The New Cherokee

[dasbulliwagen]

My father in law needs a new all wheel drive vehicle soon. I sent him to look at one of these and he loves it. Says it is the first NEW car he has liked the looks of in 20 years. I'm not sure how wants that much of a car payment though.

[KYMJ]

Been pretty much ignoring threads about the new Cherokee so far. My neighbor bought one, so I was able to get a test drive and close up view. Yes, it is a NICE vehicle. I wonder about the tranny, and someone brought up a good point above-how will it hold up driving it like a JEEP. I hope they sell a ton of them and I think they will. Doesn't matter to me as I don't buy new vehicles or even slightly new vehicles. Well, I did buy a new 09 Sentra(a terrific and simple car, which my daughter drives now). I definitely wouldn't mind owning a Trailhawk, but it aint going to happen.

[Eagle]

The Designers have been getting Stoned on their Designer Drugs Again!!!!

I see an "Alien Inspired" Influence.

Maybe a Cross of Audi, Infinity, Nissan, and Space Invaders. All are UGLIER THAN ANYTHING I CAN THINK OF!!!!

 

But ... but ... but ... It has a 7-slot grille, what's yer problem? That's what makes it a Jeep, right?

 

Right?

 

RIGHT?

[Eagle]

The proof will be in the pudding then, won't it.

 

Sounds like there just might be a strong retro Jeep movement coming sometime in the future... might be a good idea to pick up an old Cherokee or 2 now while they are still cheap and plentiful.    :)

 

They aren't plentiful. Two, maybe three years ago I would see two or three fairly nice looking late model XJs on every independent used car lot I drove by. I haven't seen one in almost a year. There's a small used car emporium a couple of towns over that used to specialize in Cherokees. I looked at his web site the other day. Several Grand Cherokees, a bunch of other stuff, and two unspectacular Cherokees.

 

Get 'em while you can. I'm going to keep my fleet running just as long as humanly possible.

[HOrnbrod]

XJs are mostly all rotted out up there Eagle. Still available down here, but the price is rising....

[knever3]

I took a new Cherokee for a drive last week.  I was very impressed.  I chose one with the baby Pentastar V6, they didn't have a trailhawk with the V6 on the lot.  The stereo system was worse than poor, if you are considering one get the upgraded audio.  It handled excellent in the snow and slush, the new abs brakes and all the electronics really doing their thing nicely.  The rear seat has a TON more room than our old XJ's but the rear hatch cargo has gone down quite a bit since the rear end is so rounded.  I did notice that the spare tire well is HUGE!!!  I would love to put a nice 15" sub in there!!!  I have a XJ, a WK and an MJ, to this Jeeper I approve.

[Oyaji]

 

The proof will be in the pudding then, won't it.

 

Sounds like there just might be a strong retro Jeep movement coming sometime in the future... might be a good idea to pick up an old Cherokee or 2 now while they are still cheap and plentiful.    :)

 

They aren't plentiful. Two, maybe three years ago I would see two or three fairly nice looking late model XJs on every independent used car lot I drove by. I haven't seen one in almost a year. There's a small used car emporium a couple of towns over that used to specialize in Cherokees. I looked at his web site the other day. Several Grand Cherokees, a bunch of other stuff, and two unspectacular Cherokees.

 

Get 'em while you can. I'm going to keep my fleet running just as long as humanly possible.

 

Seems there are more down here. Once you get away from the immediate coast, salt air isn't an issue for corrosion either, so we have plenty of rust-free vehicles down here.

 

I started accumulating my "fleet" a few years ago - so far I have 3: an 86 2.5 4x4, an 88 4.0 2x4, and a 92 4.0 4x4. I was getting them mostly just for the axles (and other parts too), but since they are all still complete maybe I should think about restoration one day instead. 

[Comanche County]

I sat in a Trailhawk model with leather seats.  I must say, they are the most comfortable seats I've ever had the pleasure of parking my bum in.  The interior is refined, luxurious and functional.  I think they really took reins from the GC and took the bar a little further. 

 

Best vehicle interior on the planet right now is the Overland GC, next is the new Cherokee Trail Hawk.  The high end luxo Jap and Euro cars don't even come close.  BMW, Lexus, etc, all of them just got lapped in the interior dept.

[Lime]

That's why I'd rather buy a good old Jeep than a new one.  

 

 

Jim - I don't want to know where you found that first image. However, I found that if I scrolled the screen just right I could block the first and better appreciate the artistry of the second image.

It's the same lady. The second pic is what she looked like before I broke her heart and she took to food for consolation.

It's true.  BTW, how did you find my pic?!

[COMJNUT]

I was driving past one the other day and in passing from the rear I thought it was a subaru tribeca, then i saw the jeep tag.

 

[Minuit]

I suppose we're feeling the same things now as the FSJ guys did when the XJ first came out. Eventually the KL will be the "common Jeep" and we'll all probably get over it. That said, the KL is a car, make no mistake and the 4x4 system isn't really intended for hard wheeling like some of us do. That's what Jeeps have become (with the exception of the Wrangler): "American" Subarus. Not that that's a bad thing.

 

XJs are going up in price down here too but I still see swarms of them in my pretty small town. The ones I see are usually either clean stockers, beaters, or well-worn wheeling rigs with not much in between. The first XJs are now 30 years old, and the numbers are definitely going to start dwindling soon but good deals are still out there.

[91Pioneer]

95%+ of SUVs look the same now. The new Cherokee is growing on me, I thought it was putrid when I first saw it.

[HOrnbrod]

I still think it's putrid. It looks like a Hyundai Santa Fe and all the rest of them. The legendary Jeep slotted grille on a body style like that looks ridiculous. It's a betrayal.

 

With that said, Chrysler will probably sell millions of them. 

[Incommando]

For those old enough to remember those days the XJ was recieved at least as negatively as the KL is today. No frame? Styling like a lightly taller Volvo 240 wagon? Tiny passenger car tires? Crappy engine choices? Even with its jeep-like grille the XJ was universally hated in the jeeper world and was considered a car, as well. The YJ (yuppie jeep to many) was also panned as being junk and "un-jeeply" upon introduction. I am certain many whined when a stop became standard equipment sometime in the 50's... :yes:

 

I would not be surprised to see the KL with a revised front facia sooner than expected. They did the same thing to the gawd awful Compass and it helped sales of that re-badged Caliber so it may be in store for this re-badged Dart. All of the sales in the world won't help for long if Chrysler does not address the putrid dealer service reputation that they have, though.