2014 Jeep Cherokee "Liberty"

[Joey D]

Jukes sell pretty well here in America, and it's not hard to see why: they're fun, they look like nothing else, they're fairly practical, and get decent fuel mileage. There's loads of people who want something like that. This Jeep will, if itss predecessors are any indicator, be unrefined and not fun at all, and will probably get fairly poor fuel mileage. I'd gladly own a Juke, but never in a million years would I buy this thing.

Have you ever driven a Juke? It's one of the worse vehicles I've ever driven and fun never really crossed my mind without the word "not" before it. It was slow, it felt poorly made and it sounded like a dying camel. I mean I think most Nissan's are pretty meh to begin with, but thought the Juke was exceptionally terrible. I drove it back to back to back against the MINI Countryman and the VW Tiguan. The MINI was stupidly slow too, but it felt mostly solid, but the price on it was down right laughable. I don't remember the Tiguan, it was even less inspiring than the Juke was I guess.

As for the Cherokee being unrefined, take a look at a Grand Cherokee, it's really well made and arguably the best product Chrysler makes. I can't imagine the Cherokee being any worse.

===

The new Cherokee should be really good off-road if all the rumors I'm hearing are true. I'm starting to come around to the design too, much like I came around to the Juke's design as well. I think I'm just glad to see automotive companies trying something new instead of going to the same formula time and time again.

The only way Jeep is going to do well with the Cherokee though is if it's priced well. If they put a stupid price tag on it, I can't see many people buying it. Also I'm guessing it will have a diesel option as well considering some of the test mules I saw had diesel engines in them.

 

[niky]

There's "ugly" because it's daring and different, which is the Juke, and thus the Juke sells.

The there's "ugly" because it's incoherent, incohesive and poorly thought out. That's this.

-

The B9, was that the Tribeca? Aside from the "flying vagina" front end, it was just dull.

 

[Joey D]

There's "ugly" because it's daring and different, which is the Juke, and thus the Juke sells.

The there's "ugly" because it's incoherent, incohesive and poorly thought out. That's this.

I don't think the Cherokee is that bad though. It's awkward because we rarely see anything like it, but it's one of the few vehicles I can honestly say that it looks like it's from the future.

 

[Omnis]

I'd love to drive one of these... That way I wouldn't have to look at it.

 

[AMWeaver47]

I'm seeing a lot of "should be good off-road" comments. Yeah, it should be better than a Charger I guess. Good off-road is an entirely relative term. It looks like it has decent enough ground clearance and approach angles but that's not the full picture. What about the gearing or torque curve of the engine? What will it have for axles and differentials? How about skid plates? Maybe most importantly, will it come with street geek tires and 18s? Yes it will. I think we are confusing off-road with a gravel driveway.

I can't quite figure the styling out. It's just not attractive from any angle. Personally I think cars like the Vehicross and Juke work because they are different. This "Cherokee" is just a monstrosity of automotive design and will never be a real Cherokee to me. Even the new Wranglers are getting soft. What happened to ripping the doors and top off? Now we have power windows and the same V6 as a Chrysler 200...

 

[YSSMAN]

I don't think the Cherokee is that bad though. It's awkward because we rarely see anything like it, but it's one of the few vehicles I can honestly say that it looks like it's from the future.

I'm in the same boat. It's growing on me, but I still have my concerns. I think that, as long as it performs well, it shouldn't be all that bad. I wouldn't be surprised to see a first-year revision, it seems to be a common thing these days. The Civic got it this year, the Malibu is getting it next, and it sounds like this will be on a single-year cycle as well.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

First year revisions are only for cars that were poorly designed originally, like the cars that you stated.

 

[MisterWhiskers]

Oh, you guys didn't know? Helen Keller designed it.

 

[homeforsummer]

Have you ever driven a Juke? It's one of the worse vehicles I've ever driven and fun never really crossed my mind without the word "not" before it. It was slow, it felt poorly made and it sounded like a dying camel.

I dunno whether the UK gets a different suspension setup, but I didn't find it too bad at all, and nor have any of the magazine reviews I've read. Verges on fun, even. I've only driven the diesel version too, which is actually a cracking little engine (it's a Renault unit, and used in everything from Dacias through Renaults to Nissans. Any small-ish car from any of the above usually has a 1.5 diesel option).

I don't think the Cherokee is that bad though. It's awkward because we rarely see anything like it, but it's one of the few vehicles I can honestly say that it looks like it's from the future.

I've seen the future! And it's covered in cock-awful chrome!

 

[buickgnx88]

Even the new Wranglers are getting soft. What happened to ripping the doors and top off? Now we have power windows and the same V6 as a Chrysler 200...

Actually you still can rip the doors (and top) off, you just have to unclip a plug to do so. Also, the engine in it now is much better than the previous 3.8.

 

[05XR8]

Looks like a Santa Fe from the side. Yucko.

 

[JacoJa]

I'm going to be brave and say that I love the look of this thing. I do love it when car makers step away from the mainstream and try to be daring with their designs. There's nothing worse than a design that's too conservative. The front of this thing has character. 👍 It'll look properly good if it were painted in that darkish Jeep Green Metallic paint, too.

 

[Keef]

Why. Why is there so much visual mass in the back?

