Ford 2019 The Jeep Cherokee gets a fresh new face, a number of new features and a powerful new turbocharged engine to help keep it on the top of sales charts.
When the fifth-generation Jeep Cherokee made its debut for 2014 the Jeep faithful howled about its controversial styling and its car-like form. In spite of the envelope pushing the Jeep Cherokee has been one of the best selling vehicles in the brand’s history, still today their number two nameplate just behind the Grand Cherokee.
Five years later in its mid-cycle refresh of styling and features Jeep for the most part stayed the course but addressed some of what the Jeep family has been complaining about all this time, its front end styling. Here, the Cherokee gets a new grille, headlamps and fascia that’s now more conservative and in-line with the more premium side of the Jeep model lineup.
Headlamps are now Bi-LED projector units and located higher up and have an updated signature daytime running lamp now also in LED. A revised lower fascia has available dual LED fog lamps and is designed to accommodate radar sensors for its new adaptive cruise control and driver assistance features.
At the rear is a redesigned lightweight rear hatch with a higher release handle that can also be power operated. The look is anchored by a new tail light design in LED along with a new bumper design to boot. Styling changes are rounded out by five new wheel designs up to 19-inch in size.
Interiors get slight revisions in trim treatments now with Satin Chrome and Piano Black high-gloss accents. The center console is redesigned with better location of media ports, device storage space and power parking brake for easier daily use.
In the dash are available fourth-generation Uconnect infotainment systems that now have better graphics, faster reaction times, better hand to screen interactions and now include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto among other key features.
At the rear cargo area, the plastic surrounds have been redesigned to allow three additional inches of width and therefore now 27-plus cubic feet of area wide enough now Jeep says for golf clubs to lay – very important.
The big news is the addition of an all-new top-end engine option of a 2.0-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder. Positioned above the 3.2-liter V6, the engine has 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet torque and has auto-stop-start for better fuel-economy.
The 271 horsepower 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6 remains available as a mid-range engine, optional on lower trim, standard on upper grades and is the best choice Jeep says for towing with its 4,500 pound rating. Both engines are available on the off-road oriented Trailhawk.
Standard remains the 2.4-liter “Tigershark” four-cylinder with its 180 horsepower, but only on lower trim grades, no longer available in the Trailhawk.
All three powertrains come exclusively with a second-generation nine-speed automatic transmission that Jeep says has been thoroughly reworked for better drivability and shifting behavior. See? They do listen sometimes.
The Cherokee’s three all-wheel drive systems Jeep Active Drive I, Jeep Active Drive II, and
Jeep Active Drive Lock carry over as before with minor enhancements for better efficiency and drivability added to the base Active Drive I system.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee, assembled in Belvidere, Illinois comes to your local Jeep dealers within the coming month. Pricing will be announced any minute.