It was after we swapped into the V6 4×4 with Active Drive II that the Cherokee began to win me over. The 271 hp/239 lb-ft engine is far better suited to the gearbox, with less hunting and less confusion from the transmission in all settings, be it traffic hustling or corner carving. Gone too was the hideous understeer in the 4×2. Perhaps the extra grip over the front helped, or perhaps it was the benefit of four-wheel traction and grip, but the higher-end model was light years ahead in its handling.
It felt better balanced than the 4×2, changing direction calmly and quickly for what it is. There was plenty of grunt even exiting the tightest corners on the steepest inclines, and despite being larger, the Pentastar was quieter than the MultiAir engine.
   2014 Jeep Cherokee. Click image to enlarge |
Hitting Sport on the Selec-Terrain rotary gave another level of improvement and for the first time I began to enjoy the road without wishing I was in one of the Porsches that kept passing us.
Remarkably, there was no brake-fade at all on either of the models we drove, which is perhaps not surprising given the brakes are capable of some serious descent control.
The driving position was good, and the little dip in the door top added a large amount of visibility to the cabin. I never had reason to complain about the seats and the tilt/telescopic steering wheel fit nicely in my hands. I’ve always been a fan of Uconnect and it was no different in this rig.
One thing missing were the sort of track apps found in SRT products. In Chrysler’s performance variants the Uconnect system will record 0-100 times, 100-0 times and launch times so owners can brag to their friends. I imagine a similar suite of apps that recorded maximum incline reached or maximum time with one or more wheels in the air would be desirable for off-road junkies looking to improve their forum cred.
You can get into a Sport Trim, 4×2, four-cylinder, 2014 Cherokee for $23,495 – but why bother when the Pentastar V6 can be had for only $1,300 more and 4×4 can be added for another $2,200?
    2014 Jeep Cherokee. Click image to enlarge |
The Sport comes standard with with 17-inch steel wheels, LED taillights and DRLs, cargo management system and Bluetooth, Uconnect 5.0 touchscreen, cruise control, Hill-start assist and steering wheel–mounted controls. 4×4 Sport models get the Jeep Active Drive I system with Selec-Terrain drive mode system.
North models add 17-inch aluminum wheels, a 115-volt power outlet, fold-flat front seat with under-cushion storage, leather-wrapped steering wheel and LED ambient lighting.
Stepping up to the Limited model gets you extras including Keyless Enter-N-Go, 18-inch aluminum wheels, a Parkview back-up camera, 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen and a seven-inch TFT display in the instrument cluster.
For a Trailhawk with the MultiAir I4 you’re looking at a starting price of $32,195, ($33,495 for the Pentastar V6). The Trailhawk comes with heavy-duty suspension and oil coolers, Jeep Active Drive II, Selec-Terrain, 17-inch aluminum wheels and Trailhawk branding.
