Now the time has come for the last outpost of the ‘right’ off-road vehicles to fall before the demands of the modern car industry. The honest and true Jeep Cherokee, the offroader with body-on-frame construction, the owner of the rear solid axle, the brutal and square-cut favourite of many Russian and foreign off-road conquerors, has buckled before the American engineers. Now it is based on a front-wheel-drive platform featuring a unibody construction, which can be used to build a standard crossover (Compact U.S.Wide), while the all-wheel-drive function is performed by a traditional rear multi-link suspension and a complex electronic system, which allows the off-road version of this vehicle to explore all hills and dales, wade through mud and fords.
Am I upset? I certainly am. I have never been either the owner, or just an enthusiast of anything with a ground clearance higher than 15 cm (neither do I have any plans of doing so now). However, the classic Jeep Cherokee has always been some kind of basis and tradition for me, one of the signs of an entire era, and now it’s a pity to watch this era fall into oblivion.
Maybe that is the reason why it’s difficult for me to put up with its unfamiliar and somehow alien appearance — where have those three pairs of Juke-like eyes come from? What about those slitted eyepieces? And predacious-looking grille which seems to turn into alien jaw as soon as you turn your back on it? It was designed by none other than Wayne Cherry, chief designer of the Pontiac Aztek, which is another ambiguous project in car industry. Well, it’s all a matter of taste.
Theoretically, when looking at the exterior of the new Jeep you may notice a slight resemblance to the silhouette of the British aristocrats of the modern Land Rover lineup — oversized body sides, low side window line, tight rear end. However, the desire of Jeep Cherokee to be similar to Land Rover, at least in some features, is obvious as it is the only rival brand recognised by the American marketing experts. They have even chosen a similar promotion theme — the spirit of freedom, the spirit of adventure.
Nevertheless, the Jeep is undoubtedly entitled to precedence. The very first Jeep appeared in 1941 and it was called the Willys. While the first Land Rover vehicle was revealed 7 years later, in 1948. By that time, Jeep had already become popular. What concerns Cherokee, it first appeared in 1984 and was so successful that now, 30 years later, only its third generation enters the market.
You get used to the new Cherokee surprisingly fast. Now it doesn’t seem so appalling anymore, on the contrary, it looks rather cute taking into account how much non-photogenic it is. You learn to see its pros and cons, as actually its off-road performance is similar to that of its ancestor. Well, honestly, I haven’t had any real mud experience; however, the car went through serious tests performed with the help of ‘simulators’ on the practice ground in Balocco. Though its bottom was sometimes scraped, the car still coped with all the tasks pretty well overall. Where there is a will, any car can be stranded.
What can I say? Cherokee has become smaller and more comfortable. Though the manufacturer claims it to be a mid-size crossover, it is now closer to the class of compact cars basing on its dimensions: 4,623 x 1,859 x 1,669 mm. If compared to Land Rover, it is more similar to Freelander than Discovery. Though there is a lot of confusion in this matter now, as soon there will be no Freelander anymore, it will be replaced by the new Land Rover Sport, which is similar to Discovery but is of smaller size.
The materials used in Cherokee are of notably higher quality. Various interior elements are not creaking as they used to wearing in to each other when moving on uneven surfaces. The interior is still ascetic but it is not provoking anymore and is rather enjoyable now. The car triggers warmer emotions inside than outside.
Only 2.4-litre (177 hp) and 3.2-litre (272 hp) petrol-powered models will go on sale in Russia so far. The diesel-powered model is expected to arrive by autumn. 3.2-litre V6 Pentastar is the all-new engine in the company’s lineup — it features aluminium block and heads, was built on the base of the previous-generation 3.6-litre engine, and was first used in third-generation Cherokee. However, the 2.4-litre engine will become baseline in the Russian market — 4 out of 5 trim levels offered for the Russian customers will be based on this type of engine. Cherokee is suggested in three variants of the 4x4 system. Jeep® Active Drive I is a fully automatic, single power-takeoff unit (PTU) system. Jeep® Active Drive II system offers a two-speed PTU, torque distribution and gear reduction functions. Jeep® Active Drive Lock system includes all functions of the Jeep® Active Drive II system also featuring locking rear differential and the Selec-Speed control function.
In addition to that, the cars are fitted with traction management system with four modes for different road surface conditions: auto, snow, sport, and sand/mud. However, the Trailhawk, the most advanced trim level, features one more mode — stones (with electronic rear locking differential and the ability to transfer up to 100% of the torque to the rear axle).
I guess, I have mentioned all the major details but here are a few words from my heart. The fact is that the manufacturer tried to create some kind of a legend around Cherokee and I really liked the way they did it. They decided to add a few storage nooks or Easter Eggs all over the car to play a little game with the owners. An Easter egg hunt is a common festive activity, where eggs are hidden for children to run around and find. The creators of the new Cherokee have done a similar thing hiding various surprises in the car’s interior and exterior. The first one was found on the windshield. When looking closer at the black blob of paint near the wipers one could see an image of the Jeep Willys. The second Easter egg was found on the steering wheel — it has the “Since 1941” signature. The parking-assist video display shows the third one — the Cherokee driving past a row of Willys. Next one can be found only in off-road trim levels — a hidden storage compartment under the front passenger seat cushion. The back part of the seat has the scheme and coordinates of the most difficult off-road track in the world — Rubicon Trial. But the most touching detail was the phrase said by one of the company’s representatives, pointing at the stitching atop the instrument panel: “It looks like the wings of the hawk sailing in the sky, doesn’t it?”
