2008equinox Yeah, I think after you start adding options to the Trailhawk you're looking at a $35k car. IMO, very few people buying a Cherokee will take it offroad and spending more for a Trailhawk is a waste of money. You're better off getting a Toyota 4Runner SR5 for less or a base Wrangler if you're even remotely considering going offroad. This is nothing more than an appearance package for urban dwellers and soccer moms.
ToAstYNaChO Those don't matter when you are built off a unibody frame with independent front and independent rear suspension. It's a crossover with an appearance package. Have you seen videos of the Cherokee offroading? The suspension has no travel and no flex. You can't even lift the damn thing!!! Rocky Road Outfitters looked at the possibility of adding a lift to the Cherokee but due to its suspension and lack of adjustment in the alignment system found out that the install of the lift could only be done by an auto shop and labor cost would be in the $1000-$2000 range. That is minus the cost of the a suspension itself. So to date you don't even have an option to buy any type of lift in the Cherokee. That's why there are literally no aftermarket parts for it, no one wants to touch it and basically the Jeep diehards have shunned it. Whereas with any Wrangler or any 4Runner there are literally tons of aftermarket parts available.
I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Im going from my Ram 2500, two solid AAM axles, with mud tires, generous ground clearance, and various mods, to this, simply because it's cheap, capable, and needs no modification to do what i want to do, mostly road riding, but that occasional urge to tear up a field
Gazziza29 Makes sense, the manufacturer is trying limit that kind of thing b/c ya know we're in the new age where the main focus is largely mpg. It's in the affortable, daily driver class so there's really no need to lift it. At 8.7'' of ground clearance it's in the same class/closest competitor is the Subaru Forester. To be honest the Cherokee Trailhawk is more of a more capable "softroader" than a true offroader.
My dad is a finance manager across 3 dealerships (mainly 2) and he gets to demo out new vehicles. He just returned a 2015 Challenger and came back home with a Cherokee because he wanted to see what it's like. It's not a loaded up trailhawk but it's still a great suv. It comes standard with a lot of cool things like a large touch screen and secret storage compartments on the top of the dash or inside the seats.
I bought the 2015 Cherokee Trailhawk for my wife. I have owned a 1995 cherokee H.O. ( I still own it and would drive it anywhere ), a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 4.7 H.O. ( I put this jeep trough HELL! Mud, street racing, hill climbing) it threw a rod after years of serious abuse at 180,000 miles. I have taken the 2015 trailhawk off-road and it has never missed a beat! It will do exceptionally more than either of the previous jeeps I've owned. The price was a little more than I think it should be, but that gives the people on reviews like this something to be mad about. Lol it's a very effective, and off road capable vehicle. After you clean the mud off it's a nice date night vehicle too! People in my town rave about how awesome it is!
+Lance I've heard about the transmission problems too! So far so good. It's almost due for it's 2nd service. It has around 11,000 miles on it, and it still impresses me every time I sit in the drivers seat. No issues whatsoever.
I traded in my 2011 Jeep GC Overland a few weeks ago and got the new 2015 Trailhawk (fully loaded). There are only 3 of us in our family so I couldn't justify the bigger and waaay more expensive 2015 GC. The Trailhawk is a lot of fun so far (1300 kms). Planning to do some off-roading/camping up North soon and also wanted it for the bad Canadian winters. When you look at it from the outside it looks a fair bit smaller than the GC. I was initially concerned about that...until I got inside and took it for a test drive. The only place you are losing place is in the trunk - up front I felt like was still in my GC. Even the passenger seats in the back were roomy enough. I also am finding it a little better on gas than my GC (was also a V6 but it was the older 3.6 Pentastar engine). My only critique so far is the 9-speed automatic. A bit of gear hunting at times hmmmm IMO 6 speeds would have been plenty.
4:56 I have a Liberty and love it. What I don't love is how hard of gas it is. Now I'm looking at the 2016 Cherokee. Jeep is the way to go. My jeep has never let me down yet. Ford and so on has.
I've been watching your reviews for a while now, and this is my first time commenting. I see all the hell that people give you, and how everyone tries to give you advice, and personally I think all those viewers are ignorant, and they don't really understand what your reviews are about and who they are for. Your reviews are for the average guys that want to know more about the vehicle that they can't find out by just strolling into the car lot and taking it on a test drive. I enjoy your reviews, and think that you have a good combination of humor and wit. Also, I love when you comment back on all the negative comments, and they respond by kissing your ass. Haha keep making videos and I'll keep watching!
I live in El paso Texas and take mine offroading daily to red sands never have I ever gotten stuck and had problems going up real dunes have even pulled out a couple z71 Silverados so if you're hear saying it's not offroading capable then you just don't know how to drive
Id say about 90% of the people hating on it probably can't even afford it :) :) Get a life people, only judge if you can actually afford the vehicle or the ones you think are better.
I know you had a Subaru Outback out there testing but it's too bad that you didn't have a Subaru Forester out on that same track you took the Jeep Trailhawk. Interesting vehicle but very skeptical on the reliability being a Chrysler product. Good job though Dave!
Wish they still offered the "Anvil" blue-grey colour. Jeep switches their colour options too much. Good vid and nice to see the Trailhawk getting muddy! Jeeps look better when muddy.
Nice interior and I hope that the drivetrain is a vast reliability improvement over the one found in the Liberty. There's a lot of sensors operating the four wheel drive in order to divert power to wheels with traction though, no doubt due to the independent suspension's inability to flex enough to keep all four wheels in contact with the dirt, so I'm curious to see how long the sensors will last before needing to be replaced.
I just bought this last week and this does not get anywhere near as much MPG that he says! It’s 14 around town and 17.4 on the highway doing 65. Only gets 225 miles per tank of gas at a 15.8 size tank. This thing slips in snow more then my 2012 Chevy Cruze did this winter and I’m in Western NY.
Can someone explain to me (fairly in depth please) the difference between Cherokee's Active Drive II with Rear axle lock and Grand Cherokee's Quadra Drive II? I get that they're very different systems, but I can't find descriptions of how they actually work. Specifically, since I often have to get to the hospital through deep snow before the plows arrive, which would more capable in deep snow? Also, has Quadra Drive II lost capability since eliminating the front Limited Slip differential several years ago?
I think that question would be better suited for a Jeep forum or even a dealer with a salesman who knows what he's talking about. I'd want you to get the right answer about the snow question. I think they are similar systems but I have not gone in depth to be sure.
There is one of these sitting at my dealership where I get my car serviced. It has 76,755 miles on it it’s selling for $19,000 if I trade my car in I could get it for about $10,000 think it would be worth it? The drivetrain warranty expires at 100,000 miles. The manufacture warranty has already expired. I would love to drive it on a local beach to do some surf fishing. The carfax report said this vehicle was well taken care of. Thanks for your video. Yours seemed to handle well. Have you driven it in lose sand?
Derek Tellinghuisen You have about an inch and a half less ground clearance (lift + tires), and you lose the rear locker. It doesn't come stock with offroading tires, doesn't have the toe hooks, and your bumpers are lower to the ground meaning a worse approach and departure angle.
0:35 Since when was the jeep liberty a body on frame truck? I was under the impression that it was unibody as well. It was a rear wheel drive platform with a 4x4 system similar to that of a truck, but I am almost completely positive it was unibody.
I own a 2008 KK and the frame and suspension are weak sauce: unibody with IFS/IRS. It's impressive for what it is, essentially an archaic crossover, but there is nothing truck about it. Frankly if it was body on frame I would be a shit ton happier. With solid axles, I would shit my pants with joy.
+Michael Miller +KeliBaB the libery, commander, and grand cherokees from that era were all body on frame. sort of. they had true frames underneath them. but they weren't bolted on like body on frame vehicles usually are. they were welded. so you lose one of the biggest benefits of body on frame (body lifts). the only real benefit is frame rigidity in comparison to a true unibody. pretty sure the 2011+ grand cherokee/durango went to a true unibody platform
how does it compare to the jeep renegade? for a family of 4 (two baby's) and currently owning a 2dr 2012 wrangler (great off ¡road, but noisy, harsh ride and currently cannot go hardcore because of babys). I'm 6'1 230 pounds what do you suggest? now my top will 30k, maybe 35k but it will be pushing it.
Hi dave erickson, thanks for making car reviews and it helped me a lot in choosing my next vehicle. I have one question, what is KL stands for in Jeep Cherokee KL? Sorry to waste your time for this, it's just that I can't find the answer on google. Thanks and God bless.. :)
For the price of this it is insane not to get a wrangler ... And if u don't want to off-road get a non trail hawk version like my grandma got ! She loves it and it's great on the road
I got the I4 version. And no, its the Granite Crystal paint. The actual MSRP of the car was actually a little over $26,000. I got a good deal on it. In retrospect, I sometimes wish I got the V6.
I thought the exact same thing. I just bought a 2016 Trailhawk and the MSRP was $45,400! The dealer gave me a $12,500 discount with a rebate given to some dealers to help move the 2016's.
I've heard these Trail hawks are bad a$$ for being stock and they will shock a handful of people. This to me really didn't show what it can do,I think it can do much more then water puddles! I also wonder why he didn't say anything about the Commander. They are awesome from what I've seen & heard.
