They used to say that anything posted online lives forever. Of course, we now know this isn’t true, but perhaps the statement should be amended to say that you can’t unpublish stuff from the internet, only the forces of the universe can. Case in point: A sprinkling of intel hit the new Jeep Cherokee’s consumer web page sooner than it probably should have, and while it’s been taken down now, archiving is a beautiful thing. So, here’s everything Jeep’s leaked about the new Cherokee before the big official announcement.
Under the hood of the new Cherokee sits a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a hybrid system, good for a claimed 38 MPG combined. While Jeep hasn’t divulged the power output, 38 MPG combined beats the Subaru Forester Hybrid and Hyundai Tucson Hybrid by three MPG, and squeezes perfectly in between the 37 MPG combined of the all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V Hybrid and the 39 MPG combined of the current Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Granted, a new RAV4 is on its way soon, and it may post efficiency gains, but it seems that the powertrain of the new Cherokee is competitive on efficiency with the rest of the segment.
Come to think of it, Stellantis does offer a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with hybrid assistance, just not in North America, and not without a plug. It’s an evolved version of the Prince engine used in the R56 Mini Cooper S, and in the Opel Grandland Hybrid, it kicks out 148 horsepower and 220 lb.-ft. of torque on its own. It’s likely the new Cherokee will use a different state of tune, but it probably doesn’t have a clean-sheet engine up front.
As you probably expected, the new Jeep Cherokee will be all-wheel-drive, fitted with what Jeep calls its Active Drive I system. If the nomenclature holds from the previous Cherokee, this isn’t a particularly special all-wheel-drive setup, but rather a simple full-time system with drive modes and open differentials. No crawl ratio, and likely no locking mode for the power transfer unit. On the plus side, a purported towing capacity of 3,500 pounds isn’t anything to sneeze at, good enough for a small camper or a decent utility trailer.
We also know from this leak that the new Jeep Cherokee will be available in five different trim levels. There’s the base trim, the mid-range Laredo, the traditionally well-appointed Limited, the posh Overland, and the ruggedized Trailhawk. Oh, and it’ll also come in some great colors. Beyond the expected greyscale tones, the bright Hydro Blue Pearl from the Wrangler makes an appearance, as does Red Hot and an olive shade called ’41.
Top graphic image: Jeep
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Knowing what we know about Stellantis turbo-charged engines, would you buy one?
all the marbles. I wish them luck – this has to score.
Jeep has seen the Ineos Grenadier right? Do that with the XJ. Please. 🙁
This has the potential to be a winner. I can’t wait to watch them price it into the stratosphere.
It’s gotta be 2-3 grand less than a similar honda or RAV4 or provide a significant better warranty ala when Hyundai first came to america.
That is not in line with Jeep pricing strategies of the last 15 years.