What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Jeep Cherokee? What does it compare to?
The Jeep Cherokee is a five-seat compact crossover easily overshadowed in Jeep’s supersized SUV lineup, which now features the 2022 Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer full-size SUVs, as well as a three-row variant of the Grand Cherokee SUV. The Cherokee tries to keep the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Ford Bronco Sport off its hill.
Is the 2022 Jeep Cherokee a good SUV?
Review continues below
Dated but solid, the streamlined Cherokee ventures off-road with ease and has a good standard safety and convenience feature set to help it earn a TCC Rating of 5.8 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 Jeep Cherokee?
A new off-road-ready X trim slots above the base Altitude model, and it joins Latitude Lux, Trailhawk, and Limited grades. At the time of publication, the Altitude and its weak 2.4-liter inline-4 were not being offered, thereby making the new X model with a 3.2-liter V-6 the entry-level Cherokee.
Consider the X line a Trailhawk-lite, with its 1.0-inch lifted suspension, off-road shocks, and all-wheel drive, as well as cloth and vinyl seats, and exterior graphics. Across the lineup, Jeep upgrades the base touchscreen from 7.0 inches to an 8.4-inch unit as standard, but it still runs on Jeep’s older Uconnect 4 operating system.
The 271-hp V-6 will have to suffice for Cherokee shoppers who want off-road ready trims such as the X and the Trailhawk variants, since Jeep doesn’t offer either of those with its available 270-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4. Not only is it quicker and more potent with 295 lb-ft of torque, but the turbo-4 also has a more efficient EPA-rated 24 mpg combined. The 9-speed automatic can be indecisive in either application. An independent suspension keeps the cruising calm, while bona fide off-road bits keep the trail open long after the pavement ends.
Inside, Jeep fits the Cherokee with textured plastics and soft-touch materials cloaked in black, trimmed in chrome, and studded with buttons and dials for a more upscale vibe than the newer competition. Two passengers fit comfortably in the sliding rear seats, though cargo room is on the smaller side for compact crossovers.
Crash-test results are mixed, with the NHTSA citing its front and rollover protection as the reason for its imperfect four-star rating, whereas the IIHS rated it “Good” on all six crash tests. Standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors promise to reduce the risk and effects of a crash.
How much does the 2022 Jeep Cherokee cost?
The Cherokee X with four-wheel drive costs the same as the Latitude Lux with front-wheel drive at $35,590, including a $1,595 destination fee. Four-wheel drive adds $1,500. The Latitude Lux upgrades the cloth seats on the X with leather-trimmed bucket seats and it has a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, but those are the main differences aside from the lifted suspension on the X. Heated power seats, a heated steering wheel, an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard as well.
We northerners just talked ourselves into the 2022 Jeep Cherokee X. The full off-road package in the Cherokee Trailhawk costs $3,050 more, while the top Limited trim crests $40,000, which would have us looking across the lot at the Grand Cherokee.
Where is the 2022 Jeep Cherokee made?
In Belvidere, Illinois, natch.