Purchases a new 2015 Cherokee Limited 4 wheel drive went out about 20 miles from the dealer had in the shop over 30 days they couldn't fix it. I made the dealer give me a new one, in less than a week the U Connect went out took almost 2 mo. to get a new one. Has a lot !!!!!!!! of vibrations in the doors the dealer tried several times to fix them....couldn't finally took it to a body shop may be getting them fixed one by one. I'm almost afraid to drive it. Get a 4 Runner !!!!
EKFiPod Exactly. I have alot of experience with this Trailhawk Cherokee and it is amazing. I'm a true body on frame kind of guy and I love truck based suv's. With all of these new crossvover "SUV's" out there wearing true body on frame names (Pathfinder, Explorer, Durango, ) it really makes me cringe sometimes. This crossover however, is really a capable off road vehicle (excluding muddin'). I personally have driven both the Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawk and they are both surprisingly capable for what they are. If you ever have the chance to test one out, I promise you won't be disappointed. They don't look like serious off road vehicles, but they can do alot more than people think.
EKFiPod Yes. It is basically your typical transverse layout that you would expect in a FWD, but has provisions to drive the rear axle like most AWD crossovers. The difference with the way Jeep did it is that they can completely uncouple the rear axle so there is no parasitic power loss from spinning the rear differential and drive shaft. They can then use the wheel speed sensors to determine when they need to engage that rear axle. It actually works really well. Being a Jeep it also has a little more ground clearance, that locking differential and good approach and departure angles to help it make its way through rougher terrain. They also figured out a way to work a very low ratio low gear into the mix (46 to 1, if I remember correctly), which is something you don't see on vehicles of this type. That is something that makes a huge difference off road. Drives like a car, goes like a Jeep - that was the goal with this Cherokee. They seem to have hit their mark with it. It isn't chasing number one in the segment yet, but it is selling very well.
+1guyin10 If it doesn't have rear lock outs then there is still parasitic loss because the axles and rear drive shaft are still being turned by the rear tires. Just being dragged along instead of being driven ,
bugsnstuff The rear half-shafts are all that turn. The rear hypoid gears and prop shaft are disconnected when not needed. It uses American Axle's EcoTrac system if you want to read up on it.
No joking . . . we had a road to our house just like this when I was growing up here in Florida. One day there was a knock at the door and it was two Jehovah witnesses.
Nice car. Didn't like the look of it at first but it has grown on me. I wonder if there are any owners that can chime in about the reliability of these cars. I heard they break down way too much.
I'd be the first to admit when these first came out I gave the front end design a really hard time! But after looking at the trailhawk in person, I really would consider buying one, but as you mentioned, I'm skeptical about the reliability.
bmwmsport11 I've owned one since last fall (apparently I got one of the first in Canada) and I've had no breaks of any kind even after a bit a mistreatment in off road (some people would say just driving in Montreal would also qualify as off roading). So far very reliable but the bigger engine is a must given the car weighs about half a ton more than other models (I thought even the basic front drive I tested was quite sluggish going uphill with the base engine).
bmwmsport11 got mine Jan 2 2014. It has been a great on road vehicle and a fun off-road vehicle. It's not a Wrangler, but it can still get out there and have fun. I have heard some folks had some trans issues .. but really have not seen it. No regrets buying this one.
bmwmsport11 I bought a trailhawk June 2014 and it's been great. 22k miles already, we took it to Tahoe (from the Bay Area) every weekend for snowboarding season. Averaging 19.5mpg, the interior is awesome it's luxurious but still repels dirt. Heated steering wheel is better than on my BMW. It's been completely reliable. There has been one recall which was a transmission reprogramming. I still don't trust my transmission as it's the same as the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. But so far so good. 5 year warantee on that. No break downs. :)
youngblood23rb Jeep's reliability ratings as of late do leave me skeptical. If they were to drop the price enough that I could see clear to stretch the warranty I might consider one. I guess the legendary reliability of the old ones, running 250-300K miles makes it tough to keep selling them. I mean, mine is 21 and still gets driven a few times a week.
hey if you are going to give up your wj for one of these. sell it to me ill buy it for 3k put 2,000 dollars worth of mods in to it and for 5,000 dollard ill have a vehicle ten times more capable than any trailhawk could ever be
Recently bought a Cherokee trail-hawk of my own, and honestly I only ever get 22 mpg average max on the highway. It's got a 9 speed trans but doesn't have enough power to use anything past 7th gear at 75 mph, kinda odd if you ask me
Body on frame truck chassis on the liberty???????? no way!!!!!! so much bullshit on a small vid!!!!! who is that guy anyway??????? the wrangler is body on a frame never was the liberty!!!!!!
