Test Drove the 2014 Cherokee Today-Pics

[xjtrailrider]

OK, Gentlemen.
Do any of you remember what was said by the FSJ owners when the XJ came on the scene?
I don,t ,,because I was into the Pony cars and could care less about 4x4s.
I,m guessing that not much was made about it because it was only a smaller version,still with solid axles and a transfer case and after the 4.0 was put in a great motor.
This new thing has lost its way...too much electronics,no TC,shaped like too many of the other road runners and really "those are headlights".

Local dealer has a few,wonder if they will let me take it on a test drive on the local FS road, it would only be about 5 miles..... i could walk back.....

I worked at a Oldsmobile dealer in 84 when the first XJ's hit the streets. The owner of said dealership was an avid bird hunter and bought one from the Jeep dealer next to us to haul his bird dogs in. He brought the Jeep to my bay for me to double check all of the fluids as the Jeep dealer had a bad reputation of not PDX'ing their cars well from shipment.

I remember laughing at the fact that it did not have a frame but was impressed with it after I took it out back to our test area for the GMC trucks we sold. It climbed like a billy goat! I always wondered why when we sold K5 Blazers/'Burbs did our Oldsmobile/GMC Truck dealership owner buy a Jeep instead of a Blazer or 'Burb? I know now. Nothing against the 'Burbs/Blazer's of the day but the XJ was so much more maneuverable off-road and affordable to drive than the v-8 powered GMC's.

He drove that XJ for 20+ years as hs main hunting vehicle and his son had it restored after Mr Hart passed away. True story.

I guess in a nut shell, change is hard to take. I frown on any 4x4 that has IFS/IRS but I bought a Commander(IFS) and love it! Its not an XJ but will there ever really be another XJ, no I think not. It is what it is.

 

[urban yan]

He drove that XJ for 20+ years as hs main hunting vehicle and his son had it restored after Mr Hart passed away. True story.

True; most new cars are about as disposable as sanitary napkins. Good luck getting that many years out of one of these new taint stains.

 

[JWheeler]

True; most new cars are about as disposable as sanitary napkins. Good luck getting that many years out of one of these new taint stains.

That can be said for any new car.

 

[CheapXJ]

It makes the Nissan Puke and Pontiac Asstek look like Miss Universe contenders.

Hey, AWD and a Turbo, the nissan Juke is a fun car.

but it's just a car.

even if it is one of the best driving rentals I've had in the last 6 years.

 

[urban yan]

The juke has become allot more appealing ever since I burned my retinas staring at the KL.

 

[bjoehandley]

I'd take this KL over the Juke, it's at least a larger car and with the Trailhawk package, capable of going more places than a Juke will. I do hope the tank is bigger, my boss' daughter had an '11 Juke with the AWD and turbo motor and it only holds 11 gallons of premium (which is required on the turbo Jukes).......I put more than that of regular that in my XJ tonight and usually a week's worth of driving my 200 is about the same. At least that 3.2l Pentastar should be able to run at least 87 octane regular and maybe E85 like most of the 3.6l Pentastars can.

 

[urban yan]

I would take a KL just so I could say I drove one off a cliff.
It's just another piece of trendy, disposable junk.

 

[Olympus Off Road]

OK, Gentlemen.
Do any of you remember what was said by the FSJ owners when the XJ came on the scene?
I don,t ,,because I was into the Pony cars and could care less about 4x4s.
I,m guessing that not much was made about it because it was only a smaller version,still with solid axles and a transfer case and after the 4.0 was put in a great motor.
This new thing has lost its way...too much electronics,no TC,shaped like too many of the other road runners and really "those are headlights".

Local dealer has a few,wonder if they will let me take it on a test drive on the local FS road, it would only be about 5 miles..... i could walk back.....

If facebook was around in 1984...

 

[Cottontail]

Wait what !!?? The new cherokee is designated as the KL?
... as in 'KL it with fire'?

It makes the Nissan Puke and Pontiac Asstek look like Miss Universe contenders.

True; most new cars are about as disposable as sanitary napkins. Good luck getting that many years out of one of these new taint stains.

The juke has become allot more appealing ever since I burned my retinas staring at the KL.

I would take a KL just so I could say I drove one off a cliff.
It's just another piece of trendy, disposable junk.

I'm curious what you problem is with the new Cherokee. It appears that your only issue is the aesthetics. Have you driven one? Are you in the market for a new SUV?

It continues to confound me why people are this passionate about a product that 99% of them are not in the market for. I have no issue with the fact that people don't like the new Cherokee, but so far the no one has come up with a reasonable argument why.

 

[Lurch]

I'm curious what you problem is with the new Cherokee. It appears that your only issue is the aesthetics. Have you driven one? Are you in the market for a new SUV?

It continues to confound me why people are this passionate about a product that 99% of them are not in the market for. I have no issue with the fact that people don't like the new Cherokee, but so far the no one has come up with a reasonable argument why.

They're FWD, they're IFS, they're god awful ugly and don't deserve to carry the Cherokee name.

