As crossovers go, the new Jeep Cherokee really is standing out from the crowd with its bold styling and excellent levels of equipment and ability.
The new Jeep Cherokee look set to be a winner
Some will be put off by the bent grille and slim headlights but the vehicle really does offer something different from its competitors such as the VW Tiguan and the Nissan Qashqai.
Perhaps the biggest change for the new Jeep Cherokee is that its interior is much improved than previous models and that is mainly down to the new Fiat ownership.
The range has a choice of two and four-wheel-drive models available.
Jeep Cherokee offers excellent value
However, only the Trailhawk has true off-road ability but then most owners will not be taking their Cherokee off-road that often so most of the Cherokee line-up will be great performers on Tarmac.
Most models are powered by the impressive 2.0 litre diesel and there’s an effective nine speed automatic box or a six speed manual choice.
Opt for the 138bhp engine in 2WD – set to be the best-seller of the range – and economy should be around 54 mpg with CO2 emissions of 137g/km. That’s a more impressive performance than previous Cherokee models which were not known as frugal vehicles.
The four wheel drive forward model with the same engine will return around 50 mpg.
The higher output diesel variant in four-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox will still return a fairly impressive 48 mpg. It goes without saying that the V6 petrol version, when released, will be the first East and will return around 28 mpg.
However, the best performance is found with the automatic gearbox and it’s nine speeds at excellent year to delivering a fun driving experience.
There’s a good list of equipment fitted as standard too – including dual zone climate control, rear park assist, Bluetooth connectivity and DAB radio.
Get the new Jeep Cherokee on personal contract hire
The top end model, the Limited 170 Automatic 4×4, gets 18 inch alloy wheels, power tailgate, BiXenon headlights and Nappa leather seats. There’s also automatic headlights, keyless entry and front and rear parking assist with a back-up camera.
Initially available with just one diesel engine with two power outputs, Jeep says it will add the 3.2 litre V6 petrol Trailhawk in a few months – a car that Jeep claims will offer an off-road ability that will be ‘best in class’.
It will also be the only model which will have the firm’s Active Drive Lock system to help off-road performance and lots of standard equipment.
The new Jeep Cherokee hits the showrooms in June and prices start at £25,495 for the 2.0-litre Longitude 140 6-speed which is front wheel drive and rise to £35,695 for the 2.0-litre Limited 170 Automatic 4×4 version.