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What do our experts think of the 2023 Jeep Cherokee? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
2023 Jeep Cherokee – jeep.com | Shop 2023 Jeep Cherokee on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Jeep Cherokee?
2023 marks the end of the road for the fifth generation of the Jeep Cherokee. It’ll go out with less trim levels, two engines, and 4WD no matter what other options get selected. The 2023 Jeep Cherokee drops the V6 and the base FWD version from the 2022 lineup. It’s now down to just two available trim levels, Altitude Lux and Trailhawk.
The Breakdown
Great Trailhawk trim
Standard 4WD
Standard advanced driver aids
Weak base engine
Uninspiring interior
Small cargo area
Weak base engine
The last of its generation
2023 Cherokee Specs
- 180 horsepower from base engine
- 171 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 2 available trims
- 25.8 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 54.7 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- 4,000-lb towing capacity
- 8.4-inch infotainment screen
- Standard lane-departure warning
- 3 years of free maintenance
2023 Jeep Cherokee Powertrain
Many SUVs in this space have a number of trim levels that all drive just about the same. That couldn’t be much different here. The driving experience in the 2023 Jeep Cherokee is considerably different depending on the trim level that one buys. The base trim, called Altitude Lux, comes with a fuel-economy-focused 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine. It develops 180 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. In our testing, it’s simply a bit too weak to really provide any sort of fun from behind the wheel. At the same time, it’s perfectly capable otherwise. The pedals provide ample feedback and the steering is light and easy to place.
The Cherokee Trailhawk is decidedly more engaging. Not only does it feature a number of terrain settings, but it’s equipped with all-terrain tires and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It feels downright quick in a straight line, but the tires do make it a little less accurate in terms of lane placement. At the same time, the additional equipment makes it a far more impressive package in our eyes. Off-roaders can rejoice knowing that this Jeep Cherokee will have no problem getting you out into the great outdoors and back home safely and reliably. Both engines employ the same nine-speed automatic transmission and standard 4WD.
Towing & Payload
At most, the 2023 Jeep Cherokee can tow up to 4,000 pounds. That’s down a bit from a maximum last year of 4,500 pounds, but keep in mind that number was achieved only with the now-discontinued 3.2-liter V6.
2023 Jeep Cherokee Fuel economy
According to the EPA, the base 2023 Jeep Cherokee can get up to 21 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway with its 2.4-liter engine. The smaller, turbocharged 2.0-liter is rated for 20 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway. We’d say that Jeep needs an electrified version to keep up with competition, but the Cherokee is about to leave production.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The overarching feeling inside the cabin of the Cherokee is that everything’s just fine. The dashboard, infotainment layout, and center control stack are all acceptable but far from innovative, interesting, or impressive. At the same time, touches like the standard leather upholstery, the heavily-bolstered seats, and the optional panoramic sunroof all add a lot of luxury and quality not often found in Cherokee rivals.
All five Jeep Cherokee seats are spacious enough for adults and that includes great headroom and legroom in each row. We’ve criticized the interior for feeling a bit tight and cramped, but that mostly comes down to the smallish side windows. Rear visibility is good and ride comfort is a strong suit as well. It’s worth noting that the all-terrain tires on the Trailhawk are a bit loud and rumbly when compared to the all-season tires on the Altitude Lux.
The Jeep Cherokee’s cargo space is also okay. With just 25.8 cubic feet of storage space in the back, it’s not the most accommodating gear hauler. Fold those rear seats down and you’ll get 54.7 cubic feet which is good but not great. Rivals like the CR-V manage more with less. Those who want more while sticking with Jeep can look at the Grand Cherokee or even larger Grand Cherokee L.
Entertainment & Technology
Every 2023 Jeep Cherokee gets the same 8.4-inch infotainment screen equipped with UConnect 4. As infotainment user interfaces go, it’s one of the best and in the case of the Cherokee, it comes with integrated navigation as standard. On top of that, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are standard too which should streamline the process for those that prefer them.
Drivers get a 7-inch information display too and it’s informative without being too complicated. The cluster is bright and easy to read too. Steering-wheel-mounted controls aid in operating both the gauge cluster menu and the infotainment system. A pair of USB ports are available for front occupants and a second pair sits available in the second row.
Safety Features
Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has released any safety data regarding the 2023 Jeep Cherokee as of this writing. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that both trim levels come with a full suite of safety technology. It includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, and more.
2023 Jeep Cherokee Trims & Pricing
Altitude Lux – $37,695
The base 2023 Jeep Cherokee starts out with 17-inch wheels, all-season tires, leather seats, an 8.4-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, six speakers, a 7-inch driver information display, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and a heated steering wheel. Safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-path detection.
Trailhawk – $41,295
The off-road-focused version of the Cherokee comes with the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, unique 17-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, seats covered with cloth and vinyl, red interior stitching, skid plates, tow hooks, a two-speed transfer case, a rear locking differential, and a one-inch lift.
Warranties
Jeep offers the same super-basic everyday warranty package that most of the industry does. It includes three years or 36,000 miles of limited coverage and five years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage. Jeep stands out from the crowd a bit by offering three years of complimentary maintenance on the 2023 Jeep Cherokee. That’s something you won’t get from rivals at GMC, Chevrolet, or Ford.
What We Think
2023 Jeep Cherokee – jeep.com | Shop 2023 Jeep Cherokee on Carsforsale.com
It’s getting increasingly harder to find an SUV at this price point with everything that the Cherokee has going for it. Real off-roading capability packaged with a decent interior, a full advanced driver aid suite, and free maintenance for three years. Sure, it’s far from perfect and could use a lot of little improvements, but we say get it while you can because, after 2023, the Cherokee is gone.
