Jeep revealed the controversial looking 2014 Cherokee at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. The 2014 Jeep Cherokee comes with a dramatic exterior design change and a serious fuel economy improvement of 45 per cent in comparison to the current version of the SUV. The new Jeep Cherokee (2014) comes with countless novelties, including a 9-speed transmission and three innovative four-wheel-drive systems. The three new AWD systems include the Active Drive I with a one-speed power transfer unit (PTU), the Active Drive II with a two-speed PTU and low range and the Active Drive Lock with a two-speed PTU, low range and a locking rear differential. Jeep's 2014 Cherokee comes as standard with the 16-valve, 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir 2 I-4 engine, which is good for 184 hp and 171 lb.-ft. of torque.
This new engine promises a 31-mpg fuel consumption on the highway, which translates into a maximum range of 500 miles on a full tank.
Jeep is also going to sell the 2014 Cherokee with a more powerful 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 engine that develops 271 hp and 239 lb.-ft. of torque. With this engine, the new Cherokee (2014) has a maximum towing capability of 4,500 pounds.
The new Jeep Cherokee (2014) is equipped with a MacPherson front independent suspension and an independent multi-link rear one. The front axle has 6.7 inches of travel while the rear one can travel up to 7.8 inches. The 4x4 comes with an isolated rear cradle, and an aluminum front crossmember. The new 2014 Cherokee comes with a new electronic power steering system that offers it a 36 feet turning circle for the 4x2 model, around 38 feet for the 4x4 version and 39 feet for the Trailhawk off-road model.
To improve the fuel economy of the 2014 Cherokee, Jeep equips it with a rear-axle disconnect function, that seamlessly switches between 2WD and 4WD.
The Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, which is an off-road focused version of the SUV, comes with several distinctive features. Apart from the obvious design cues, the Cherokee Trailhawk features an Active Drive Lock with a locking rear differential, and skid plates. The Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk's approach angle is 29.8 degrees, its departure angle is 32.1 degrees and its breakover angle is 23.3 degrees. The Cherokee Trailhawk has a running ground clearance of 8.7 inches.
Jeep equips the 2014 Cherokee with the ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist system, Adaptive Cruise Control-Plus, Forward Collision Warning-Plus, and Lane Departure Warning-Plus; 9-1-1 assist call; ESC; Electronic Roll Mitigation; Blind-spot Monitoring; Rear Cross Path detection; ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic grid lines and 10 standard air bags.
The 2014 Jeep Cherokee's price has not been announced yet. You can find all the details and specifications of the new Cherokee (2014) here.
2014 Jeep Cherokee presentation video:
