© JAMES TAYLOR
Editor: Land Rover Enthusiast Magazine

BACKGROUND

Jeep is the oldest name in light four-wheel drive vehicles, but it was a very late entrant to the UK market: although small numbers of Jeeps had been imported over the years by specialists, the parent company did not establish its own representation in Britain until 1993.

Chrysler Jeep began by importing right-hand drive versions of their current models, which included the Cherokee. However, what looked like a new vehicle to UK customers was in fact already an elderly design which had been in production since 1984. Its original purpose was to reclaim a share of the American sport-utility compact market from Ford and GM, and it was only much later that the UK arm of Chrysler saw in the Cherokee a competitor for the stylish family 4x4 market then dominated by the Discovery and Shogun.

The Cherokee has, of course, evolved since 1984, although it is still recognisably the same vehicle. Its success in the USA was one of the main reasons why Chrysler decided to buy AMC (who then owned Jeep) in 1987. Their contribution to the vehicle's development has included much better engines.

The Cherokee is unusual in that its chassisless construction enables it to have a lower overall height than most competitors; the body does not sit on a deep chassis frame. This gives it the general appearance of a conventional estate car. Some would argue that this is exactly what it is: a four-wheel drive equivalent of the big Volvo estates.

The biggest advantages of the Cherokee are its compact dimensions and, in 4-litre form, its startling road performance. Its biggest disadvantage is a lack of interior space. Until 1995, there was also no turbodiesel option in a market dominated by turbodiesel vehicles. However, with the adoption of an Italian VM engine (related to that once used in the Range Rover), that deficiency has now been remedied.

Character summary

The Cherokee is a stylish and distinctive family 4x4 with car-like character and dimensions which have contributed to its popularity. It makes an excellent everyday vehicle and is comfortable over long distances, although rear seat passengers are less well accommodated than those in front because their access is hindered by narrow doors and the bench seat itself is rather low-set.

The Cherokee's low roofline gives its interior a smaller feel than many of its competitors enjoy, and it certainly is less spacious than many of them: the roof bars are part of the standard specification for very good reasons! There is also very little space for oddments stowage.

The driving position takes some acclimatisation, with a long steering column and a nearly vertical dashboard on which the switchgear is poorly located. Fake wood veneer on the more expensive models tends to cheapen rather than enhance the feel of the interior, but otherwise the typically American high levels of standard equipment are impressive.

Performance summary

The most striking qualities of the Cherokee are its car-like performance, handling and ride. The suspension can be a little harsh at low speeds, but gives a smooth ride for motorway cruising. Hard cornering in the powerful 4-litre models can sometimes induce disconcerting oversteer, but this can be eliminated by using the full-time four-wheel drive option instead of rear-wheel drive only.

The 4-litre models are very quick for 4x4 vehicles, although the engine's torque peak is high up the rev band and so it must be revved hard to give its best. The 2.5-litre petrol engine gives only average performance, and in fact the turbodiesel is a better bet from most points of view, despite its higher noise levels.

Off the road, the Cherokee is a competent performer, although the 2.5-litre petrol and turbodiesel engines give better control than the high-revving 4-litre for slow-speed manoeuvring. Axle articulation is not particularly good, but the limited-slip differential goes some way to compensate by transferring the drive from a spinning wheel to one which is likely to have traction.

Reliability, weaknesses, spares

Very early examples of the Cherokee (including some of the press demonstrators) had some niggling faults, but Jeep soon resolved those and the Cherokee now has a very good reliability record. No consistent weaknesses have so far emerged, and it is unlikely that they will. Spares are readily available through Chrysler Jeep dealers in the UK.

Resale values

Strong demand for new Cherokees has ensured that used examples retain their value well. There is no reason to believe that this position will change in the near future.