New Cherokee press -NAXJA represented!

[XJEEPER]

https://www.toledoblade.com/busines...-more-streamlined-more-car-like-Cherokee.html

CHEROKEE FANS
Though there has been chatter — much of it online — that Jeep is doing itself a disservice and disgracing the legacy of the old Cherokee by putting the name on a vehicle so different from the original, analysts say that's not likely to hurt Jeep's sales.

“It’s something the majority of buyers will not consider, and I think those people who are saying that probably wouldn't consider this product anyway, no matter what the name was," Mr. Nerad said. Dirk DeYoung is on the board of directors of the North American XJ Association, a nationwide club for Jeep enthusiasts that centers on the Cherokee. Jeep’s code name for the Cherokee was XJ.

Over the years, Mr. DeYoung, who lives in Tennessee, has owned three Cherokees, including a 2001 Cherokee Anniversary Edition he uses for off-road trail runs.
Speaking for himself and not the group, Mr. DeYoung said it doesn’t bother him that Jeep is using the Cherokee name again — but he’s not about to rush out and buy one. “At first glance I'm not a big fan of the vehicle itself, but I haven't been a big fan of the Jeep brand since the Liberty came in anyway, with the exception of the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee,” he said.

Those two vehicles, he said, are the ones that continue the brand’s go-anywhere tradition. And while he understands that most buyers don’t take their four-wheel drives off the pavement, he does wonder what enthusiasts like him will turn to when the supply of original Cherokees dries up.

“I don’t know that [Jeep] would have expected 11 or 12 years after the demise of the XJ that there’s still be such a huge following and such aftermarket support for that particular vehicle,” he said. “As they start to take vehicles out of production, they need to look ahead 15 years [and ask] are there still going to be available vehicles for enthusiasts?”

 

[DrMoab]

So what's going to happen here then I wonder.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/29/2016-jeep-wrangler-to-ditch-solid-axles-to-save-weight/

 

[XJEEPER]

I can just read the headlines "2016 Wrangler comes with a powerful CRD engine that get's 30MPG"......and independant front and rear suspension.

 

[rockclimber]

Hummvees. Are irs/ifs

 

[techno1154]

So what's going to happen here then I wonder.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/29/2016-jeep-wrangler-to-ditch-solid-axles-to-save-weight/

That is a very interesting and enlightening blog. I need to book mark it and follow up on it daily until it have run its course.

And did I mention the lack of knowledge in some of the bloggers? Check out the "Austin Champ" in your favorite search engine. It have 4W IFS. This is the vehicle I learned to drive in and started my career as a mechanic in the early 1970's in a former British Caribbean island. Ask me about a 4W IFS that have not been expensively modified.

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

When prices drop.. I'll probably start looking into a Nissan Xterra build, Or possibly a WK SAS build

 

[N8N_99xj]

So what's going to happen here then I wonder.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/10/29/2016-jeep-wrangler-to-ditch-solid-axles-to-save-weight/

The FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra will look more like viable competitors.

Is there a single mass market two-live-axle 4WD available besides the Wrangler?

 

[bjoehandley]

The FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra will look more like viable competitors.

Is there a single mass market two-live-axle 4WD available besides the Wrangler?

Outside of the Superduty, Heavy Duty Ram trucks, Mercedes G-Series and Unimog, I'm not sure. Does Land Rover still make the Defender?

 

[DrMoab]

Outside of the Superduty, Heavy Duty Ram trucks, Mercedes G-Series and Unimog, I'm not sure. Does Land Rover still make the Defender?

Yes but it's not for sale in the US.

 

[DrMoab]

That is a very interesting and enlightening blog. I need to book mark it and follow up on it daily until it have run its course.

And did I mention the lack of knowledge in some of the bloggers? Check out the "Austin Champ" in your favorite search engine. It have 4W IFS. This is the vehicle I learned to drive in and started my career as a mechanic in the early 1970's in a former British Caribbean island. Ask me about a 4W IFS that have not been expensively modified.

