When last we visited the Jeep Cherokee, it was April 5, 1991. It was my second review of the venerable vehicle in the span of nine months, and a rereading of that column clearly indicates I had lost patience with the shortcomings of the Cherokee version of America's original sport-utility vehicle.
Purists assert that it is the Jeep Wrangler, not Cherokee, that is the more direct descendant of the original Jeep that won World War II, but the Cherokee was at least a first cousin (and the first four-door sport-ute) and owed its popularity to that lineage.But by 1991, the Cherokee was getting a bit long in the tooth, having been introduced in 1984 by American Motors and then taken over in 1987 by Chrysler when it bought out selected assets of the bankrupt AMC. I found it wanting in the face of newer models such as the Ford Explorer.
Fast forward to May 1997. Six years later, I am once again contemplating the pros and cons of the Cherokee, and I can only marvel that the marque continues to compete on the now very crowded field of sport-utes, virtually all of which are newer and more refined.
Particularly in this price range. The base price of the 1991 Cherokee Sport was $15,946, compared to $20,460 for the 1997 model. But a list of options that ran longer than the list of standard equipment pushed the '91's bottom line to "almost $20,000."
I thought that was too much then, but in retrospect it was a bargain. The bottom line of the '97 I evaluated this week was $27,330.
That the Cherokee has survived at any price is a bit surprising. In that '91 article, I said that Chrysler "has a new "upscale" sport-ute, code named the ZJ, due to debut next year" (in 1992.)
The "ZJ" turned out to be the Jeep Grand Cherokee, a marque that became an instant best-seller, especially in Utah. But Chrysler declined to simply throw away a name and look - the Cherokee remains squarish while the Grand Cherokee is all curved lines - that had once been a major player in the sport-ute niche and decided to keep making the Cherokee.
Thus, we still have two Jeep Cherokees, one grand and one not so grand . . . although at nearly $30k the plain Cherokee is grander than most of us can afford.
Except for its grille, the '97 Cherokee looks virtually unchanged on the outside since 1991 - or 1984 for that matter. But many of the problems in the drive train and the interior have been corrected, which helps justify the $7,000 price increase.
Although it still won't win any awards for quietness, the engine is less noisy than it was six years ago. Also, the ride is much improved. The car handles more competently in turns, and the brakes work better. Credit more sound insulation, a stiffened body structure and 15-inch all-terrain tires for the improvements. It's much easier now to keep the Cherokee tracking down a freeway lane without a lot of steering inputs, a problem in the '91.
The test Jeep was equipped with an $835 suspension option called Up Country. It includes a locking differential, skid plates, tow hooks, special shocks, a full-size spare tire and a beefed up radiator - all good things if you plan on doing any serious off-road driving.
The $1,510 option package that qualified my test Cherokee as a Sport version, included mostly convenience/comfort stuff such as AC, floor mats, power mirrors, a roof rack, tilt steering, a leather steering wheel and rear wiper/washer.
Also nicely cleaned up for '97 is the instrument panel and steering wheel, both of which were sources of serious criticism six years ago. The steering wheel now contains an air bag, something the '91 lacked, and the three steel spokes are gone, thank heaven. There is also a passenger airbag.
But other aspects of the interior have not changed much. The back seat is still pretty cramped, and the back-seat ride quality is harsher than the front, due to the seat's position nearly over the rear axle. Also, the door openings are still narrow, particularly rear doors, and you must step up pretty high to get in - but then you bump your head.
Equally annoying is the tall door sill that you must step over and then down to get inside the car. I can't think of another sport-ute that presents tougher ingress and egress.
The engine in my test car was a 4-liter, 190-horsepower, 6-cylinder coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission, the same specs as in the 1991. Power was adequate, 0 to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds, but the fuel mileage of 15 mpg in city driving and 21 on the highway means you'll be making plenty of trips to the gas station to fill up the oversize 20-gallon tank. Figure on dropping $25 to $30 for each visit.
Chrysler still hasn't figured out where to put the spare tire so that it doesn't take up a good quarter to a third of the rear cargo space in the Cherokee. Other sport-utes hang them on the rear door or put them in a rack under the car.
Other options on my test car included a convenience package of power windows, doors, locks and remote keyless entry for $675. Anti-lock brakes were $600; the automatic tranny $945; four-wheel drive $395 (how could 4wd be optional on a Jeep?); tinted glass $270; rear window defroster $165; heated power mirrors $45 (they were supposed to be included in the Sport package); power driver's seat $300; fog lamps $110; cruise control $250; 15-inch aluminum wheels $245; and a CD/cassette stereo system with six Infinity speakers $760.
A $525 destination charge and a $550 reduction for a "Jeep discount" brought the total to $27,330.