History/Overview
The Jeep Cherokee returned in 2014 following a long absence and sporting controversial front-end styling that seemed to have little negative effect on its popularity. Jeep updated the Cherokee in 2019 with a more mainstream look.
What's New / Key Changes from Last Year
For 2020, Jeep introduces an advanced safety group option that adds driver assist and active safety features to certain trims. Cars with the available 8.4-inch infotainment display gain Amazon Alexa Skill capability, and there are two new paint colours.
Available Trims
Cherokee offerings include Sport, North, Altitude, Limited, Upland, Trailhawk, High Altitude, Trailhawk Elite, and Overland trims. Engine choices are a 2.4L four-cylinder, a 2.0L turbo four-cylinder and a 3.2L V6. All come with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Sport, North, Altitude, Limited, High Altitude and Overland start with front-wheel drive that can be optioned to AWD; the balance of trims are standard with AWD.
Standard Features
Sport trim comes with a chrome grille surround, 17-inch wheels, LED headlights, LED taillights and daytime running lights, cloth upholstery, six-way manual front seat adjustments, 3.5-inch vehicle information centre, tilt-and-telescopic steering, a six-speaker stereo with 5.0-inch touchscreen, air conditioning and an electric parking brake.
Upland trim gets a full-size spare tire, all-terrain tires and tow hooks.
North adds bright roof rails and side mouldings, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, LED fog lights, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, eight-way power driver's seat, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ambient interior lighting and a 7.0-inch infotainment display.
Altitude models gain gloss black roof rails and window mouldings and 18-inch wheels.
The Limited package adds bright front and rear lower fascia, a power tailgate, a leather-trimmed shifter, 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster display, a cargo cover, garage door opener, 8.4-inch touchscreen, heated steering wheel, a 115-volt power outlet, dual-zone automatic climate control, a front wiper de-icer, security alarm and passive keyless entry.
Trailhawk adds heavy-duty engine cooling, off-road suspension and locking rear axle, red tow hooks, underbody skid plates and rear skid plate trim, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, leather-trimmed (non-heated) steering wheel, smartphone integration, power front seats, digital gauge display, ambient lighting, 8.4-inch touchscreen and LED fog lights.
Trailhawk Elite builds on the Trailhawk, adding a hands-free tailgate, Nappa leather, ventilated front seats, front-seat memory settings, security alarm and passive keyless entry.
High Altitude builds on Upland trim with 18-inch wheels, power tailgate, automatic headlights, smartphone integration, Nappa leather upholstery, navigation, heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, Wi-Fi hotspot, remote engine start, front wiper de-icer, a nine-speaker stereo and passive keyless entry.
Finally, Overland brings bright door sill scuff pads, hands-free tailgate, bright roof rail and window mouldings, 19-inch wheels, acoustic windshield and front door glass, wood steering wheel trim, ventilated front and rear seats, rear park assist and blind spot monitoring with rear cross path detection.
Key Options
Jeep offers an Alpine nine-speaker stereo and panoramic sunroof as stand-alone options in some trims.
Sport, North, Limited and Overland models can be optioned with an advanced safety package that bundles lane departure warning, forward collision warning and rain-sensing wipers.
Fuel Economy
Jeep's fuel consumption estimates for the 2.4L engine are 10.8/7.6 L/100 km (city/highway) with FWD and 11.2/8.0 with AWD.
The 2.0L turbo engine's ratings are 10.4/7.6 with FWD. Estimates are 11.2/8.0, 11.5/8.6 and 11.8/9.2 with Jeep's three different AWD systems.
V6 estimates are 11.9/8.2 with FWD. AWD ratings are 12.2/8.6, 12.8/9.0 and 12.9/9.9 with the three AWD setups.
Competition
The Jeep Cherokee is the most off-road ready vehicle in a broad class of compact crossovers. Competitors include the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Ford Escape and Dodge Journey.
