two-speed system with a locking rear differential that's exclusive to the Trailhawk.

In reviews, we've found the Cherokee's four-cylinder engine underwhelming in terms of both power and refinement, but the V6 is a nice upgrade considering its smooth, satisfying acceleration. We're pleasantly surprised that Jeep offers it, as V6s have largely disappeared from this segment in favor of more fuel-efficient fours. As noted, the Cherokee's V6 isn't much less efficient than the base four, so it's pretty much a win-win. We're not convinced that the transmission really needs all nine speeds, but it goes about its business unobtrusively for the most part.

From the driver seat, the Cherokee isn't as sporty as the Ford Escape or Mazda CX-5, but it handles well enough, and its cushy, quiet ride makes commuting a breeze. Off-roaders intrigued by the Cherokee's refinement will be pleased to learn that there's some real bushwhacking potential here, particularly in the "Trail Rated" Trailhawk, which also looks considerably meaner from the curb. What's not found in the Cherokee is an abundance of cargo space -- it brings up the rear among comparable crossovers -- but on the bright side, the sliding-and-reclining backseat is thoroughly adult-friendly.

Used Jeep Cherokee Models
The current, second-generation Jeep Cherokee debuted for the 2014 model year.

The first-generation Jeep Cherokee was unveiled for the 1984 model year as an austere, tough-as-nails SUV, with only its then-radical unibody construction separating it from true truck status. Two- and four-door versions were available. Built on a short wheelbase and tipping the scales at approximately 3,100 pounds, the Cherokee was nimble and responsive compared to the Chevy Blazers and Ford Broncos of its day. On the other hand, getting in and out could be tricky due to the high step-up and small doors, and the rear seat was quite cramped.

The original Cherokee evolved with mostly minor changes over the years, highlighted by the arrival of a fuel-injected four-cylinder engine for 1986 and the popular 4.0-liter inline-6 engine for 1987. A refreshed Cherokee was introduced for 1997 with slightly smoother exterior styling, some structural tweaks for improved refinement and a new dashboard (including dual airbags), but its utilitarian, no-nonsense character remained fully intact.

In our road test of a '97 Cherokee, we found the Jeep unequalled off-road, yet still respectable on the blacktop in terms of acceleration and handling. We liked the firm, sporty ride, although some may find it too stiff and trucklike. At this point, finding a clean and well-maintained first-generation Cherokee is going to be tricky, but modifying the vehicle for enhanced off-road use is very popular.

For more information on the original Jeep Cherokee, go to our Jeep Cherokee History page.

User Reviews:

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  I Miss it! - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By golfrgirl - June 13 - 4:56 am

  Bought it used w/141k miles - all original parts! YIKES - replaced just about everything - clutch, brakes, muffler, starter, cylinders... you get the idea! However, they were ALL factory original! Loved it! Sitting at a stop light last fall got hit by 2 other cars - head on & drivers side - total loss - but I walked away. Looking for same car 5-speed 4WD. Wish they still made them - my mechanic said they were one of the best cars EVER made & easy to work on too! Even cheaper to repair!

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  Champ - 1998 Jeep Cherokee
  By Aaron - May 26 - 1:03 am

  I bought the jeep smashed up in the front for a great price. Bought some new and used parts and painted it in my garage. Has been great ever since. Yearly maintenance is $100-$200 on average and I pile the miles on it. More reliable and durable than anything on the road. Everyone says in these reviews that they wish they still built them, the truth is that they do in China. AMC/Renault put a plant there in the 80s and they still build them today. Maybe they will offer them for sale here, I would buy one.

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  Good small SUV that offers 6 cylinder - 2017 Jeep Cherokee
  By Olivia - May 12 - 8:27 pm

  I Love my 2017 Jeep Cherokee EXCEPT when you reverse and put back in drive the car stalls and then accelerates quickly which can be scary when reversing out of a parking spot. I also noticed that its acceleration is very strange...if you are going 30 mph and want to accelerate it takes you down to 20 mph before accelerating.. makes you feel like the car is going to just stop before acceleration. Other then that the car is great but i honestly feel like that is a huge negative when the main purpose of me choosing this car was for the speed of the 6cyl engine.