It's an odd design but the white color doesn't help. White always hides contours and the gloss finish does not conduct highlights as the designer intended.

I think people are getting way too upset about this. I'd much rather have a weird looking Jeep than a one that looks the same as they have for decades. After all, this isn't a Wrangler, it's designed to actually compete with something. The Wrangler doesn't compete with anything. And then of course the brand's name is Jeep, probably the weirdest name in the whole industry.

The thing with the Juke is, it's not downright ugly. It's quirky, slightly odd to look at, but it's not repulsive, like an Aztek, an Acura ZDX, or this. It's practical and quite frugal, too, which helps a lot. I wasn't a believer at first, but I now see the appeal of it.

Perhaps in darker colors this will be a bit better, but I have my doubts...

I actually think the ZDX is one of the best looking cars on the road. The design is very cohesive, clean, elegant and sporty. The later-model Azteks were decent once they got rid of the disgusting GM gray plastic cladding, but it ever was a good design. The Juke is a complete nonsense design - it's so terribly incohesive and inelegant that people's reaction is, wow, that's so very different than anything I've ever seen that I like it. Not many people bother to judge design methodically and instead rely on their first emotional response to it. That means the ZDX is cold and robotic, the Aztek is just wtf, and the Juke is super exciting and youthful. Must I make another reference to Helvetica and how it's the greatest thing that nobody ever notices?

I think there's a lot of people out there who would like to own a Jeep on one condition - that it doesn't look like a relic from WW2. That leaves the Grand Cherokee, the redesigned Compass - both of which sell pretty well - and this. I think it's a good gamble.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I agree with P. J. O'Rourke about the Jeep Wrangler: it's flawed, but it's a truly charismatic vehicle, unlike anything else ont he road. And it will go almost anywhere. I probably wouldn't buy one, because I'd prefer a sports car, but they have an appeal of their own. But that doesn't mean that the rest of Jeep's lineup should be retro.

 

[homeforsummer]

Not many people bother to judge design methodically and instead rely on their first emotional response to it.

I find this too. I'm prepared to make exceptions with something like the Juke as I can see what they were trying to achieve with it. With the Cherokee/Liberty, it's not interesting enough to justify its ugly.

 

[Katiegan]

Honestly, I think it looks like it had an allergic reaction to itself.

Also, this:

 

[Tornado]

First year revisions are only for cars that were poorly designed originally, like the cars that you stated.

This is also true, I suppose. This is the same company that sold this:

With the power softtop that took up more space than the power hard top version. For five years. On the other hand, I'd like to think that Fiat!Chrysler is one that would take steps to fix a car if it came out and everyone said "why should I care" like Honda did with the Civic.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I think that eventually Marchionne will have them o the right track, but the keyword is "eventually."

 

[YSSMAN]

This is also true, I suppose. This is the same company that sold this:

To be fair, it did become this:

And that's a car I wouldn't feel to bad piloting. For the most part, they've done a hell of a job redoing everything that Daimler tried to ruin. The 200/Avenger is actually halfway decent, the Patriot/Compass are pretty nice, almost everything is between a notch or three better. It makes me wonder what the rest of the Fiat-Chrysler cars will look like going forward... Well, after they dump the Fiat line on us, anyway.

 

[Endless-Wilso]

Don't like this new Jeep but they have done great on the new 200 & 300 styling and the new Ram truck's features wise are now really good.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Don't like this new Jeep but they have done great on the new 200 & 300 styling and the new Ram truck's features wise are now really good.

The 300 is a great looking car. The 200, however, is pretty awkward. It's not ugly, but the proportions aren't pretty, and it looks dull and a bit ugly next to the Kia Optima, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and even the Mazda6. On the other hand, they turned what was possibly the worst car on the market into a passable vehicle.

 

[niky]

The new 300C styling as pretty nice. I think it's pretty brave of Chrysler to step away from the retro-styling of old and go in a more post-modern (yet still "deco") style direction.

Actually you still can rip the doors (and top) off, you just have to unclip a plug to do so. Also, the engine in it now is much better than the previous 3.8.

The funny thing about the current Wrangler, it's much quieter on the road than a car you can take apart without power tools should be. Those removable doors and that removable roof are pretty good at keeping outside noise out.

And I adore the way the car squirms off the line when you torque brake that new diesel motor with the traction control off.

 

[Encyclopedia]

That is awful. Both name and looks.

 

[DeathSmiles]

Smh. Looks like something Kia threw away while desiging their current SUV/Crossovers, and Jeep snuck in there, and yanked it out the trash.

Naw, I don't like it at all.

 

[Lock2Lock]

Smh. Looks like something Kia threw away while desiging their current SUV/Crossovers,

That's the car I was thinking it looked like.


It took me a while to like this...

design but it has warmed up to me i love driving it.

 

[homeforsummer]

From here

 

[sumbrownkid]

Wow people are just deucing on this car. I've not seen such detest for a design since the Pontiac Aztek (just disgusting to the eyes).

 

[homeforsummer]

There's an Aztek on my estate. In the UK. I thought I'd be safe from them here.

 

[Fazerfan]

Thats ugly, specially the front lights. They are just too small.

 

[YSSMAN]

There's an Aztek on my estate. In the UK. I thought I'd be safe from them here.

Good god, I hope it's a promotional piece for the new season of Breaking Bad.