Jeep Cherokee (2001 - To Date)

Models Covered: Third generation Cherokee 2001- to date: (Five-door four-wheel drive Estate: 2.4, 3.7 petrol 2.5, 2.

8 diesel [Sport, Limited])

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Theres something about a Jeep Cherokee thats distinctly definitive. After all, the Cherokee first arrived here in 1993 with left hand drive imports having been available since as far back as 1984. It rapidly became a premium product, in huge demand amongst urban trendies. As it grew older it fell from favour a little, but the all-new model, introduced in 2001 has resurrected the Cherokee as one of the must have 4x4s.

Tracking down a decent used example isnt easy, as many owners arent keen on being parted with their slice of prime American beef.

A vehicle that's loaded with equipment and ability (both on and off-road). The interiors display a fair degree of plastic hide and theres a cutesy round theme going on, with round door handles and air vents and broad arcs on the instrument binnacle and door trims. Whats perhaps a pity is that this is probably the first Jeep model that could have been built by anybody else. Whether this is a compliment given the excellence of some of the emerging rivals or an indictment of the watering down of the Jeep bloodline depends on your standpoint.

Whats not up for debate is that its a better car than before.

Track a Cherokee down and you can expect to fork out at least £8,200 for the first of the 2.4-litre Cherokee Sport versions. Another £1,000 will net you a 2.5-litre CRD Sport of similar age, although if you want the 3.

7-litre V6 model youll need to find at least £8,900 down the back of your sofa. Insurance is reasonable, being rated at Group 14 to 15 depending on which model you opt for.

The turbo diesels need their oil changed far more regularly than the petrol models so check the vehicle's service records to make sure the former owners have done so. The petrol-powered cars have no known problem areas, but like the diesels, a service history is essential in any vehicle that may have had even occasional off-roading. Check the underside for signs of off-road damage, as even with a Cherokee its possible to duff the exhaust, the wheel arch liners or the axle. The interiors are, in the main, well assembled, but check that all the 'convenience' features (electric windows, etc) live up to that name. Check the sunroof, door-locks and mirrors for trouble-free operation.

(Based on an Cherokee 2.5CRD approx excl VAT) A replacement clutch assembly will be about £175. Front dampers are about £75 a pair and rears roughly £70. A set of front brakepads will be around £40, a new alternator around £280 and a starter motor close to £375.

A replacement door mirror is about £150 and a radiator £250.

Ride quality was improved enormously over its predecessor, due in no small part to a revised suspension system that replaced the antediluvian solid rear axle setup. Independent front suspension is a first for a Cherokee, as is a unibody construction, ditching the traditional separate ladder-framed chassis. At this point, the purists will probably be crying into their Buds, thinking that Jeep has sold out, but off-road performance is not markedly diminished. Ultimate wheel articulation is still impressive and Jeep have tested the Cherokee on the definitive off-road course, Californias Rubicon Trail.

This 22-mile route is so arduous it normally takes four days, but the Cherokee dispatched of the Big Sluice, The Rock Garden and Cadillac Hill in 48 hours. Theres a choice of an entry level 2.4 Sport, a 211bhp 3.7-litre petrol engine, a 143bhp 2.

5-litre CRD diesel available in either Sport or Limited guise or a 2.8-litre CRD offered with the same trim choices. The Limited look is identifiable by body-coloured bumpers and wheel arches outside and satin-chrome detailing indoors. The 3.

7-litre petrol is effectively the Grand Cherokees V8 with a couple of cylinders lopped off and is a vocal companion which may boost the excitement factor but does little for motorway refinement. The majority of UK customers will instead plump for the 2.5-litre turbodiesel, and its ability to average nearly 30mpg makes sound financial sense. The oil-burner feels significantly more nimble than the V6, although its performance figures will have you pencilling in tracts of your diary for its sprint to 60mph.

Okay, so thats a slight exaggeration, but 14.8 seconds is a comparative age in this class, and the 102mph top speed isnt going to generate too many column inches for the Cherokee. Nevertheless, drive the car on its torque and it feels suitably muscular by dint of a hardly inconsequential 253lb ft of twist action. Rack and pinion steering sharpens things up, and should you wish to venture off road, youll find authentic low range gearing.

The turbodiesel and the V6 models differ in their off-road hardware, the petrol engined car opting for a more sophisticated centre differential, while the CRD utilises a more rugged solid locking system that allows the car to be run on-road in rear-wheel drive mode, with consequential economy benefits.

When shopping for a family-sized 4x4, you really do owe it to yourself to try the Jeep Cherokee. Its the real deal, the genuine article, the standard by which all the rest are judged. These days the rivals are a good deal tougher, but the Cherokee still has a good deal to commend it. A well looked after used Cherokee will last for years and has many strings to its bow.

Wed opt for a 2.5-litre CRD or the later 2.8-litre CRD which replaced it and try not to look smug when copy cat 4x4s pull up alongside at the lights.