The Jeep Cherokee is a charming small SUV. Fitted with either one of its optional engines — a turbocharged four-cylinder or a V6 — the Cherokee is more fun to drive than you might expect. And, as with its Grand Cherokee sibling, its off-road ability and maximum towing capacity are both excellent for the class.
Rival SUVs you might want to cross-shop include the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. The Cherokee is a solid option here, with a smooth ride that is good enough for the average commuter, plus rugged chops to satisfy adventurous drivers. That’s a tough line to straddle, but the Cherokee pulls it off well enough to earn a decent spot in rankings.
The newly created Latitude Lux trim could be the way to go. It delivers a lot of features that enhance the Cherokee ownership experience, striking a nice balance of comfort, capability and price. With the savings, you can option up to the more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and the Comfort and Convenience package with upgraded technology. If you’re planning to venture into any sort of off-roading, however, the Trailhawk is the way to go.
The 2021 Jeep Cherokee is a five-seat small SUV available in five main trim levels: Latitude, Latitude Plus, Latitude Lux, the rugged Trailhawk and the range-topping Limited. You might also see some designations such as Altitude or High Altitude, but these are essentially styling packages that add on to the main trims.
Most Cherokees come with standard front-wheel drive and offer four-wheel drive as an option. The exception is the Trailhawk, which has standard four-wheel drive.
Latitude
The entry-level Latitude trim offers a basic yet comfortable package that comes with:
Standard driver aids include:
Latitude Plus
Adds more creature comforts such as:
Latitude Lux
This new trim level includes:
Trailhawk
Feature-wise, the off-road-oriented Trailhawk is similar to the Latitude Plus. But it does also come with:
Limited
Most luxurious trim in the Cherokee range boasts:
Many of the extra standard features on the upper trims can be added to the lower trims as options. Other main options include: