Jeep Cherokee

Which Jeep Cherokee Version Should You Buy?

The Jeep Cherokee version to choose depends on whether you prioritize acceleration, fuel economy, ground clearance, or older mechanical layouts. From the measured catalogue figures, the fifth-generation restyling’s 2.0 AT with 270 hp, AWD, and Automatic transmission is the performance choice: it reaches 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds.

The Jeep Cherokee version to choose depends on whether you prioritize acceleration, fuel economy, ground clearance, or older mechanical layouts. From the measured catalogue figures, the fifth-generation restyling’s 2.0 AT with 270 hp, AWD, and Automatic transmission is the performance choice: it reaches 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. Its 2.2 AT diesel alternative with 195 hp and AWD uses 6.6 l/100 km combined and delivers 450 Nm. Among earlier models, the fourth-generation 2.8 AT diesel with 200 hp provides 460 Nm, while the second-generation 4.0 AT and 4.0 MT offer the familiar 192 hp Gasoline inline-six specification. The catalogue contains nine generation entries, including restylings, but these consolidate into six numbered generations; the sixth generation starts in 2025 and has no measured modification specifications.

Jeep Cherokee generations: what changed?

The first generation ran from 1974 to 1983 as an SUV 5-doors, with 24 versions recorded. The displayed specifications cover 4.2 MT, 4.2 AT, 5.9 MT, 5.9 AT, and 6.6 AT. Every displayed version is AWD. The 4.2-litre versions produce 95 or 97 hp, whereas the 5.9-litre versions range from 160 to 175 hp. The most powerful listed version is 6.6 AT with 210 hp and 415 Nm, although another 6.6 AT has 195 hp and the same 415 Nm.

The second generation ran from 1983 to 1997 as an SUV 3-doors and lists 36 versions. Its displayed range includes 2.1 MT, 2.5 MT, 2.5 AT, 2.8 MT, 4.0 MT, and 4.0 AT, with RWD and AWD alternatives. The restyling ran from 1997 to 2001, remained an SUV 3-doors, and lists 18 versions. Its displayed choices comprise 2.5 MT, 2.5 AT, 4.0 MT, and 4.0 AT. Depending on specification, the 2.5-litre Gasoline engine develops 127 hp, while the 4.0-litre Gasoline inline-six develops 192 hp.

The third generation ran from 2001 to 2005 as an SUV 5-doors and lists 8 versions. The range includes 2.4 MT, 2.5 MT, 2.8 MT, 2.8 AT, 3.7 MT, and 3.7 AT, all listed with AWD. Its 2004–2007 restyling remained an SUV 5-doors and expanded to 9 versions with the same broad engine families. The restyled 2.4 MT appears with 147 or 150 hp, the diesel 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT reach 163 hp, and the Gasoline 3.7 MT and 3.7 AT reach 210 hp.

The fourth generation ran from 2007 to 2014 as an SUV 5-doors and lists 4 versions: 2.8 MT diesel with 200 hp, 2.8 AT diesel with either 177 or 200 hp, and 3.7 AT Gasoline with 205 hp. All use AWD. Compared with the previous generation’s 163 hp 2.8 AT, the 200 hp fourth-generation 2.8 AT adds 37 hp and increases torque from 400 to 460 Nm.

The fifth generation ran from 2013 to 2018 as an SUV 5-doors and lists 11 versions. It introduced FWD alternatives alongside AWD and combined 2.0 MT, 2.0 AT, 2.2 AT, 2.4 AT, and 3.2 AT versions. The restyling starts in 2017, remains an SUV 5-doors, and lists 13 versions, of which 12 are displayed. The restyled range includes 2.0 AT, 2.2 AT, 2.4 AT, 2.4L Limited FWD, and 3.2 AT, with both Gasoline and Diesel engines.

The sixth generation starts in 2025 as an SUV 5-doors. It currently lists 0 versions, so engine size, horsepower, torque, gearbox, drive, performance, economy, weight, ground clearance, tank capacity, and wheel sizes are all not measured. Consequently, the supplied data cannot support a comparison of Jeep Cherokee 2026 specs, horsepower, or hybrid versions.

Jeep Cherokee engine options and specs

Repeated names identify distinct specifications, so horsepower and drive are included where needed.

The strongest power-per-litre result is the restyled fifth-generation 2.0 AT with 270 hp: 135.3 hp per litre. The 272 hp 3.2 AT produces approximately 84.0 hp per litre, while the 195 hp 2.2 AT produces approximately 89.3 hp per litre. The 2.0 AT therefore makes about 51.3 more hp per litre than the 272 hp 3.2 AT.

