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Compact SUV; Built in
  • 4-door wagon
  • transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $14,300 – $28,800*


2014 Jeep Cherokee


2014 Jeep Cherokee


2014 Jeep Cherokee


2014 Jeep Cherokee

Pros:
  • Acceleration (V6)
  • Quietness
  • Ride
Cons:
  • Control layout

The Jeep Cherokee revives a celebrated Jeep nameplate and shares its basic platform and 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with the Dodge Dart. (A 3.2-liter V6 is also available.) Despite its passenger-car roots, the new Cherokee offers multiple all-wheel-drive options for off-road use. The Trailhawk model has impressive off-road capability along with a brawny look that sets it apart from the “cute ute” crowd. Cherokee has been a big seller for Jeep, and it’s not difficult to understand why.

Overview

The Jeep Cherokee was a new crossover SUV from the brand known for off-road-capable vehicles. The Cherokee was midsize and replaced the Jeep Liberty in the brand’s lineup. The name was taken from a small SUV the company sold from 1984-2001. The Cherokee was available in four trim levels: base Sport, mid-range Latitude, upper-end Limited, and off-road-focused Trailhawk. Cherokee seated 5 passengers. Cherokee’s closest competitors were the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5 for most of its trim levels. The exception was the range-topping, off-road-ready Cherokee Trailhawk model, which had few direct rivals in the compact-SUV class. The only other vehicles that came close to–or matched–its level of off-road equipment were the other compact Jeeps, namely the Compass, Patriot, and, for buyers interested in extreme off-roading, the 4-door Wrangler Unlimited.

Cherokee came with a 184 horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine (shared with Dodge Dart) mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Optional on Latitude and Limited, and standard on Trailhawk was a 3.2-liter derivative of the 3.6-liter V6 engine available in most of Chrysler Group’s vehicles. The 3.2-liter V6 delivered 271 horsepower and also used the 9-speed auto.

Cherokee Sport, Latitude, and Limited came standard with front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive was optional. Trailhawk came with all-wheel drive only. Three all-wheel drive systems were offered. Jeep Active Drive I and Jeep Active Drive II were available on Sport, Latitude, and Limited. Active Drive I included a single-speed torque-transfer unit that directed power to the rear wheels when needed. Active Drive II had a two-speed torque-transfer unit that included a low-range gear for low-speed off-road crawling capabilities. It also included a 1-inch increase in ride height. The third all-wheel-drive system was called Jeep Active Drive Lock. It came standard on the Trailhawk model, and was not available otherwise. Active Drive Lock was similar to Active Drive II, but added a locking rear differential.

All these Active Drive units included the Selec-Terrain system that allowed the driver to tailor the traction control for best performance on different driving surfaces. It had five modes: Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, and Rock.

The Cherokee included ABS, traction control, antiskid system, and a full array of airbags (dual front, front side, front curtain, rear side, rear curtain, and driver and front-passenger knee airbags. Also available were a rearview camera, brake assist, a forward collision-warning system, lane-departure warning and intervention system, blind-spot monitoring system, and rear cross-path detection system.

Yearly Updates

2014 Cherokee

Engines

transverse front-engine/front- or all-wheel drive

Cherokee came with a 184 horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine (shared with Dodge Dart) mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Optional on Latitude and Limited, and standard on Trailhawk was a 3.2-liter derivative of the 3.6-liter V6 engine available in most of Chrysler Group’s vehicles. The 3.2-liter V6 delivered 271 horsepower and also used the 9-speed auto.

ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.4/144
Engine HP 184
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 171
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
9-speed automatic

 21/28
dohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.2/198
Engine HP 271
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 239
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
9-speed automatic

 20/28

 22

Road Test

Tests are with an AWD Limited with optional 3.2-liter V6.

The 271-horsepower V6 is a strong performer that’s quiet, too, except for a bit of a rumble under acceleration; the 9-speed automatic transmission, a first for the segment, is a smooth operator that kicks down promptly when called upon.

The EPA ratings for the an AWD Cherokee with 2.4-liter engine are 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. An AWD Cherokee with a 3.2-liter V6 is rated at 20 city and 28 highway. Consumer Guide averaged 22.2 mpg over 536 miles with a 55% city and 45% highway mix.

Cherokee feels like a larger, pricier vehicle underway, absorbing bumps and ruts better than most of the vehicles in this class.

Handling is fairly nimble. Steering inputs were promptly heeded, but feedback through the wheel was somewhat lacking.

The Limited’s 8.4-inch in-dash screen regulates audio and navigation functions, but steering-wheel buttons reduce some of the need to contact the screen. Direct-acting climate-control buttons and dials sit below the touchscreen area and are positioned a little low for truly easy access, but climate settings can also be adjusted on the video screen. I would suggest that Chrysler strained to find ways to fill the Jeep’s enormous touch-screen control center. While owners will likely become familiar with the Uconnect interface, first-time and casual drivers will likely find themselves struggling to learn the drill.

The staff is suitably impressed by Cherokee’s cabin materials and assembly quality. Interior materials have a nice look and feel.

Front-seat leg and head room are good. Over-the-shoulder and straight-back visibility are satisfactory, assisted by the back-up camera that’s standard on the Limited.

Back-seat leg and head room are also good and aided by 2nd-row seats that have 6 inches of fore-and-aft travel. However, the narrow rear seat effectively holds just two adults.

The glove box isn’t especially large and door pockets are downright small but there is a shallow covered bin in the center of the dash top, the console arm rest opens to reveal a choice of two differently sized storage options, and there’s storage space under the front passenger seat. A pull-down center arm rest in the rear exposes a pair of cup holders.

A decently low load floor and second-row seats that fold completely flat make Cherokee a solid cargo hauler.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2014 Cherokee Limited

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 7
70%
Fuel Economy - 6
60%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 6
60%
Quietness - 6
60%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Front - 8
80%
Room/Comfort Rear - 6
60%
Cargo Room - 7
70%

Other

Value - 8
80%

Total: 67

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.0 182.0 74.9 67.8
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
49.5 15.9 5.0
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.4 38.5 41.1 40.3
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2014 Cherokee 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Rear Passenger Injury - 5
100%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Transmission problems
Description: The transmission control module might prevent the transaxle from shifting gears. (2014)

Recall History

20104 Cherokee
Description: Use of the windshield wipers on dry glass may damage the Body Control Unit (BCU) and result in windshield wiper failure.
2014 Cherokee
Description: The radio may have software that allows third parties access to vehicle control systems.
2014 Cherokee with power liftgate
Description: Water could enter the Power Liftgate Module causing a short circuit and possibly a fire.
2014 Cherokee
Description: Curtain side airbags and seat-mounted side airbags could deploy unexpectedly.
2014 Cherokee
Description: The rear shock absorbers may detach from the vehicle and cause damage to tires or other components. This could also reduce braking effectiveness.
2014 Cherokee with adaptive cruise control
Description: Pressing the accelerator pedal too much while adaptive cruise control is engaged could cause the vehicle to continue to accelerate briefly after the accelerator pedal had been released.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on April 20, 2016.
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