1
NEWS
2014 Jeep Cherokee's radical design the new norm
Provocative Jeep Cherokee is indicative of a new design "trajectory" at Jeep... except for WranglerThe all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee is a radical departure for the iconic American 4WD/SUV brand in terms of styling, showing off a dramatically different exterior design to any Jeep before it.
But it's something that had to happen, says the car's lead designer, Greg Howell, to give the car global appeal but was also dictated by the need for more fuel efficiency and safety.
"It's a global vehicle and a lot of what you see in the design also comes from pedestrian protection," Howell explained to motoring.com.au at the car's launch in Los Angeles, highlighting aerodynamics as another key area that influenced the vehicle's arresting design.
Although the new Cherokee has experienced a few teething problems in the lead up to its launch, the company expects it to be Jeep's second best-selling model in all major markets, including Europe, the USA and China – behind the Grand Cherokee.
"If this is going to be a global vehicle with true appeal it can't look like what every American would expect it to look like. It has to have a European flavour but still be a Jeep. We did try to do something modern that appealed to audiences in Europe, China, America, Canada, Brazil, you name it."
The Ohio-born car designer says the new design was about "showing our audience something they haven't seen before".
He explained that despite the Cherokee's radical new design, it's still one of the most capable 4WDs available.
"It wasn’t really out of spite [that we tried something new], it was done on purpose. It was done to say 'Hey, we're marching this thing in a different direction, and here's why – it actually is functional'. And there are bits that relate it back to its Jeep heritage too.
"It still goes off road, it's easy to see out of, it's versatile. It's about breakover, departure, approach angles, tow hooks, offset on wheels. The message we got from potential customers was that it had to be versatile, athletic but modern."
Based on the small Fiat Group platform that forms the backbone of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the new Cherokee will be the world's first SUV with a nine-speed automatic gearbox, and likely the second vehicle in Australia to offer a nine-speed cog-swapper (after the Range Rover Evoque arrives in February).
Originally set for an October 2013 release, the Cherokee was pushed back until the first quarter of 2014 and now its local release has been pushed back again until the second quarter of 2014.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed but is expected to start from $30,000 and three engine types will be offered, 2.4-litre four and 3.2-litre six-cylinder petrol engines, plus a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit.
The new Cherokee will be pitched as a technology-leader in the medium SUV segment too, sporting 10 airbags as standard, trailer sway control and things like radar cruise control, lane departure warning and correction and automatic braking via a forward collision detection system.
Simply put, Jeep is ready to show the world it can create class-leading vehicles.
Howell says we can expect most new Jeep vehicles to have much stronger Euro-flavoured designs. Just not the Wrangler. It'll be an all-American hero and keep its slab-sided, rugged aesthetic.
"Two schools of thought: Wrangler goes on its current progression, and the rest of our line-up goes on a completely different trajectory," said Howell.
"We work on the rest of the product to keep the Wrangler safe. The Wrangler is inherently inefficient, CO2 regulations going the way they are, so we have to do the other part of the line-up completely differently than we would have in the past."
Quizzed about whether the Cherokee would have been a different vehicle if designed primarily for its domestic North American market, and Howell was unequivocal.
"I believe so. I believe it would have looked different if we hadn't had looked [for new influences].
"If we had stayed in America it would have come out differently for sure. But it was time to mix it up."
Stay tuned for our full on and off-road review of the new Cherokee. But in the meantime, what do you think of the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee's design? Have your say in the comments section below.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Share this article
Written byFeann Torr
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todaySell your car with Instant Offer™
Like trade-in but price is regularly higher
1. Get a free Instant Offer™ online in minutes2. An official local dealer will inspect your car3. Finalise the details and get paid the next business day
Get a free Instant Offer
Looking for a family car?Get the latest advice and reviews on family car that's right for you.
Explore the Family Hub
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.