The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- New turbocharged engine
- No longer looks like an alien
- Upgraded infotainment system
- Revised interior offers better storage
Dislikes
- 9-speed automatic is still around
- Still not the prettiest Jeep
- Pricier than competition
An enthusiast in the mid-size crossover segment, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee solves most of its predecessors ills.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee represents the first significant change to the popular compact crossover since its polarizing redesign in 2014. But alongside the more conservative looks, there's a new turbocharged engine and small interior refinements, all aimed at helping the Jeep climb higher—figuratively and literally.
Style and Performance
The biggest change to the 2019 Cherokee is unquestionably its new front fascia. Jeep has rearranged the three-tiered layout of yesteryear—running lights/turn signals on top, headlights in the middle, and fog lights on the bottom—into a more conventional setup, integrating the headlights, turn signals, and running lights into a single unit.
The new headlights are what happens when you take the handsome Jeep Compass and add a dose of the Cherokee's weirdness. It's a good look, better integrating the Cherokee with its siblings both bigger and smaller, while broadening the Cherokee's visual appeal.
Jeep's changes in back aren't as sweeping, but are nearly as significant. A new composite rear tailgate now houses the license plate and the release handle, moving the latter up from the rear bumper and the former from just above it. Shifting this visual weight up is the automotive equivalent of a butt lift, giving the Cherokee a more attractive tail without much effort. Combined with LED taillights that feature a ribbon of light beneath a clear housing—again, like the Compass—further ties the Cherokee in with the rest of the Jeep lineup and creates a more premium look.
Changes in the cabin aren't nearly so sweeping, focusing instead on improved material quality. The main structural change is a new cubby slot for holding smartphones, replacing the ineffective coin tray ahead of the shifter on the 2018 Cherokee. In the cargo area, a new layout adds 3 inches to the cargo hold's width. Cargo capacity with the second-row seats up increases from 24.6 cubic feet to 25.8.
Underneath this refreshed body work sits one of three engines. The 2.4-liter base engine and the 3.2-liter V-6 are carryover units, retaining last year's figures and tow ratings. A new 2.0-liter, turbo-4 joins the lineup and promises nearly as much horsepower as the V-6 (270 versus 271), while offering up 295 pound-feet of torque, 56 lb-ft more than the 3.2-liter. That said, the 3.2-liter is, for now, the towing champion at 4,500 pounds (Jeep hasn't announced towing figures or fuel economy estimates for the 2.0-liter yet).
Each engine works alongside a 9-speed automatic. There are three separate four-wheel-drive systems available, while front-wheel drive continues on most trim levels. Jeep's new Active Drive I system features a lighter rear-drive module for improved performance and fuel efficiency, while Active Drive II is the first member of the lineup to offer a two-speed transfer case with low range. Those two systems are available in the base Latitude, Latitude Plus, Limited, and Overland. Cherokee Trailhawk drivers get Active Drive Lock, which pairs the two-speed transfer case with a mechanical locking rear differential and 52.2:1 crawl ratio. In other words, Active Drive I and II are for when the road gets rough, but Active Drive Lock is for when it disappears all together.
Quality, Features, and Safety
Jeep didn't make sweeping changes to the Cherokee's cabin, focusing instead on improving material quality to better challenge comfort-focused competitors from Japan and Korea, not to mention its cross-town rivals from General Motors and Ford. What used to be uninteresting black plastic is now glossy piano black, while chrome accents abound throughout the cabin.
While Jeep focused mainly on the oily bits of the 2019 Cherokee, there are some small improvements in its feature set. The new UConnect 4 infotainment system is available, with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display coming in as standard. Owners also have the choice of an 8.4-inch display, while range-topping models take the larger setup and add a navigation function. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims.
A 3.5-inch display is standard in the instrument cluster, but it's monochrome and not attractive. The available 7.0-inch display is more impressive, offering drivers more customizability and information in a much prettier display. The 2019 Cherokee also improves on the impressive record of the 2018, adding a host of active safety equipment as optional extras.
The adaptive cruise control now works in traffic, bringing the 2019 Cherokee to a halt. Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are also available, as is an automatic parallel and perpendicular parking system.
Jeep hasn't released pricing or a full list of features on the 2019 Cherokee, but we expect those details to arrive soon.
