   2014 Subaru Forester XT steering wheel, gauges. Click image to enlarge |
Fans of any modern Subaru will appreciate the XT’s engine. It’s the same 2.0L, twin-scroll turbo horizontally opposed engine that’s been around for a few years now. It makes the familiar growl we’ve come to expect of Subie’s Boxer engines (albeit quieter than earlier versions) and it whistles out 258 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm.
It’s a lively mill that moves the Forester around briskly and is a great match for the size and weight of the Subaru. On-ramp merging and passing are effortless.
If there’s a catch here, it’s the transmission: a CVT unit, normally reviled by motoring enthusiasts throughout the galaxy. But wait, there’s a catch here. Subaru has cleverly added “shifts”, making the whole acceleration procedure feel remarkably close to what people have grown accustomed to with traditional automatics. Heck, they’ve even added functional paddle shifters to engage drivers more.
But the Fuji folks aren’t the only ones who have thrown us an interesting transmission. This Cherokee has a clever cog-box with no fewer than nine speeds.
With so many gears, the Cherokee should always be in its sweet spot for power and efficiency, but by the time the transmission has shifted up to third or fourth gear at fairly moderate speeds, the gearing begins to feel a bit too tall and even moderate acceleration requires at least one or two downshifts. If you reach ninth on the highway, the engine will be turning at a relaxed pace in the interest of fuel savings.
Our Jeep’s nine-speed lives in holy matrimony with a Pentastar 3.2L V6 that puts out 271 horsepower and 239 lb-ft of torque. A 2.4L “Tigershark” inline-four is also available with 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque, and it too comes with the nine-speed.
   2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited gauges, shifter. Click image to enlarge |
The Jeep’s V6 is a smooth operator – notably silkier than the Subaru’s turbo four, and power is dispensed in a less frenetic nature – an expected variance between the boosted boxer versus the normally-aspirated six-cylinder.
The Cherokee is quieter too, but despite its power advantage over the Subaru, the Forester’s greater torque is noticeable when pulling away from a stop, or accelerating forcefully at moderate speeds.
And for efficiency, which is the better setup? CVT and small turbocharged engine, or near-endless gear ratios and more displacement? According to the 2015 measurements, the Jeep consumes at 12.5 L/100 km city and 9.1 highway versus the Subaru at 10.2 and 8.6.
Whether the sprightlier engine or the smoother and quieter power plant is better comes down to personal preference. But the fuel economy numbers give the Subaru the slight advantage in this category.
Drivetrain: Jeep 3.5, Subaru 4
Crossovers are always a compromise between on-road and off-road capability. Neither is going to be very comfortable driving to the racetrack and turning laps, nor is either likely to survive a rock-crawling adventure the way a Wrangler would, yet they deliver a balance between those two extreme scenarios that few others cars can match.
In fairness, the Cherokee can be specified in Trailhawk trim, which toughens up the Jeep considerably thanks to a more rugged suspension tune (and greater clearance versus the standard set up), beefier tires, tow hooks and rock-crawling 4.08 axle ratio (versus the Limited’s 3.73). The Trailhawk is Trail Rated, our Limited is not.
The Cherokee tester featured the optional Active Drive II setup, but like all of Jeep’s Active Drive systems, 100 percent of the torque is directed to the front wheels until slippage is sensed, then the rears wake up and join the fun too.
Compared to Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD system, which defaults to 60:40 front/rear power distribution in the CVT-equipped vehicles, the Jeep allows for notably more front-wheel slip than the Subaru. In fact, we were never able to upset the Subaru’s composure at all, showing remarkable grip and control even under very slippery conditions.
On dry pavement, the Subaru continues to feel lighter and more agile than the Jeep. The Forester is constantly surefooted even when pushed beyond what any sane or reasonable owner should do with an SUV. The Cherokee can occasionally give a little squawk when turning and pulling away from rest.
The Jeep feels heavier and slower to react but its ride is more comfortable and makes the better choice for long distance cruising.
Road and Off-Road Manners: Jeep 4, Subaru 4.5
