Jeep Cherokee Overland, we analyze this great all -terrain

Here comes the sun The Beatles (Abbey Road, 1969)

This afternoon we met a couple of poets by videoconference. And there is nothing more surreal than a poet by videoconference. Both inhabiting a bohemian and messy setting, looking at the camera like a ghost, out of frame, one with half a left face and the other whose chin barely peeked out. It was like watching two fish that had inadvertently climbed out of the tank in a risky pirouette and drowning in more bewilderment than panic. Although the sound was not perfect as they shared a poorly oriented microphone, we listened in silence.

Behind the triple glass of two screens and two pairs of glasses we intuit wise glances pending the simplicity of the universe to underline them. And then we chatted and commented on the absurdity of current times and they commented that the absurdity is that time runs and does not stop at all, not even in circumstances like these. Because it is difficult for poets to catch them at ground level with obviousness or jokes, they navigate in other waters without worrying about clothes. The minutes flew by, I think more than a hundred. And then we had to say goodbye. My parents were tired.

Before the SUV trend landed on the old continent in the United States, SUVs and Pickups have always been popular vehicles not only among rural drivers but also urban ones. Jeep, manufacturer of the original Jimmy, has also offered its buyers a range of SUVs of all sizes with certain capabilities to move on asphalt but without losing sight of driving off it.

Of the current Jeep range, the Cherokee, which we have had the opportunity to test, is the largest SUV sold in Europe and although it apparently competes with more civilized SUVs such as the Skoda Kodiaq, it actually has off-road capabilities that frame it more in other leagues although he maintains good road skills as we will see in the test. The Cherokee has been manufactured since 1974 under the name Liberty, so this American model does not lack experience.

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Jeep Cherokee Overland technical specifications

The exterior of the Cherokee keeps the master lines of this SUV that it has kept almost since its first versions, although it has undergone an aesthetic update in this latest generation that retouches details such as the groups optics or the bumpers that provide touches of modernity necessary to compete with models with sportier lines. It does not lose the hallmarks of the brand either, such as the seven-slot grill inspired by the front of the legendary Jimmy.

New look

The fog lights change their design to adopt a rounded one and the bumper wraps the grille that has been finished with chrome details that give it a certain elegance and that contrast with its imposing off-road plant . Both at the front and at the rear, the light clusters incorporate LED elements in addition to the tailgate light bar, which also has a new design that makes it lighter than the previous generation.

The interior of the Cherokee is very spacious, both in terms of habitability and glass surfaces and that is an important point in favor for the comfort of the occupants. The finishes and materials are quite good, although tending more to the functional than to the exclusive, unlike some SUVs that are less geared towards leaving the asphalt, which makes some sense since the life of these materials and finishes tends to be more suffered.

In the central part of the console we find the information and entertainment system screen flanked by two trapezoidal air vents that have been placed obliquely giving a curious aspect to that area that also incorporates some buttons such as the one for the lights emergency, activation and deactivation of the parking aid and lane change control systems. The 8.4-inch screen is too low so it is not ideal for us to keep our eyes on the road.

Uconnect

The system used is the Uconnect of the FCA group, which is quite effective, although with a somewhat outdated graphical presentation. It is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay so we can control certain mobile applications from the car system. Behind the steering wheel we find the classic configuration of indicators by means of two dials and an auxiliary screen between them with information.

The car is equipped with numerous driving aids such as a rear view camera, collision warning capable of automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection system, lane change warning, rear cross traffic warning in addition to other more common systems as a traffic detection system in the blind spot area of ​​the mirrors, the parking sensors called Parksense or the adaptive cruise control system that has worked without problems.

Comfort on all terrains

The front seats are spacious and comfortable with lumbar support and premium materials, which in our version were embossed with Overland as a reference to the version of this Jeep. The driving position is very good, with all controls easily accessible. We've also noticed plenty of storage spaces with excellent capacity from the space under the armrest to the generous door pockets.

Amplitude also reigns in the rear, with seats made from the same well-cared materials as those found in the front. There is a lot of space both for the legs and in width and somewhat less, curiously for this type of body, in height. For rear-seat passengers there are two air vents, a USB connection and even a 230-volt socket (an optional feature built into our test unit) available.

An interesting feature that gives it a lot of versatility when it comes to organizing cargo space and habitability is that the rear bench can be moved longitudinally. The trunk is large, with a capacity of 570 liters and a false bottom that adds even more cargo possibilities. Although the car is tall, to increase its off-road capabilities, access to the cargo area is quite comfortable.

On the outside

Regarding the behavior of the car, the model we were able to test was equipped with a large 2.2 turbodiesel engine that produces 195 horsepower. As an option we can find the 270-horsepower gasoline engine (much more "American") but that is reserved for the Trailhawk finish with characteristics that are even more off-road oriented and with less luxurious and road equipment than the Overland that we had in our hands.

The engine is a little noisy at low revs but not too loud because the sound insulation is quite effective. It is noticeable that an effort has been made to increase comfort both in soundproofing and in the comfort of the suspensions, somewhat soft for fast driving in curves but which are very comfortable for trips on roads with little turns or on highways. The seats, also comfortable and well padded, accompany this feeling.

The engine has enough power in any area of ​​the rev counter and is quite progressive, thanks also to the excellent operation of the automatic transmission. However, the weight of the vehicle and the configuration of the change means that the reactions to the accelerator are not immediate, so it cannot be said that it is a vehicle oriented towards sports driving despite being around the figure of two hundred horsepower.

But as we expected, where the Cherokee really comes into its own is when we leave asphalt for rougher terrain. The version we tested had the Jeep Active Drive I system for all-wheel drive control, but Jeep also offers Jeep Active Drive II, with gearbox and descent control, and even a third option with the possibility of locking the differential.

Despite not being the model most prepared to go off-road, the truth is that if we don't really seek to put it in difficulties, this Cherokee performs with surprising ease on dirt roads and terrain with little grip. The intelligent selector that is next to the gear lever takes care of configuring the parameters of the car for any type of terrain that we can find.

Conclusions

This Cherokee is a Jeep from head to toe, with good habitability, a powerful engine and off-road capabilities that no SUV that can be considered in its category can match. On the other hand, the interior finishes and materials, without being luxurious, represent an advance compared to previous generations and certainly do not clash with those that we can find with rivals in the same category.

We found the engine less bright than expected, but it works very effectively both on quiet roads and off-road. We found it to be a good balance between comfort and off-road capabilities and somewhat less exciting when looking for a more sporty use, but you can't have everything. It's a good choice if you're looking for a big, comfortable car that isn't afraid to take on the world off the road.