I'm just picking nits here but how can a vehicle have four wheel Independent Front Suspension?

I think you mean IFS and IRS.

 

[bjoehandley]

I'm just picking nits here but how can a vehicle have four wheel Independent Front Suspension?

I think you mean IFS and IRS.

Depends, might have an Inline V-6 under the bonnet too

 

[tharlanjr]

Pretty funny review.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/11/01/quick-spin-2014-jeep-cherokee/?intcmp=features

The classic Jeep Cherokee name has been resurrected for 2014 in the form of a very modern vehicle.

The all-new small crossover SUV is aimed squarely at the likes of the Toyota Rav4 and Ford Escape with a car-like ride and amenities wrapped in a radical style for the traditional brand, and marks a big departure from the much more truckin’ Liberty it replaces.

With a starting price of $23,900, the Cherokee is based on the front-wheel-drive chassis of the Dodge Dart, but beefed up here for Jeep duty. A 184 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is standard, while a 271 hp V6 is also offered, both matched to Jeep’s first nine-speed automatic transmission.

The four-cylinder is rated at 31 mpg highway with front-wheel-drive, while the V6 can tow up to 4,500 pounds. Three different all-wheel-drive systems with increasing capability are available across four trim levels, and each can be had with either engine choice.

The cabin is on the large size for the class, and features a sliding rear seat for extra legroom. Top models get Chrysler’s ubiquitous 8.4-inch touchscreen and voice-controlled Uconnect infotainment system and a 7-inch configurable display in the instrument cluster.

The exterior is the real talking point, however, with its six-eyed, shark-nosed face. Please note that the headlights are the ones in the middle of the stack as they are on the Nissan Juke and Pontiac Aztek, which seems to be finally getting its due in design circles, or perhaps revenge.

Jeep says it was going for an expressive, bold look, and it definitely achieved that. While the rest of the body is fairly conventional, the overall effect is about as far as you can get from the boxy Cherokees of old. On the road, and particularly in the dirt, I think it looks great in a Mars exploration buggy sort of way.

This is especially true on the Trail Rated Trailhawk model, which gets a one-inch suspension lift, skid plates, unique wheels, bright orange tow hooks and a matte-black insert on its aluminum hood to set it apart from the rest of the lineup. It can be ordered with either engine, but has the top all-wheel-drive system with a low range transfer case, locking rear differential and 4.083 final drive ratio for dirt road cred.

Back on the street, all of the Cherokees ride big and little floaty with none of the relatively sharp moves of a Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5, but they are quiet. Controlling road is a high priority at Jeep, and apparently something it’s very good at. Optional blind spot alert, land departure warning, radar cruise control, and a self-parking system that can pull the Cherokee into parallel or perpendicular spaces let you leave more of the driving to it.

The four-cylinder has the same power as pretty much every other vehicle in this segment and is more than sufficient, though not particularly sonorous, while the V6 is spot on across the board. Since it costs just an extra $1,495 and only takes about a 10 percent hit on fuel economy, it’s probably worth stretching your budget for now that you can actually buy one.

The Cherokee was scheduled to go on sale way back in May, but is just reaching showrooms now. The holdup was mostly due to issues getting the programming right on that nine-speed transmission. Besides being an all-new technology, it needed to be calibrated for eight different drivetrain combinations. Keep it simple, stupid? Sorry, engineers don’t think that way.

As it turns out, it operates quite well on the move. It’s not a crisp-shifting unit, but shuffles through its multitude of gears smoothly and without any obvious stumbles. The only hitch is that when you first shift it into Drive it takes a noticeably long time to engage, like an actor letting a moment land during a dramatic monologue before he continues. The effect is less appealing here.

As with the Grand Cherokee, most people who buy its little sister will do so because they like its size, comfort and style, and maybe they live somewhere that it snows. They should be satisfied. That is, of course, not good enough for Jeep. It does have a self-imposed reputation to uphold, especially when it hangs the Cherokee shingle on one of its vehicles.

The next time you’re at an off-road park, look both ways before crossing the trails. You’ll probably see more than a few XJ Cherokees with their Uniframes and Dana axles scrambling around like they own the place. Next to the Wrangler, it’s the most common Jeep out in the rough stuff, but the new one is no slouch.

Jeep’s Cherokee head honcho Mitch Clauw, a veteran from the XJ days, says that even though the new one is more car than truck, it was built to a much higher durability standard than the original and can do everything its forebear can off-road, maybe more.

Assisting it in this mission is a suite of electronic aids for its all-wheel-drive system that includes hill descent control, a low-speed cruise control that works down to .6 mph, and Select-Terrain, with settings for sand, rock, unplowed mall parking lot, etc.

Even with Select-Terrain left in Auto, the Cherokee had no trouble navigating the 4x4 trails at Summit Point Motorsports park, which are sprinkled with boulders, mud pits, and a couple of very steep and slippery climbs that are as challenging as anything you’re likely to tackle with an unmodified vehicle.

Since Jeep organized the event there, that’s no surprise. What’s impressive is how the Cherokee went about its business. That cushy independent suspension has a lot of composure here, it doesn’t bounce or bang you around, and even though I scraped the skid plates a few times I don’t recall the shocks bottoming out at all.

Don’t worry, adventure guy, you can be sure that Mopar and all of those Jeep outfitters out there will soon be selling plenty of accessories to make it even more capable, but the factory truck appears to have earned its Trail Rating, not to mention the Cherokee name.

Now, about that Comanche…

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I can just read the headlines "2016 Wrangler comes with a powerful CRD engine that get's 30MPG"......and independant front and rear suspension.

Well, When the JKU came out. Overseas they had the CRD option. A buddy of mine in Aussieland got one with a CRD/5-spd auto. Even with lift/oversize tires typically got high 20s/30s

 

[FlexdXJ]

I'm just glad it was Dirk and not Geoff......he'd make us look like a bunch of jerks!

 

[XJEEPER]

"As with the Grand Cherokee, most people who buy its little sister will do so because they like its size, comfort and style, and maybe they live somewhere that it snows. They should be satisfied. That is, of course, not good enough for Jeep. It does have a self-imposed reputation to uphold, especially when it hangs the Cherokee shingle on one of its vehicles."

Grand Cherokee's little sister.....nailed it.

 

[Cottontail]

I drove both the new Cherokee and the diesel Grand Cherokee Overland today. Both are pretty damn nice and I wouldn't have any problem driving either. The Cherokee is better looking in person than in pictures. I think that it is easier to appreciate when it is tangible. The cockpit and interior is impeccable, very easy to navigate, and pretty high quality - especially compared to the old XJ dashes and creaks and squeaks.

The one I drove was the 4 cylinder, and it had a bunch of giddy up for around town driving. I think it would be great on the highway also, but it winds up a little when you stomp on it. It wouldn't be as smooth as some when trying to accelerate to enter a freeway or pass a semi or something.

The Trailhawk was on display on the floor, and it blew me away. Beautiful Jeep. I'd totally drive that one around.

The diesel Grand Cherokee Overland - what can I say about that. It is a step up in lux from the previous year Grands. It is a powerful truck, no doubt, but my only complaint is a small lag from when you mash the gas to when the engine responds - easily a second or more.

Not a Jeep, but I also test drove the Dodge 4 door 4x4 Ram with the Hemi in it. What a freakin' beast. Dodge got it right with that one. This is the first pick up ever to feature a knob dial gear shift. There is a 1.5" knob on the dash and you simply push the brake and turn it left or right to change gears. Pretty cool.

Over all, after seeing the display that Jeep had, my faith in the brand has been restored. It was a good day.

 

[DrMoab]

This is April first right? It's gotta be.

 

[Cottontail]

Nope. I truly liked them both, quite a bit.

 

[Shorty]

This is April first right? It's gotta be.

better not be-- I haven't even started my taxes or signed up for Obamacare...

 

[DrMoab]

Nope. I truly liked them both, quite a bit.

I get liking the grand but to bring your faith back in jeep? That's a stretch.