Refreshed and Refreshing
2019 Jeep Cherokee has new look, new engine and new features
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF. » The 2019 Jeep Cherokee will go on sale soon, having been refreshed with a new look, new engine and several new features.
The looks of the mid-cycle refresh are more mature, less “polarizing.”
Jeep officials say the original design was purposefully polarizing because they needed to make an impression as they entered this largest and most fiercely competitive segment of the crossover market.
Now, they say, the idea is to appeal to a broader range of the marketplace because they’ve already created their niche. Because of that, the looks are moderated, particularly the car’s face. As a matter of fact, the Cherokee is new from the A-pillar forward.
The lines are smoother, the wicked jutting of the grille has been softened and made to look more like the family face most notably demonstrated by the Grand Cherokee. The front lighting, now all LED, is consolidated into a new housing which works much better than the three separate lighting placements in the older version.
The sideline, thanks to the new nose and front fenders, seems to flow more smoothly from the side of the lamp housing to the rear. In back the taillights are now LED, and the tailgate is much lighter and potentially controlled by foot waving under it. It is much of the 150-lb weight reduction over the previous version.
The new Cherokee interior adds two new color themes, used to differentiate trim levels. While the interior isn’t noticeably larger, it is nicer, with more attention paid to materials. What you touch feels better, what you reach for seem better placed.
For instance, you can opt for a dual-pane sunroof with a motorized sunshade, which really does make it feel expanded into the outdoors. There is also the latest in capability in the Cherokee’s infotainment equipment. Rear cargo capacity adds a bit more than 3-in. in width adding 27 cu. ft. This extra space is used to make the existing cargo space much easier to use.
In all the Cherokee is more comfortable, moving slightly towards luxury on Jeep’s scale of their vehicles’ role as a comfortable rider, exemplified by the Grand Cherokee. At the other end of the spectrum – let’s call it capability – is the Wrangler.
The Cherokee has been moved slightly towards the Grand Cherokee in its balance between comfort and capability. The ride also is softer and quieter. That doesn’t mean the car is softer, buy tweaks to the suspension simply work to make the car a step up.
The biggest change is that there are now three engine options, all available on all models. The best is the all-new 2.0-liter direct-injection, turbocharged, inline four-cylinder engine is rated at 270 hp. and 295 lb.-ft. of peak torque. It has a twin-scroll, low inertia turbocharger with an electric actuated waste gate. The turbo is mounted on the cylinder head to reduce emissions and improve durability. This is one of the company’s Global Medium Engine architecture family. It is mated to nine-speed automatic transmission.
The six-cylinder option isn’t as powerful as the new turbo, but produces a decent 271 hp. and 239 lb.-ft. of peak torque to give it best-in-class towing capability of 4,500 lbs. The base engine is the 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder generating 180 hp. and170 lb.-ft. of peak torque. I drove a base model in the morning for about three hours and it was powered by this engine. It was more than comfortable for the task. As the task was driving highways and byways, this was fine. On the way back from the off-road trail we drove the 2.0-liter and it was much more fun.
The off-road section was about a 20-minute trail with purposebuilt exercises to demonstrate how the Cherokee Trailhawk trim earned its “Trail Rated” badge. This requires meeting standards in five key categories: traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, articulation and water fording.
While there are front-wheel drive Cherokees, all-wheel drive Cherokees use three different systems, the
Jeep Active Drive II with two-speed transfer and lowrange gear reduction, Jeep Active Drive Lock adds a mechanically locking rear differential and the Jeep Selec-Terrain traction control system with five electronically controlled modes – Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud and Rock.
The suspension doesn’t change much from the 2018 model, it is still a front independent suspension with MacPherson struts and a rear independent multi-link suspension. There have been some tweaks mostly for cabin comfort. But the front suspension still gives the car 6.7-in. of travel, while the rear suspension moves up to 7.8-in. of travel for better articulation.
All this comes together to create a comfortable traveler and somewhat better driver. Granted nobody’s going to be running SCCA autocross in a Cherokee, but you can still enjoy driving a less than straight road – and even a less-than smooth one. And if you want to go where there’s no road you can opt for the Cherokee Trailhawk.
You can tell if a Cherokee is a Trailhawk thanks to its aggressive front fascia, improved approach angle, anti-glare hood decal and standard red tow hooks. Trailhawk models have steel skid plates underneath, as well as higher fender flares and ride height.
The Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk has an approach angle of 29.9 degrees, departure angle of 32.2 degrees and breakover angle of 22.9 degrees. Running ground clearance is 8.7 inches. It comes with 17-in. off-road, tires making it the only car in this class you would logically consider driving where there really aren’t roads.
Available in five different trim configurations. They are, with their MSRP, the Cherokee Latitude at $23,995, Latitude Plus at $26,495, Limited at $30,375, Overland at $36,320 and the rugged Trail Rated Trailhawk starting at $33,280. You can upgrade the engine on any model adding $1745 for the six-cylinder, then another $500 for the new 2.0-liter.
It’s manufactured in Illinois. It will arrive in Jeep showrooms in the Spring. If you have any questions, comments or ideas, please send them to comment@ AutoWritersInk.com.