Truly world-class off-road capability. Addictive 195 horsepower engine in a relatively light vehicle. Tight handling. Nice features (COLD a/c, decent CD player, power amenities) for the base "Sport" model. Reliability and Longevity is excellent. Price- many nice, low mileage examples can still be had for 10 grand or under. Leaves most other popular "4X4s" stuck on the trail!

FIRST and FOREMOST - DISCONTINUED! There are still many consumers loyal to the combination of ruggedness and civility the Cherokee offered! Bring it back! Finicky engine monitoring system, light likes to come on for silliness. Cylinder misfires. Easy fix, but for the average consumer that doesnt know about it, can be a major worry and cost hard-earned money. Overall level of refinement could be considered off-putting for the unititiated. Not a weakness, per se, but something to keep in mind.

I've worked at a Chrysler/Jeep dealership. Horrible experience. But when my 83 Ford Bronco finally died, I replaced it with a Jeep Cherokee. Why? All the important components are indestructible, it can do what an SUV was made to do, and 195 horses under the hood is ALWAYS a good thing! Even hating a certain Jeep dealership didnt stop me from purchasing what was at the time the best 4X4 value on the market. I will first acknowledge the common problems. 1)Yes, it has a shimmy in the front end at precisely 52 mph. Hey, it's a JEEP. 2)Yeah, it can be noisy. Hey, it's a JEEP. 3)The front right speaker fails intermittently. This is a pain, but remedied easily enough. Bad design of wiring on Chrysler's part, but a VERY small flaw. The wiring for this speaker goes under the carpet. Replace the wire and move it out of the way. 4)Check engine light likes to come on. Again, it's a Jeep thing. Mainly, while working at the dealership, 99 percent of the time this was either a single or multiple cylinder misfire. Easy enough...change the plugs, add some DIY heat shieilding, and disconnect the battery. Be on your merry way. The other unfortunate 1 percent were what I refer to as "built on Friday" vehicles. Every auto-maker produces them, just hope you didnt end up with one is all I can say. You have a better chance from any other manufacturer of getting one, as Chrysler built these things for so long they got it down pretty well for the later models. Even the late 80's Cherokees are pretty well-built vehicles. Myself, I have had 2 check engine problems. One was the above-mentioned cylinder misfire which was an easy fix. The other was a vaccuum leak which I couldnt diagnose, was fixed by my local mechanic for 40 dollars. Why do I love the Cherokees? This vehicle is the perfect balance of beauty and the beast. It is fast enough to have some on-road fun with. It is small enough that my wife is comfortable in it. It is large enough that I can haul a decent amount of material in it. It is a classic, timeless design that looks nice being parked by a valet, and yet looks completely at home in the woods. Given all that, it is still a true, honest-to-goodness 4X4. Bad weather? No roads? Downright FRIGHTENING terrain? no problem. Pull that little lever, point it where you want it to go, and hit the gas. This beast lacks NOTHING in the off-road capability department. I laugh at the "wannabe" 4X4s that only wish they could handle terrain I wouldnt think twice about. The suspension flex is incredible, ground clearance for a stock SUV is just plain SICK, overhangs are almost non-existent. Your only limitation with this vehicle is the tread on your tire. Put a GOOD set of A/Ts on your Cherokee and go where only Jeep and Land Rover drivers can go. Nothing else is in the same category. You dont wanna get it dirty? Put a set of highway tires on it and enjoy one of the quickest 4X4s on the market. We love our Jeep, we have loved it from the day we bought it. The key to enjoying these vehicles is to know what you are buying. You cannot have a real 4X4 without giving up something in the comfort/luxury department unless you want to spend an obnoxious amount of money. If you want real capability and real luxury at the same time, you need a Land Rover or a Mercedes G-class. For those of you who dont really need all-terrain capability, that want a high driving position and confidence in snow, dont buy a Jeep. You dont need it, you will be happier with a more highway-oriented vehicle. This side of the 50,000 dollar mark, nothing comes close to a cherokee. it wont be the smoothest, it wont be the quietest, or even the prettiest. But it will always do what you want it to do, and if you take care of it, it will do it for many, many years.

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1983 Ford Bronco. Closest thing to a tank a civilian could drive before the Hummer came on the market! As much as I miss my beast, my Jeep is far more capable, comfortable, practical, and fuel-efficient.

4.0 Engine Power when requested Off-Road capability (in city or out) Space ( I took the rear seat out)

Space (cannot carry 5 Americans), but enough for a single person w/ guest and cargo. MPG lousy over 70 (which is the avg. speed these days).