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  Good small SUV that offers 6 cylinder - 2017 Jeep Cherokee
  By Olivia - May 12 - 8:19 pm

  I Love my 2017 Jeep Cherokee EXCEPT when you reverse and put back in drive the car stalls and then accelerates quickly which can be scary when reversing out of a parking spot. I also noticed that its acceleration is very strange...if you are going 30 mph and want to accelerate it takes you down to 20 mph before accelerating.. makes you feel like the car is going to just stop before acceleration. Other then that the car is great but i honestly feel like that is a huge negative when the main purpose of me choosing this car was for the speed of the 6cyl engine.

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  Truly Remarkable - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Banker - April 30 - 3:46 pm

  Purchased vehicle in 98, used, from private seller who didnt even know it had 4 wheel drive. Used for everything from daily work commute to locating trail heads of mountain bike trails. Capability is superb and so compromises ride quality. Mechanically very sound, only replacing AC electronic switch ($20). Not looking forward to being able to purchase another when the time comes.

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  BUY A JEEP!!!! - 1995 Jeep Cherokee
  By mr jeep - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I purchase my jeep 2 years ago. After almost 50,000 miles and several cross country trips... Im hooked on Jeep Cherokees. I recommend this Jeep to anyone wanting an SUV that is reliable, fun to drive and extremely powerful. This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned... after 6 cars. The only problem Ive had was a crack in the exhaust manifold - total= $450 -- thats it! (probably from front end collision @ 30mph) no other problems.

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  One Of The Best - 1996 Jeep Cherokee
  By Boston - March 21 - 2:56 am

  I really cant say enough about my 1996 Cherokee Sport. It has been an amazing vehicle, and Ive had my share. No doubt about it, this is a JEEP, not a luxury car - and it looks and feels that way... rugged and utilitarian. However, they are great for a varity of scenarios, including the urban jungle. If I had to pick a bad spot, Id have to say gas mileage and comfort on longer trips. This classic model is a bit aged these days, but theyre a wonderful value for the price.

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  Blue tooth Connection/Windshiled availability - 2015 Jeep Cherokee
  By Pat Mullen - March 6 - 3:44 pm

  Bought this Jeep a month ago and I like many things about it... but two problems. First I took a rock in the windshield and glass companies and dealers do not have access to glass... all on backorder. Still driving with broken windshield and not likely to have new glass for weeks. Second, the blue tooth connection works fine with my Galaxy 5 phone for making and receiving calls but can not playback voice mail messages. Messages can not be heard on phone or on speakers... I have to stop the car and turn it off to listen to voice mail messages on my phone.

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  basically a nice car but some maddening quirks - 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  By flyingfish3 - February 28 - 5:29 am

  First, I have the Trailhawk with the Pentastar V6--this site wont let me enter that model--not the 4 cylinder. I like the car so far; it drives and handles well, I get up to 30 mpg on the highway (but much less than 20 mpg in the city), the visibility is fine, and the safety features are fine. It seems very capable offroad, but I dislike that you can only choose among different 4WD programs instead of choosing how you want the 4WDto work myself. But it has some weird quirks that are really irritating, and the lack of cargo space--a victim of its exterior design--is a bit bothersome.

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  2016 Jeep Cherokee Leak - 2016 Jeep Cherokee
  By Laura - February 15 - 5:42 pm

  I was so excited to purchase the anniversary edition 2016 Jeep Cherokee. I even had customer leather seats installed with the matching tangerine and white trim and had all the windows tinted. On August 11, 2016, Baton Rouge experienced an enormous amount of rain. Ive owned at least 20 cars in my lifetime and theyve been through hurricanes and rain before, so this particular day shouldnt have been any different. It wouldnt have been if Jeep had made sure all the wheel wells were sealed. I brought my Jeep to a dealer and thats what they found. The LF wheel well wasnt sealed properly and I had several inches of water in my drivers floorboard and behind the driver. The carpet held 2-3" of water for days before I noticed it. (10 total while trying to dry myself and waiting on the dealer) Im hoping thats the only area to leak and that it was repaired properly. Im still waiting for the dealer and Jeep to contact me if they will replace the carpet. Waiting and waiting!! The dealer did not dry my carpet or the pad at all. I had to do that myself with fans and blow dryers for days. I guess they thought if they put it back down I wouldnt notice. They didnt even remove the seat to check for any further damage to electrical or to dry. Im hoping I dont have any future electrical problems with my new purchase. Currently, Im having the Jeep inspected by my insurance and a second opinion from another Jeep dealer. As long as I know there is no future damage and that Jeep will stand behind replacing the carpet if needed, I still feel I made a good purchase. Out of all the suvs I looked at, the 2016 Cherokee was the most comfortable and easiest to handle.