Infotainment systems include 8.4-inch Uconnect media center audio-streaming app connectivity (Pandora and Slacker, among others) and top models include a full-color configurable LED instrument cluster. Highlights include a CommandView panoramic sunroof and Sky Slider roof, memory heated/ventilated seats, and soft Nappa leather upholstery with ventilated front seats in the top Limited model. The 2015 Cherokee also offers more options than you'll find in most other affordable crossovers-if you're willing to spend extra, of course. About the only thing missing in the Cherokee's safety feature set is a clever surround-view camera system, which would be a boon for off-road use. On Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk models, there's a new package that combines blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, rear park assist, and signal mirrors with courtesy lamps. Latitude and Trailhawk models now include a rearview camera plus automatic headlamps. All models with 4WD have the Selec-Terrain system, with separate modes for Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, and Rock, and in low-range models with 4-cylinder engines, its crawl ratio is an astonishingly good 56:1. There are several different four-wheel drive systems, including Active Drive I, and Active Drive II (adding a dual-range transfer case). Jeep's Trail-Rated badge applies to the Trailhawk, and it gets a 1-inch lift, unique front and rear fascias, an Active Drive Lock and locking rear differential, added skid plates, and red tow hooks. Sport and Latitude models appeal to cost- and value-conscious families, while Limited models are the luxurious flagships of the lineup and Trailhawk models are ready for the trail. Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk editions are offered, with each model serving a different kind of buyer. All V-6 Cherokee models now include engine stop-start system, which might not boost the official EPA numbers but will save some fuel in low-speed stop-and-go commuting. Its top figure of 31 mpg highway isn't class-leading either, but we've seen close to it in real-world conditions four-wheel drive models post a few mpg lower. It's not a deal-breaker, but it makes us wonder if the Cherokee would have been better with fewer gears. Yet there's some unhappiness in the way that this transmission sometimes balks, sometimes shifts with a bang, and sometimes holds a gear a lot longer than needed. The Cherokee also sports a 9-speed automatic that offers a shockingly wide range of ratios-allowing even the 4-cylinder versions to take off very quick from a standing start and cruise with very low revs on the highway. No matter which version, the Cherokee has fairly numb but accurate steering, with a well-tuned and well-damped ride. With the V-6 and a towing package, the Cherokee can pull 4,500 pounds. The other 3.2-liter V-6 makes 271 hp and 239 lb-ft of torque it's torquey and generally happy with whatever work you throw its way. The standard 184-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4 is plenty strong for quick acceleration (as well as smooth and quiet for this class), provided there isn't too much weight aboard. You have a choice between an inline-4 and a V-6 under the hood-which helps it stand out in a class that includes several models that have gone all-4-cylinder. The second row slides fore and aft to choose between legroom and cargo space, and there’s a handy organizer for the more retentive fans. There’s no third-row seat, but it's a relatively roomy five-seater, with a back seat that’s suitable for adults-or even asking three to sit across for shorter distances-but the jutting front headrests might enforce a slouching position that robs some of that rear-seat space. Jeep might call it a mid-sizer, but it's right in with those models. ![]() The Cherokee really sizes right in with models that would be called compacts in the U.S., like the CR-V, Forester, and Escape. The cabin does paramedic duty here though, healing up all that poorly thought-out stretching with some palliative shapes and some truly nice finishes and Easter-egg touches (consider it a challenge to find all the hidden Jeeps inside). Instead of taking a design direction that's closer to that purpose-or going with something a little edgier-the Cherokee enters the fray with a startling variation of the Jeep face, then becomes something entirely derivative at other points. There's plenty of ruggedness and a general zest for things outdoorsy, while remaining perfectly suitable for families that merely want all-wheel drive (AWD) security and the suggestion that they might have enjoyed camping a time or two. ![]() It's an unlikely subject, stuffed with the heart of a Trail Rated Jeep. The current Cherokee may be the first compact SUV get the midpoint right, masterfully bridging the gap between city-friendly crossover and serious (or, serious enough) off-roader.
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