Picture this, 10/2002, recently separated BM, wanting some excitement. I've had sports cars, blondes, motorcycles,video ho's (and a few of their husbands). Scanning the net I saw this Cherokee. It was a break from my Asain luxo sedan, but it hit my soul. The appearance and stance is what got me. After the purchase, I was greatly disappointed by the ride quality, mpg, and overall feel. All of those feelings changed shortly thereafter. My commute is about 35 mi.each way. In 11/2002 we received 24" of snow within 24 hrs.. The govenor closed the roads and I was out having a ball on the interstates (catch me if you can). I no longer shovel snow and I'm guaranteed the same parking spot when it does snow. Big traffic jams are a joke, cross the grass and take a different route. Don't get me wrong, I've been caught funning in a few construction sites since I got this monster. Fortunately, the cops have encouraged me to join a club and not issued any tickets. In the 3 yrs., I've had it, it's been hit twice and stolen. She still cranks up everytime. I have the same wobbling tire, check engine light problems that everyone else has. I must admit that I have fun driving this urban gorilla. In a torrential rainstorm or a. I feel safe and secure. It's not a Navigator or Escalade. But I can park it anywhere in the city and go anywhere outside of the city.

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RAV4- too feminine CRV- too feminine,conservative looking Trailblazer, Saturn Vue, etc. - no real off-road capability

basically everything

clutch master cylinder in the 1992 started leaking twice, only the upcountry models have tow hooks and skid plates stock, most have no good tow points

in addition to the offroad capability that people mention (i've only gotten seriously stuck in a cherokee when i've purposely driven into large snowbanks, this includes sand/mud up to the axles, water over the hood, foot deep ruts in slush uphill etc), it is possible to get good gas mileage. i usually get 22-23 mpg, but on recent trips where i spent a lot of time below 50 mph, i've hit 25-26.5 mpg. of course at 75+ mph this can easily drop below 20 mpg, and depends on driving style. i've also gotten up to 24 mpg in the old 1992 cherokee, but didn't keep track much in that vehicle. both have manual transmissions, so that likely helps out too.

Very good 4x4 for the price paid very reliable

low gas milage but not as bad as a truck costed a bit to fix up rough ride (if you call that a down side I do not)

I baought a 87 jeep cherokee for 400$ spent out money to buy a new u joint and fix the 4x4 and she runs perfect the inline six has 191000 and she runs like new she loves the mud and she has only got stuck once but it was in 3 feet of sand and gravel

a jeep is always a jeep and i love it. reliable if taken care of. 4x4 is a plus for snow and off-roading.

gas mileage. stiff springs and shocks. loses its value quickly.

i bought this car in december of 1999 from a used dealer with 33,000 miles on it. it had some problems with it at the beginning. it wouldn't start in the cold weather. took it to the shop, and was told that none of the fluids had been changed. cost around $700. i believe this was the owners fault and not the cars. about a year later i had some problems with the headlight switch. it would turn on and then fail randomly. i got a new one put in. cost about $150. since then it had worked like a dream. i've got 88,000 miles on it now. i have a 4-door and i like how the seats fold down and create a large cargo area. i've got power everything and nothing has gone wrong. the peg that holds the drivers door open fell out. i suppose i could have it replaced, but it doesn't bother me much. i put on a 3-inch lift with 31 tires on it, and it still works great. although now the small jack that comes with the car doesn't work anymore because the car it too high. my only real problem with it is its gas mileage. 15 in the city, 19 on the highway might be a slight overstatement especially with the lift and it getting older.

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n/a

Drivetrain, ground clearance, ease of repair, 'Jeepness.'

Some wind and drivetrain noise on the highway. Gas mileage (unless you have a tailwind.) Somewhat bumpy ride on bad roads (it ain't a Cadillac) with a few clunks here and there.

OK, I paid too much but it was in such great shape! One year later, still in great shape and I'm very happy. 120K when purchased, nearly 145K now. Over a four week 3,000 mile trip throught N.M. and CO. it performed flawlessly. 2wd is not best for off-road but it handled dirt 'non-roads' just fine if driven with care. No major mechanical problems (maybe last owner took care of them.) After purchased I switched to synthetic oil, then had rear seal leak fixed (no surprise.) Engine (4.0L) is strong! Trans (auto) works fine. Soundbar in the back is cool. Front seats surprisingly comfortable on long drives. Before I bought this I had an old 3-series BMW. This is more fun and useful. This was apparently a Dallas area commuter car before I got it. Previous owner did good. Folks with more modern SUV's admire the classic look.

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1978 Grand Wagoneer

Reliable, No Brake Problems If you hand tighten the lug nuts and torque them to factory specs, otherwise warped rotors are common. Reliable, eminently useful and comfortable OFF-ROADER that isn't mushy enough for the average American.

