Jeep Cherokee Limited 2018 first drive

The Jeep Cherokee has come a long way since the first-generation Jeep  SJ model was launched way back in 1974. The fifth-generation Cherokee we have here has lost the boxy, all-American image of that original, instead morphing into an SUV that carries very few features indeed to help distinguish it from its competitors in what is now one of the most crowded segments there is - seven-bar grille aside.

For 2018, Jeep has treated the Cherokee to a facelift. Gone is the squinty-eyed front end of the 2014 model; it has been replaced by a far more classically handsome (if a little forgettable) nose. At the same time, a range of new active safety systems and updated infotainment software have been introduced.

For the UK, the sole engine available is likely to be the same 2.2-litre four-cylinder Multijet II diesel from before, offered in a single 192bhp state of tune. This is paired with a nine-speed automatic gearbox that, in our pre-production test car, sent its power to all four wheels.

As before, the Cherokee’s suspension architecture consists of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear.

Frankly, it's rather disappointing. In fact, there’s precious little about the manner in which the Jeep Cherokee drives that would give any of its rivals any real cause for concern.

The ride, for instance, is almost perpetually choppy and unsettled, with even the smallest imperfection in the road surface causing it to lose nearly all of its composure. Short-wave undulations cause its vertical body control to all but go out the window, while potholes and expansion joints send fairly forceful jolts through the cabin - even at lower speeds. On all but the smoothest roads, the Cherokee doesn’t make for particularly comfortable motoring. That said, on those rare sections of smooth road, the Cherokee does regain some composure, but not enough to make up for its shortcomings elsewhere.

One such shortcoming is its engine. With 192bhp and 332lb ft on tap, the Jeep Jeep Cherokee feels like it’s capable of hitting its claimed 0-62mph time of 8.8sec, but the manner in which it goes about completing that undertaking isn’t what you’d call calm or refined. The MultiJet II motor is particularly vocal under throttle, while the timbre of its four-cylinder soundtrack is harsh and unrefined - although things do quieten down when you return to a steady cruise.