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Jeep

Tuesday, 6th of January 2009

Polls

Under the bonnet our test car had the 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine, which has an output of 174PS. The Cherokee is a brilliant off-roader, just as you would expect as it comes from the Jeep stable. On road the 4x4 copes well with urban life and the figures aren’t bad either – Jeep claims the Cherokee with the Auto ‘box will get from zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds while it will have a top speed of 111mph. The oil burner feels a bit sluggish when moving off but once underway the 460Nm of maximum torque will get you past the majority of slow moving traffic.

The Jeep Cherokee is a pleasant motorway cruiser thanks to its well weighted steering however it can be buffeted from side winds. Take the Cherokee off the motorway and on to B-roads and you’ll be surprised as the 4x4 doesn’t roll as much as some rivals do when cornering. So how does it get on when you take it off road? Brilliantly, we had our test Jeep driving up rivers with ease while off-road trails were child’s play. The Jeep Cherokee uses a new Hill Descent Control System which is so good that you can pull a caravan with it across rough terrain. The Hill Descent Control System gives you superb downhill control in low traction conditions – stop on a slope with a caravan on tow start up and the Jeep Cherokee will pull away with no slippage – remarkable. And if you accidentally put the gear stick into neutral or reverse, the Hill Descent Control System will still work and get you safely up or down the terrain you’re on.

The build quality and reliability is just as impressive from the American maker. The Cherokee has been updated and it certainly shows both on the interior and the exterior of the 4x4. The cabin has been transformed and the brushed aluminium around the centre console is a nice touch, however the rest of the dash a bit bland as the plastics are a dark grey although they do look durable and should last well. The maker has used quality materials on the seats and over long journeys seem comfortable. All the shut lines fit neatly together and the doors shut with a quality-sounding thud.

The Jeep Cherokee is a safe place to be as the maker has installed the aforementioned Hill Descent Control System. It will keep you from rolling back or it will get you down the hill in a controlled fashion. The 4x4 has All speed traction control, and ABS with ESP to help you get stopped in a safe and controlled manner. The car is also fitted with multiple airbags, there are the usual pair of airbags up front for the driver and the passenger and there is also side curtain airbags. The Cherokee has also got reverse parking sensors so that you don’t tag the rear of the vehicle.

The new Jeep Cherokee is family friendly vehicle as there is plenty of room in the rear for two adults and you could squeeze another one in if you’re on a short journey. Load lugging is made easy as the Jeep has a boot that should eat your luggage. You have the standard 60/40 split fold-flat rear seats and to give you even more room for awkward items the front passenger seat also folds flat. The rear seats have a recline feature which is a boon – this should make long motorway trips really comfortable for those in the rear.

This Jeep Cherokee is a capable on road cruiser but it’s even better when you get this 4x4 onto the rough stuff – this is what the Cherokee was built for. If you only take one car off-road then this is the one to do it with. The Jeep Cherokee has a starting price of £24,495 for the 2.8-litre CRD diesel while our test car started at £25,595 due to the auto ‘box. Our car also had the Sky Slider which is optional but well worth the extra £950 as offers a full canvas roof. Jeep claims the Cherokee will return 31.4 on the combined cycle with the auto ‘box. The 4x4 emits 242g/km of CO2 emission which again is quite healthy for a car of this size.

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