Rides like a JEEP on road so that it can dig through beach sand or rock climb and pull a boat, IF you consider that a weakness.

I waited to factory order this 2 door Laredo made by AMC because this was the first Cherokee model year to get the new 4.0 litre six engine. A totally wonderful vehicle with no major problems. I gave it away to a niece at 185,000 miles. Years later she gave it to her sister. At 283,000 miles it was totalled while parked. The relative immediately took the insurance money and went out and bought another one. This was the original utility vehicle ! useful, reasonable operating costs, dependable, easily repaired, and looked great. Jeep soccer mom'd it into the new Liberty so fat tailed American shopping Mallers have a cushy ride for their tush, a Mistake ! The new Grand Cherokee is a similar 'soccer mom' cruiser of shopping malls, too bad ! This 87 Cherokee loved to drive along the beaches of Long Island, I had the Select-Trac transfer case so it could do on road 4WD, and real off roading, something the FORD Exploders of the day could not offer.

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94 Grand Chehokee Ltd (Chrylsler) 04 Grand Cherokee Overland ( Daimler)

Great off road capability. Fairly good gas mileage (16/21). Easy to repair, cheap parts

A little harsh on dirt roads. This can be solved with after market springs and shocks - Old Man Emu, for example. Too small for taller people

Best bang for the buck if you want a mid-size 4x4. Very reliable, nice drive although a little harsh on dirt roads. The 4.0 inline six cylinder engine is great.

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Performance (4.0L, Inline-6) 4WD System (NP231) Styling Driver and Front Passenger Comfort Cargo Room Off-Road Capabilities Jeep Brand Name

Headlights (Owners tend to seek upgrades) Back Seat (Leg Room and Exit/Enter Entry) Tires (Goodyear Wrangler RT/S) MPG (Typical SUV)

Never thought that I would purchase a Jeep Cherokee, but the style, performance, and the benefits influenced my eventual purchase. Initially bought for college, and the cargo space to carry to and back, the space is more than adequate. As time past, I grew more and more involved with performance modifications. I figured an-already potent 4.0L, Inline-6 (195HP, 225 lbs Torque), coupled with certain performance modifications will yield some impressive results. This is all due to the initial light curb weight of the Cherokee (3,200 LBS is lighter than most sedans!), which makes it an SUV hotrod when bone stock. Furthermore, the 4WD system (NP231) is flawless when I have used it in the Northeast Winters of NJ. I have also found my XJ to be quite comfortable with trips to school (CT) and back. The bucket cloth seats seem to get softer as you break them in. A/C and Heat are exceptional. The Jeep heritage suggests that you take your Jeep off-road, which the Cherokee is more than capable of handling than any other vehicle. However, 95% of ALL Jeeps stay on the pavement, and a clean Jeep just drives and looks better. With logical observation, taking your Jeep off-road to bash just does not seem right. Overall, the performance, styling, uniqueness and benefits of the Jeep Cherokee will be dramatically missed due to DaimlerChrysler’s premature decision to end the Cherokee line. 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT - STREET PERFORMANCE XJ: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/275689

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Nothing quite drives like a Jeep. Even the vehicle that replaced the Cherokee (Liberty - KJ) will fall short in comparison.

Strong engine, great visibility, lots of space, great 4x4 capabilities.

Not as "plush" as other SUV's, but if I wanted plush I'd get a minivan. Can be unconfortable on very long trips (6+ hours)

This has been one of the best cars I've ever owned. Its got great vision all around, plenty of space, great power, handles quite well on dry or wet roads. Its off road capabilities are very real, not just hype. We run a team of dogs and it can haul all 4 dogs, their gear and our camping equipment not problem. Gets us through creek beds, muddy roads etc without a fuss. We had an ice storm here in KY 2 years ago and I made it to work with no hassles at all. The only kind of mechanical problems I've had was a air conditioning hose clamp fail and I had to replace the hose ($4.00). The A/C started acting up at about 70K miles, but was still under my extended warranty. Dealer fixed it with a smile. Currently have 80K miles on it and have no complaints. Really wish Jeep still made these, cause I'm starting to look for a replacement and can't find anything I'm happy with. Other than normal maintenance (oil, battery and tire rotations) I've had no problems that would keep me from buying another Cherokee. The Cherokee doesn't come with many standard frills like your Toyota's or BMW SUV's, but then again, its a Jeep. Its meant to be used as a jeep. If you want to haul kids to soccer practice, get a minivan. If you want an SUV you can count on getting a real job done, get yourself a Cherokee!

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