New 2019 Jeep Cherokee facelift turns up in Detroit

Jeep has unveiled its 2019 facelifted Cherokee SUV at this year’s Detroit Motor Show with a revised front end and a new turbocharged petrol engine. It will be making its way to the UK in 2018.

The new engine is a 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit producing 266bhp and 400Nm of torque. It’s the same unit that debuted on Jeep’s latest Wrangler. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are also available for the 2019 Cherokee – a 178bhp 2.4-litre four-pot and a 267bhp 3.2-litre V6.

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All three engines are mated to nine-speed automatic transmissions and permanent four-wheel-drive. The Cherokee comes with Jeep’s all-new rear drive module that makes the new Cherokee front-wheel-drive only at certain times. A low-range gearbox and five-way driving mode selector are also fitted.

On the design front, the Cherokee gets a tweaked front end, which moves away from the sharp, pointed nose of the outgoing Cherokee in favour of a rounder, conventional look more in line with the latest Compass.

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Changes around the back are evident too – the number plate housing has been moved to the tailgate, as a fresh, chunkier looking rear bumper with a larger scuff plate now sits in its place. Refreshed taillights with new lighting signatures appear as well. All Cherokee models are fitted as standard with 19-inch wheels, with the top spec Trailhawk model fitted with special 17-inch off-road tyres.

The facelifted Jeep Cherokee comes in five trim levels, starting off with Latitude and topping out with the rugged Trailhawk model. The latest Uconnect infotainment system can be specified with either a seven or 8.4-inch screen, the latter being equipped with satellite navigation. The infotainment system is compatible with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and choices of digital instrument clusters are also available, with a 3.5-inch grayscale or seven-inch full-colour instrument cluster on the list. 

According to Jeep, the updated Cherokee features more than 80 safety and security features. These include adaptive cruise control, park assist, forward collision warning and lane departure warning. A Jeep spokesperson confirmed that the facelifted Cherokee will make its way to the UK, although pricing has yet to be confirmed.

What would you change on the Cherokee to help it keep pace with rivals? Tell us in the comments...