The idea of an SUV came about years ago when someone had the bright idea to take a pickup truck and cover it from tip to stern and add more seats inside. The point of this vehicle was to allow more people to ride along and the cargo they needed to be present with them and most SUVs were simply built off truck chassis which meant a rough ride, but one that would get you there. Over the years the SUV has changed to focus more on the sport than the utility and we now have compact models that focus on the ride on the road.
Thankfully we still have the Jeep brand which gives us off road capabilities on every model. This does include the small but mighty Jeep Cherokee which is the compact SUV that you can take off the roads and onto the trails you want to explore. Unlike some of the other models in the Jeep lineup, the Cherokee is made for the road and capable of heading off road, where others are just the opposite, making this the SUV you want to drive when you’re looking for a smaller SUV that can give you the drive you want.
The Cherokee not only offers you the ability to ride on the road and off, but it also gives you a variety of great higher end trims to make this the SUV you can have with whatever equipment you want included on the model. For 2017 the Cherokee adds HID headlights and the Trailhawk adds ventilated Nappa leather seats and a heated steering wheel. You can also enjoy the benefit of skidplates and a tow package on the Overland trim to have the equipment you need to take a load of up to 4,500 pounds with you to your destination.
Under the hood of this SUV you can find two different engines that can provide the power needed. The base engine is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine that gives you 184 horsepower and 171 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine and the larger one both use a nine-speed automatic transmission for the shifting and both are offered in either FWD or 4WD to give you the ride you want. With this powertrain the Cherokee offers you fuel mileage that starts at 21 city/30 hwy mpg for the FWD model and 21 city/28 hwy mpg for the 4WD model that has the Active Drive I setup.
There are three different setups for the 4WD of the Cherokee; Active Drive I, Active Drive II and Trailhawk that uses the Active Drive Lock. All three are available on either powertrain on the Cherokee. The more powerful engine of this SUV is a 3.2-liter V6 engine which brings you 271 horsepower and 239 lb.-ft. of torque. This powertrain can give you 21 city/29 hwy mpg in FWD or 20 city/27 hwy mpg with the 4WD Active Drive I to give you an SUV that can head off road and still maintain decent fuel mileage.
The lineup for the Cherokee starts with the base model with a Uconnect five-inch touch screen infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, SD and auxiliary ports, a 3.5-inch center display screen, ten airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, Hill start Assist, electric power steering, an electric parking brake, cruise control, air conditioning with rear ports and remote keyless entry and starting. If you add the Jeep Cargo Management system to the mix you will enjoy an array of hooks and a storage tote to give you the equipment you want.
Looking to the optional features of the Cherokee you can enjoy any one of the three 4WD systems to give you the off road system you want, an 8.4-inch touch screen Uconnect system, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated power seats, a heated steering wheel, Keyless Entry and Go, 18-inch aluminum wheels and much more.
Is the new Cherokee the right SUV for you to drive? If you want a compact SUV that has the ability to head out on the trails and give you a great ride, this is one that can give you the ride you want.
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