Chrysler Jeep CHEROKEE 2.8 CRD
Jeeps Cherokee Has Been Given A Thorough Going Over. The Diesel Engine Is Also Now A Whole Lot More Un-American. Andy Enright Reports
Perhaps its understandable why
Chrysler Jeep havent been at the forefront of the diesel revolution. With Stateside domestic gasoline prices still hovering around £1.04 per gallon, the impetus for diesel has been left to farther flung offshoots of the Jeep empire. Much changed with the merger between Daimler and Chrysler, allowing Jeep access to Mercedes diesel expertise and the result has been some decent diesel engines, for us at least.
The latest 2.8-litre CRD as fitted to the revised Cherokee is the best yet.
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Most UK customers plump for a CRD diesel engine when specifying their Cherokee. The first unit to be offered was a 2.5-litre engine that struggled to move the Cherokees bulk with any great alacrity. To rectify this issue, Jeep slotted a more powerful 2.
8-litre version above it. While this engine performed well, it created relatively high emissions and could also have used a little more low end shove. Step forward the revised 2.8 CRD unit.
This latest common rail engine uses an electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger to improve the control of boost pressure, reduce emissions and improve full-throttle torque and acceleration. The injectors have also been improved to burn fuel more effectively. This unit is fully Euro IV compliant, so business users looking for an alternative to the usual
BMW 3-Series/
Audi A4 fare could well represent a significant bulk of the Cherokees sales something that could never have been said of the old car. Also making a debut is the six-speed manual transmission.
This promotes relaxed cruising and will be the choice for drivers looking to get the full benefit of the extra 13bhp of power. The 161bhp total may not sound a huge amount but the torque figure of 295lb/ft (up 11% on the old engine) shows that the CRD engine can stump up some major league muscle. A five-speed automatic option is also available should you want the software to do the thinking for you.
"The exterior packaging may be 100% stars and bars, but the beating heart of the Cherokee is firmly European"
As well as the beefier engine, the latest Cherokee also gets a few styling tweaks. Always a good looking 4x4, the Cherokee now benefits from a revised front grille with integrated foglamps, a new fascia and wider and more comfortable seats with improved lumbar support. I guess that last one is aimed at the domestic market. Other improvements include rear seats that fold flatter than before, a repositioning of the electric window switches to the centre console and side curtain airbags as standard on the Limited model.
Whats not instantly apparent to the casual observer is that the petrol-engined Jeep Cherokee V6 and this CRD diesel variant feature completely different four-wheel drive architecture. Whilst the 3.7 V6 version uses Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel drive, the CRD diesel uses the Command-Trac transfer case that runs in rear wheel drive mode in normal conditions. Ride quality has been improved enormously, due in no small part to a revised suspension system that replaces the ancient solid rear axle setup that the old model employed.
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 off the Big Sluice, The Rock Garden and
Cadillac Hill in 48 hours.
The stylings going to win over a fair few customers, talking many cues from the Dakar and Jeepster concept cars, but spot one in the rear view and it could only ever be a Jeep or a
Suzuki Jimny on nandrolone. Although it looks compact, this second generation Cherokee is wider, longer and taller than its predecessor with resultant benefits in terms of passenger space. Front
seat passengers fare much better than in the old first generation Cherokee, a car that somehow managed to pull off the big on the outside, small on the inside trick with puzzling alacrity. Quality is far better than we expect from most US cars with high-grade plastics and a decent standard specification.
After a fairly slow start in terms of sales, the Jeep Cherokee is looking increasingly strong. Buyers looking for something a bit bigger than a compact 4x4 but without the bulk of something Shogun/Landcruiser sized are increasingly turning to the Cherokee. Perhaps this rise in popularity has much to do with the improvements in diesel engines. If so, expect Jeep dealers to be busy in forthcoming months.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Jeep Cherokee 2.8 CRD
PRICE: £20,455-£23,520 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 246g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.2s/ Max Speed 108mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 27.4mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4240/1790/1623mm
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