Jeep Cherokee performance, mpg, and economy

For maximum acceleration, choose the restyled fifth-generation AWD 2.0 AT with 270 hp. It reaches 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a measured top speed of 206 km/h. The AWD 3.2 AT with 272 hp takes 8.1 seconds and also reaches 206 km/h, making the 270 hp 2.0 AT quicker by 1.6 seconds despite having 2 hp less.

For measured diesel economy, the fifth-generation FWD 2.0 MT with 140 hp records 6.4 l/100 km in the city, 4.6 l/100 km on the highway, and 5.3 l/100 km combined. The AWD version records 6.8, 4.9, and 5.7 l/100 km respectively. AWD therefore adds 0.4 l/100 km in the city, 0.3 on the highway, and 0.4 combined.

In the restyled fifth generation, the FWD 2.2 AT with 195 hp records 7.2 l/100 km city, 5.4 highway, and 6.1 combined. Its AWD counterpart records 7.7, 6.0, and 6.6 l/100 km. AWD adds 0.5 l/100 km combined, while reducing the 0–100 km/h time from 9.1 to 8.8 seconds.

The restyled AWD 2.0 AT with 270 hp records 12.0 l/100 km city, 7.2 highway, and 9.0 combined. The AWD 2.2 AT uses 2.4 l/100 km less combined but takes 2.3 seconds longer to reach 100 km/h.

For entries without consumption or speed figures, those values are not measured. This applies to several versions, particularly where the catalogue supplies engine and transmission data without a complete performance test.

Jeep Cherokee dimensions, weight, ground clearance, tank, and wheels

The restyled fifth-generation 270 hp AWD 2.0 AT has a kerb weight of 1885 kg, gross weight not measured, ground clearance of 201 mm, and a 60-litre tank. Its weight-to-power ratio is approximately 7.0 kg per hp.

The restyled 195 hp AWD 2.2 AT weighs 1952 kg, giving approximately 10.0 kg per hp. Gross weight is not measured, clearance is 201 mm, and tank capacity is 60 litres. The FWD 2.2 AT weighs 1834 kg, has 150 mm of clearance, and uses the same 60-litre tank. Choosing AWD therefore adds 118 kg and 51 mm of clearance in these listed specifications.

The restyled 2.4L Limited FWD weighs 1885 kg, has a gross weight of 2453 kg, 150 mm of clearance, and a 60-litre tank. Its listed wheel sizes are 225/55 R18 and 225/60 R18. Most other displayed restyled versions list 225/60 R17, 225/65 R17, 245/65 R17, 225/55 R18, 225/60 R18, and 235/50 R19.

Older generations use larger measured tanks: the first generation has 83 litres, the displayed second-generation versions have 76 litres, and third-generation restyled versions have 78 litres. The fourth generation has 70 litres, while the fifth generation has 60 litres. Ground clearance reaches 220 mm on several displayed second-generation specifications and 222 mm on several restyled fifth-generation versions, although the value varies by version.

Which Jeep Cherokee version should you buy—and why?

Choose the restyled fifth-generation 270 hp AWD 2.0 AT if acceleration is the priority. Its 6.5-second sprint is 1.6 seconds quicker than the 272 hp AWD 3.2 AT, while both have a measured top speed of 206 km/h. The 2.0 AT also supplies 400 Nm, 85 Nm more than the 272 hp 3.2 AT.

Choose the restyled fifth-generation 195 hp AWD 2.2 AT if you want the strongest measured compromise between torque, economy, and clearance. It delivers 450 Nm, uses 6.6 l/100 km combined, reaches 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds, and provides 201 mm of clearance. The FWD 2.2 AT lowers combined consumption to 6.1 l/100 km and weight to 1834 kg, but clearance falls to 150 mm.

Choose the fifth-generation 140 hp FWD 2.0 MT if minimum measured consumption matters most. Its 5.3 l/100 km combined figure is 1.3 l/100 km below that of the restyled 195 hp AWD 2.2 AT, although its 12.0-second acceleration time is 3.2 seconds slower.

Choose the fourth-generation 200 hp 2.8 AT if you want the highest torque among the displayed pre-fifth-generation versions. Its 460 Nm exceeds the third-generation restyled 163 hp 2.8 AT by 60 Nm, while its 9.9-second acceleration is 2.3 seconds quicker than that earlier version’s 12.2 seconds.

Choose a second-generation restyled 192 hp 4.0 AT or 4.0 MT if the desired specification is a Gasoline, 6-cylinder, Inline engine with RWD or AWD alternatives. Choose the first-generation 210 hp 6.6 AT only on the catalogue numbers that define it: AWD, 415 Nm, an 11.6-second 0–100 km/h time, and 23.3 l/100 km combined consumption. Reliability, engine problems, engine-oil requirements, warning-light causes, prices, and cars for sale are not measured in the supplied data, so they cannot determine the recommendation.