Simply stated, the Jeep Cherokee XJ is far and away one of the greatest non-Wrangler and non-CJ Jeeps ever made...for many reasons. Over the past 3 years I have researched just about every Jeep model produced, and I have found that among all of the models ever designed and built, the Cherokee is a "sleeper" among the rest.
The Cherokee XJ was first built starting with American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1984, and by 1987 belonged to Chrysler, LLC. The last Cherokee was produced in 2001, being replaced by the new Jeep Liberty KJ in 2002. So, for 17 years this boxy creation was hitting the pavement and back-roads as the family SUV, work and school commuter, week-end adventurer and even hard-core off roader. It was available as a 2-door or 4-door model with a full lift rear hatch.
The Cherokee XJ was also available in 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. The engines utilized were the 2.5L 4-cylinder, a 2.8L GM V6 (1984 thru 1986), an optional 126 cubic inch 4-cylinder turbo diesel (1985 to 1987) and the now legendary 4.0L straight 6-cylinder (1987 through 2001).The 2-door model was most often a base model usually with the 2-wheel drive option, smaller motor and the 5 speed manual transmission. The 4-door Cherokee is most often found in both 2 and 4-wheel drive, but with the automatic transmission and the larger 4.0L engine.So, what makes the Cherokee XJ so special?The answers are quite simple. The Jeep Cherokee XJ is:
- relatively roomy,
- multi-purposed,
- comfortable,
- available in 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive,
- found with 2-doors or 4-doors,
- a convenient ride with a very durable and functional engine, 4-wheel drive package, 2-speed transfer case and air conditioning to boot.
