2017 Jeep Cherokee Road Test and Review

2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland exterior front angle ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland marks the first full year on the market for the range-topping luxury model of Jeep’s popular midsize crossover SUV, and the brand is continuing to fine tune feature availability for the vehicle. For example, two new functionality packages debut for the Cherokee Overland for 2017—one for towing and one for enhanced off-road protection. But this upscale Cherokee still provides plenty of premium content, too, including one of the highest-rated infotainment systems in the industry and particularly high levels of cabin comfort.

Indeed, if you think every Jeep product packs the rough-and-tumble ownership experience of the Wrangler, the Cherokee Overland is the kind of vehicle that will make you think again. Off-road enthusiasts needn’t worry, though: The Overland’s optional 4-wheel-drive system is the real deal, with a two-speed transfer case and multi-mode traction control. A multitude of other benefits also makes the Cherokee a worthy choice for customers.

Pricing

With an MSRP of $34,895, the 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland seems like a relatively pricey choice as compared to its mass-market rivals. In fact, it’s thousands more than the top-of-the-range trims for the segment’s sales leaders. Further, the 4-wheel-drive Overland model actually opens at $37,695—that’s a full $4,000 above the highest all-wheel-drive trim of a Honda CR-V.

Yet for many folks, there’s no real comparison at all: That difference in cost merely covers the very significant differences in off-road capability—and overall rugged positioning—between the Cherokee Overland and the CR-V Touring. Consider it the difference between an SUV and a crossover. It’s also worth noting that, if you don’t plan on hitting the trails too often, the 2-wheel-drive Cherokee Sport has a slightly lower MSRP than the CR-V.

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Power, Performance and Fuel Efficiency

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland has three available powertrains, starting with a standard 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Customers can rely on 184 horsepower and 171 lb.-ft. of torque with that engine, which also sets the high point for Cherokee fuel-economy ratings, at 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.

Drivers who need a little more pep in their step can step up to a 3.2-liter V6 as well. There’s barely a drop in EPA performance with the bigger engine—rated at 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway/24 mpg combined in its two-wheel-drive configuration—but outputs jump to 271 horsepower and 239 lb.-ft. of torque. With that V6 and Cherokee’s Active Drive II 4-wheel-drive hardware on board, along with the accompanying off-road suspension and five-mode Selec-Terrain traction-control technology, the Overland can take on the tough stuff while achieving EPA grades of 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway/21 mpg combined.

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Exterior Design and Lighting

Jeep brand’s success is built nearly as much on its style as on its substance. The Cherokee, however, is a major departure, both for Jeep as a company and for the segment as a whole. That’s obvious from your first look at the vehicle’s face: The traditional seven-slot Jeep grille remains on display, yet it flows back over the Cherokee’s hood for a streamlined appearance that works well with its contoured sheet metal. Then there’s the Cherokee lighting treatment, in which the vehicle’s true headlights are unobtrusively located above its front fog lights; those long slashes of LED lighting that bracket the top of the Cherokee’s grille are its daytime running lights. Also detailing the Cherokee Overland are 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, bright roof rails, a power liftgate, and heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn-signal indicators.

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Interior Design and Capacities

On the road or on the trail, the seats in the 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland will keep you nice and comfy. They’re trimmed in perforated Nappa leather, with Nappa-leather bolstering, and the driver and front-row passenger are supplied with heating and ventilation. The steering wheel also is heated and wrapped in leather—except where it’s accented by Zebrano high-gloss wood trim. Even the floor mats are made from a premium Berber material. To boost versatility, the Cherokee checks in with a standard full-length floor console up front, along with a storage bin atop the instrument panel and a roof-mounted sunglasses holder. Turning to the rear storage, there’s 24.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.9 with both of the 60/40-split back seats folded. Moreover, to manage that space, every Cherokee comes with a standard cargo-management system that includes a multi-position cargo floor.

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Infotainment and Audio Technology

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland is perfect for when you want to leave the road and leave the world behind, but it’s also ideal for finding your way back, thanks to a standard Uconnect 8.4 infotainment system with navigation, voice recognition, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen with an extensive range of customization. For instance, along with using the touchscreen for typical audio and nav functions, owners can personalize it to also control the Cherokee’s heated and ventilated front seats.

As for the Cherokee Overland’s nav and audio systems, the former shows 3D landmarks, digital terrain and city models for ease of use; the sound system comes from the experts at Alpine and boasts a 506-watt amplifier and nine speakers—including a separate subwoofer. The Uconnect setup also brings standard Bluetooth connectivity, for handsfree calling and audio streaming, plus complimentary subscriptions to SiriusXM Satellite Radio (one year) and SiriusXM Travel Link and Traffic (five years each).

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Safety Ratings and Technology

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland comes well equipped with standard driver-assistance technologies, such as a rearview camera system with dynamic gridlines and parking sensors. Complementing that feature is rear cross-path detection, to help when backing out of a parking spot, and a blind-spot monitor, for keeping an electronic eye on other vehicles that may be out of the range of the Cherokee’s mirrors. In both cases, to maximize awareness, the driver is alerted by both an audible chime and an illuminated icon in the appropriate side mirror. The Cherokee then builds on that next-gen protection with 10 standard airbags, electronic stability control and hill-start assist, which stops the vehicle from rolling backward before the driver accelerates on an incline. The 2017 Cherokee has earned a 4-Star Overall Safety Score from the NHTSA.

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Available Equipment

For the ultimate expression of luxury in the 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland, the brand offers a handful of uplevel upgrades for the vehicle. Among the handiest may be the optional wireless charging pad that can be integrated into the upper tray of the vehicle’s floor console storage bin. A full Technology Group also is on the menu for owners interested in more driver-assistance equipment: The package pulls together adaptive cruise control, advanced brake assistance, automatic forward braking, automatic high beams, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, parallel and perpendicular parking assistance, and rain-sensitive windshield wipers.

Additionally, and specifically for Overland models with 4-wheel drive, Jeep has an available Heavy Duty Protection Group that bolsters the vehicle’s off-road capability with underbody skid plates and a full-size spare tire. Optional for all Cherokee models is Jeep’s CommandView dual-pane sunroof. Inspired by the brand’s focus on open-air driving, the roof combines a power-operated front pane with a fixed glass panel over the second row.

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Other Cool Info

Earlier in our 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland road test and review, we did call this the range-topping model of the lineup. Yet that’s really only true if you’re evaluating the roster based on luxury content. Shoppers who like what they see in the Overland edition—but demand the highest levels of off-road performance—would no doubt put the Trailhawk at the top of their list. The “Trail Rated” Trailhawk has been re-engineered and redesigned with rock-crawling in mind: It leverages a rear locking differential, an extra inch of ground clearance, standard skid plates, and a dedicated “Rock” mode for its Selec-Terrain system. Meanwhile, its model-specific front and rear fascias were revised for higher approach and departure angles. The Trail Rated label, per Jeep, “indicates the vehicle is designed to perform in a variety of challenging off-road conditions identified by five key consumer-oriented performance categories: traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, articulation and water fording.”

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Final Thoughts

The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland is pricier than a basic mainstream crossover, but remember: This is no basic mainstream crossover. It’s a luxurious high-performance SUV that compares well to those other vehicles in premium content and technologythen greatly exceeds them in terms of off-road abilities and power. The Cherokee also stands out with the kind of dramatic exterior design that often goes missing from the mainstream entries. Bottom line: If you want to enter the land of midsize crossovers and SUVs, but prefer to take the road less travelled, the Jeep Cherokee Overland makes an excellent choice.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles