Jeep Cherokee
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The Jeep Cherokee XJ is a tail of evolution in the 4×4 world. The Cherokee was an uncomfortable departure from the big, boxy, bulky Chevy and Ford trucks of the era. The Cherokee also represented a massive split from the signature design and intent of the rugged and pleasantly archaic CJ. When the Cherokee debuted in 1984, many lamented its unibody design and wagon-like appearance. Gone were the big, round headlights of the CJ. There was no folding windshield, no removable roof, no open-air driving with nothing but a roll bar to protect you. Why was this?
Turns out, 4×4 fans wanted everything the CJ could provide, but in a package that felt (and looked) more like a passenger vehicle than a military surplus from the 60’s. The Cherokee ruffled some diehard off-roaders’ feathers at first appearance, but the improved and more manageable, modern design gained favor and quickly became Jeep’s biggest hit of the 80’s.But why, exactly? How’d this wagon-on-‘roids go from hated to receiving “4×4 of The Year” by three publications?
For starters, the Cherokee was significantly lighter (around only 3,000 lbs.) and smaller than its predecessor, the Wagoneer, though it offered 71 cubic feet of cargo space and many more factory options. A powerful 4.0L six was offered, balancing fuel economy (a talking point after the ’79 oil crisis) and performance off-road. Command-Trac 4×4 managed that power efficiently, allowing the Cherokee to creep, crawl, climb and skim across dirt with ease. Quadra-Link suspension, a high factory ground clearance (8.3 inches, to be exact), and relatively high front and rear bumpers provided the Cherokee with excellent approach angles. The end result made the Cherokee exceptionally capable off-road.
What’s more, any initial thought that this unibody trucklet would be weak could be quickly dashed by peering under the chassis to find bit Dana 30 front and Dana 35 or 44 rear axles connected to a beefy transfer case. Full-time 4×4 was available, as was low-range gearing for those who enjoyed trails more than hardball pavement.
The Cherokee name survives today in the Chrysler-dodge lineup. Unfortunately, it appears to be more of an urbanite cross-over than the real Mohican, but the O.G. Cherokee remains a favorite. Good, capable examples with “the right stuff” can be bought for close to their scrap price, and many Cherokees with 250,000+ miles still roam streets and trails, thumping along reliably like old, wise protectors of the 4×4 realm.
