On Dirt Roads or State Highways, the Jeep Cherokee is a Fun Ride

Dependable, American-made Jeep cars have been staples on our North Carolina roads for a long time and have always been trendsetters in style and utility. In fact, the Jeep Cherokee was a popular small SUV crossover before the crossover genre was even around.

At Kernersville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram the Jeep Cherokee is one of our most sough-after cars. It's versatile, rugged, and fun to drive, as any Jeep should be. Plus, it has a rabid following of loyal fans.

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee

The Cherokee is the second-in-line, size wise, in the Jeep SUV lineup. It falls in a little smaller than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a little bigger than the Jeep Compass. It seats five people and has four doors.

In 2017, the Jeep Cherokee is available in five main trim levels, including:

• The Jeep Cherokee Sport. The Sport comes standard with a list of terrific features, including LED running lights, keyless entry, height-adjustable front seats, rear seats that slide and recline and have 60/40-split folding seatbacks, and a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
• The Jeep Cherokee Latitude. The Latitude comes with everything the Sport does, but it also adds roof rails, fog lights, automatic headlights, and a rearview camera.
• The Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. If you like to take your Jeep off-road, the Trailhawk is the trim for you. Trail-rated, it comes with the same features as the other two models, but it also comes with an advanced four-wheel-drive system (Active Drive II), beefed-up tires, higher ground clearance, and off-road-oriented suspension tuning.
• The Jeep Cherokee Limited. The Limited comes minus all of the Trailhawk's added off-road kit, but, otherwise, it does have the same features as the previous models. It adds power-folding side mirrors, leather upholstery, automatically-dimming mirrors, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.
• The Jeep Cherokee Overland. The top Cherokee trim, the Overland adds a parking sensor system, a blind-spot monitor, power liftgate, and ventilated front seats, among other features.

The Jeep company has also made some of the higher trims' features available for custom-order on the Cherokee's lower trims. Customers can order them as part of packages or stand-alone options.

Power, Performance and Efficiency

The standard engine for the 2017 Jeep Cherokees is a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. There is also an optional 3.2-liter, V6. A nine-speed automatic transmission comes with both engine choices.

In terms of power, the four-cylinder engine gives drivers184 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. The V6, however, offers 271 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque.

Almost all of the Cherokee trims come with your choice of either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The one exception to that is the Trailhawk, which comes only in four-wheel drive.

If you need to tow something, then we have good news. The Jeep Cherokee has an optional towing package that gives all V6 models a towing capacity of around 4,500 pounds.

The Jeep Cherokee is also an efficient vehicle for the SUV market, with the four-cylinder version getting around 21 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. The V6 is similar, getting around 21 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.

Safety

Of course, one of the most important things you want to know about your Jeep Cherokee is how safe it is. The good news is, it's very safe for you and your family.

In fact, in 2017, the Jeep Cherokee received excellent scores in government crash tests. Out of five stars possible, the Cherokee received all top scores, including a five-star rating for side-impact crash.

Jeep Cherokee in North Carolina

If you're shopping around for a new Jeep Cherokee, stop by and visit our sales team at Kernersville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. We're convenient to a wide span of towns, including Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Charlotte, and we have many Jeep Cherokee versions in stock for you to look at.