 

[Redsnake]

My biggest objection is they named it the "Cherokee" and not something else. They gave ZERO concern for the near cult following of people who own and drive Cherokee's. Looks aside, it's Front Wheel Drive... really ?!?!? Styling is personal preference, but it doesn't even remotely resemble an XJ. At least the Grand Cherokee has always looked similar to it's predecessor models after the upgrades.

Some things you should just update and not change all together. Think, Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc... you can update them and improve them, but please don't destroy them!!

Granted, this vehicle could be a success story for Jeep and only time/history will tell.

 

[Cottontail]

They're FWD, they're IFS, they're god awful ugly and don't deserve to carry the Cherokee name.

So are the Grand Cherokees

My biggest objection is they named it the "Cherokee" and not something else. They gave ZERO concern for the near cult following of people who own and drive Cherokee's. Looks aside, it's Front Wheel Drive... really ?!?!? Styling is personal preference, but it doesn't even remotely resemble an XJ. At least the Grand Cherokee has always looked similar to it's predecessor models after the upgrades.

Some things you should just update and not change all together. Think, Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc... you can update them and improve them, but please don't destroy them!!

Granted, this vehicle could be a success story for Jeep and only time/history will tell.

I agree with the styling of the Grand Cherokee comment. However, the new Cherokee isn't a predecessor. It is a new product.

 

[Redsnake]

I agree with the styling of the Grand Cherokee comment. However, the new Cherokee isn't a predecessor. It is a new product.

I disagree... The Cherokee has a long history and the 'name' is tied to that History. The New Cherokee is NOTHING like the 'old' historical Cherokee.

I think they should've named it the Liberty or Patriot or something new all together.... I don't like that it's called the "Cherokee" as I've wanted Jeep to bring back the Cherokee for a long time and this is not what I had imagined at all!

 

[bjoehandley]

Like I've said before, call it the Eagle.......it's probably the most capable car produced since the Eagle sedans and wagons!

 

[JWheeler]

My biggest objection is they named it the "Cherokee" and not something else. They gave ZERO concern for the near cult following of people who own and drive Cherokee's. Looks aside, it's Front Wheel Drive... really ?!?!? Styling is personal preference, but it doesn't even remotely resemble an XJ. At least the Grand Cherokee has always looked similar to it's predecessor models after the upgrades.

Some things you should just update and not change all together. Think, Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, etc... you can update them and improve them, but please don't destroy them!!

Granted, this vehicle could be a success story for Jeep and only time/history will tell.

The cherokee name has never gone away. I believe the export liberty was labeled a cherokee. The kl is meant to be a replacement for the liberty. Get over it.

 

[tbburg]

We're just going to have to get over the "Cherokee" badge being handed down to a "car-crossover" SUV. Bound to happen. We really should have been forced to deal with this when the Liberty came out. It was, after all, the "Cherokee" everywhere but here.

As stated before no one at Chrysler cares about our opinion. We're driving vehicles they no longer even make parts for. Nobody in upper management cares, the marketing dept. sure doesn't give a rat's behind. Chances are most of the people who did any serious engineering work on the XJ has retired or been down-sized.

Me? I can't get worked up about any marketing/branding decisions Chrysler's made since the advent of a 4-door "Charger"

Like I've said before, call it the Eagle.......it's probably the most capable car produced since the Eagle sedans and wagons!

I think Subaru probably carries the torch from the Eagle now. I saw a 2-door Eagle on the street a couple weeks back. Kind of dated, but nice looking in a way. They're classics now, aren't they?

 

[urban yan]

I'm curious what you problem is with the new Cherokee. It appears that your only issue is the aesthetics. Have you driven one? Are you in the market for a new SUV?

It continues to confound me why people are this passionate about a product that 99% of them are not in the market for. I have no issue with the fact that people don't like the new Cherokee, but so far the no one has come up with a reasonable argument why.

Simple. If I wanted an Alfa Romeo Giulietta I wouldn't buy a Jeep Cherokee.

My biggest objection is they named it the "Cherokee" and not something else.

That's why I tell people I drive a Jeep Cherokee Classic.

 

[bosco01xj]

Even if the dadgum thing resembled an older cherokee I highly doubt many people on here would buy it because it would be close to $35, 000 and no one would even dream about taking that offroad. I doubt the warranty would cover dents or broken parts while wheeling. I'm not even sure why we are still arguing about it. If you want it to have solids then buy it and swap the axles and put in a t-case.

This new cherokee is not inhibiting myself or my xj in any way. This is the equivalent of VW owners saying the new Beatle should not have that name. The engine is no longer in the back! OMG!

 

[Redsnake]

Just to be clear on my take... It makes no difference what they name it or call it really. And w/the $35K price I'll never own one. If I'm spending that cash for an SUV it not going to be on the new Cherokee.

I had hoped 'Jeep' would come out w/a revised Cherokee model, good engine, Rear wheel drive w/ available 4wd, decently optioned and most of all in the low to mid $20K price range. Obviously that was wishful thinking.

I hope Jeep sales Billions of the new Cherokee!!

 

[four_shot]

So, just to clarify, it's a transverse fwd/awd with a pto to drive the rear wheels. no xfer case or 4lo of anykind?

And I agree that the "Eagle" name would have been much more appropriate.