Overview of the Jeep Cherokee
Arguably the most famous Jeep after the Wrangler, the Cherokee wasn't imported officially to Australia until 1994 - 15 years after it debuted in its home country (USA). As befitting the brand, the Cherokee has never been short on off-roading credentials. Quality, however, had been in short supply until the latest-generation model was released in 2014 with a more suburban-focused design.
JEEP CHEROKEE GENERATIONS (SINCE 2001)
2001-2008
2008-2014
2014 onwards
RUNNING COSTS
Fuel Consumption
2.0L 4-cylinder turbo diesel: 5.8 litres per 100km
2.4L 4-cylinder: 9.1 litres per 100km
3.2L 6-cylinder: 9.7 to 10.0 litres per 100km
= Highly economical.
= Good economy.
= Average fuel use.
= Heavy consumption.
Servicing
Every 12,000km or 12 months, whichever is sooner. Each service currently costs between about $495 and 620. Jeep Cherokee parts and accessoriescan be found on Gumtree.
SIMILAR MODELS TO JEEP CHEROKEE
Holden Equinox
Hyundai Tucson
Nissan X-Trail
Subaru Forester
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR: JEEP CHEROKEE (2014 ONWARDS)
Like a lot of recent Jeeps, the Cherokee was recalled on a number of occasions to address a range of issues, so it's important to check with a Jeep dealer on the status of a particular vehicle.
The one recall that worries us most was to check vehicles fitted with adaptive cruise-control. The cruise control could, in some circumstances, suffer the dreaded unintended-acceleration syndrome ... the car would begin to accelerate all by itself, regardless of what the driver was doing.
There were also other recalls for everything from poorly fitted seats to airbags that may not deploy properly, faulty tail-gates and shock absorbers that could break.
The nine-speed automatic transmission can also give trouble. Jeep dealers have new software designed to smooth the gearbox's operation and give better throttle response and feel.
In fact, there have been multiple new computer programs arriving at Jeep dealerships over the life of the vehicle, all aimed at making the vehicle work better. It would be worth the trip to a Jeep dealer before you make a purchase to see what's been done and what hasn't.
