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I$ORDS Rtr l)ill.on PIIOTOGRAPHS Don lNtkrlin

he Jeep name has always been

synonymous with the tough

ready-to-go-anywhere-and-bring-

anything-back practicality born of

military need. Even the name !eep'stemsfrom military slang for'untested vehicle',

though many believe the Just Enough

Essential Parts'acronym earned during the

Korean War for its Spartan design is a more

accurate tag.

With the new Cherokee, Jeep seeks to

combine luxury car-like cruising attributes

with the proven off-road ability for which the

marque is known. The four-cylinder diesel

available only in the top-spec Limited is the

best choice, as it combines economy with

towing power.

The 2.8-litre engine really punches above its

weight in terms of performance, surging the

Cherokee forward like a sumo wrestler

launching into an opponent. A crushing

460Nm of torque is available from 2000rpm,

which is more than enough to propel the near

two-tonne Jeep with great vigour. This torqueis also handy to help the Jeep tow levelled

loads of up to 2270k9, or 1600k9 without a

load-levelling device.

Fuel consumption is good, with a claimed

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average for highway cruis ng of 7.Bl/100kmand 9.4 ove'a l, although du'ng oJ'test we

achieved an average of 10.1 /100km.

The interror of the diesel Cherokee is a nice

place to be, wrth full leather seats and an

optional MyGIG stereo system that features a

20GB hard drlve, USB connectivity and DVD

player for providing comfort and entertainment

on long journeys. However, space is hard to

find in the passenger and drlver footwells, and

the steering wheel doesn't adjust to reach. I

aTso found the handbrake, located on the

wrong side of the centre console,

inconvenient to use.

The Cherokee's redeemlng feature is thetwo-way fabric roof opt on for the Limited that

can open either forwards or backwards

aLlowing alL passengers, f ront, rear or bolh to

enjoy open-top motoring.

Cargo space is 419 litres wlth the rear seats

up and '1404 litres when folded. The rear seats

fold to create a f lat f loor, and cargo hooks are

provided to secure loads.

The automatic taiigate window can be

opened rndependently of the tai gate, and is

handy when shopping or carrying long loads.A butro^ on Lhe <ey'ob activares it.

Rlde comfort is not bad on smooth roads,

which is probably down to the unitary chassis

and coil springs aiL round, though there is

some skittishness over potholes.

Four-wheeL drive is selectable on the move

with both high and low ranges avai able on the

five-speed auto, though our test route only

saw the Cherokee travel on wet gravel roads.

The Cherokee has parking sensors but no

reversing camera, which is odd given the

seven-rnch screen in the dash. lt's easy

enough to park, but some assistance would

be a welcome add tion, especially whenhitching a caravan.

Whlle the Cherokee isn't perfect, it makes

up for the shortcomings of a cramped interior

with optional extras like the retracting roof and

excellent sound system, which do help to

make the package more appealing, as does

r^e sroot'l, torqJey d esel eng ne.

The Cherokee def initely has rts nrche, and

would make a good tow car for those looking

for a capable 4WD loaded with extras. O

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- ,#TECHSD-e

MODEL/MAKE

JEEP CHEROKEELIMITED DIESET 2.8RRP: $56,990AS TESTED

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