I have a latitude and honestly my only complaint is how low the ground clearance is. I scrape the front of my car going out of driveways all the time. That shouldn’t be happening in a Jeep
He made the comment that if you can't afford a 45 thousand dollar rubicon then the 25 thousand dollar Cherokee is right for you because it has plenty of off-road capabilities. That is true to an extent. The trail hawk (in my own words and opinion) looks way too much like a street car. The more square body rubicon looks way better. And for you jeepers who are going to say I just hate Cherokees, I own a 1997 Cherokee.
Trigger Happy Guns Though i can get a trailhawk for just 25k with all of those bells and whistles, i cant even get a base model 4 runner for that price
my g/f drives her ford escape through trails like to come find me when im hunting lol these things are marketed torwards city people that want the feeling that they can off road but never will, iv seen one at an event one time the second it hit the articulation trails the driver had to back out cause we all thought it was going to flip lol they are nice but they are not ment for true offroading
...was that in the merger deal with fiat? ,make some type of non-recognizable crossover vehicle with the jeep logo?! ,i have a 2004 grand and i love that body style -----> i love my jeep ~ sorry i pass
Seems every time a new "version" replaces its sister version, it gets less and less capable. Sorry but this car did not replace the Liberty. I'm sure Jeep wanted it to be but after sitting in one (yes, sitting, no need to drive it) I beg to differ. It replaced the compass/Patriot. The Liberty went away to force people to buy this car. Then, I looked at the renegade in the same showroom. Again, not sure what it replaced but I had to laugh when I was sitting in it. Everywhere I looked, there's the little Jeep 7 slot pictures. On the windows, windshield, doors, bumpers, tail lights. News flash to jeep. Stop squirreling your prospective customers with nostalgia and get back to the basics. Those cute pictures, fancy electronics don't do you any good when you got water coming over your hood or the snow is up to the front bumper. Just a little helpful hint from a KK and KJ owner. Psst.. as far as the fuel economy? Really now. Get off the track and come out to the real world where your consumers tell a different story.
tc1uscg Liberty=mid20k 5 pass SUV with the most capable 4WD in the class. Cherokee= EXACTLY the same, except your kidneys won't be rattled and you get luxury. Compatriot is still for sale to this day and for another year. Renegade= subcompact SUV, the first time for Jeep. And Jeep is doing the best of any major manufacturer as far as sales for the past 2 years, ironically since the Cherokee debuted, seem to be doing a lot right!.
tc1uscg I agree that the liberty was discontinued, to put you in a cherokee. The Liberty was a unibody, and had upper/lower control arm front suspension. The cherokee has car based, MacPherson struts, with an aluminum lower control arm front suspension. It's fine for light off roading, but is not a direct replacement for a Liberty, which could handle some real off road abuse without breaking.
wiibaron When it comes to Jeeps, aftermarket parts/mod's are as much to jeep as it's history. This vehicle has been out for what now, 2 years. Don't see any major modifications for it much less people sticking 30+ inch tires under it's fenders. For the market this car is targeted for, I doubt they would even care about rockrails that really work, 100lb+ front steel bumper with winch, a 2 or 3 inch lift with complete replacement of springs/shocks and "A" arms, etc.. Short of strapping a bull bar to the front, not sure it's front end can even handle the extra weight. It might be "trail rated" but whos trail? I've done all the above to my 02 and 09 Libertys (and then some) just to keep up with all the demanding trails Wranglers run on. I'm not in the market segment for this kind of car. I think I'd be looking at a Subaru instead.
+Skyler Sandlin I agree. The XJ was a pretty good offroader but a epic failure to capture the market Jeep wanted to with the Liberty and now the new Cherokee. However, I've "added" a few items to my KK that makes it hold it's own off road to a like equipped XJ (and I'm paying for it in mpg LOL). With that said, I've seen people mod out their XJ's, at least the ones that are still around, to handle what the wrangler can handle off the show room floor. Just like the XJ, the KJ and KK and now whatever X it is, they were designed as every day drivers. Not weekend only mud mobiles. When it comes to the segment of the market Jeep tried to capture back then, they are trying it again, however, just like always, they are a day late and dollar short. The TrailHawk is no more trail capable then a Subaru. Plenty of youtube videos to back that up. I can say this much though as far as the Liberty goes. The KJ is more off road capable then the KK, off the lot. I have both. The KJ will run rings around my KK in the snow or on the trail. But after some mods and about 800lbs later, my KK can hold it's own and with it's winch, get it's self out of what it can't. Happy trails.
+tc1uscg Rubicon Trail, Hell's Revenge + many other difficult trails. I have rock sliders, 31" tires with modified wheel wells, front brush guard, cold air intake with exhaust system and tuned + 30hp. I can also handle better, go faster and get better gas mileage with it as my daily driver. Tell me now, how is it not modifiable?
These sales propaganda videos are misleading people. Reserach Jeep Cherokee transmission problems. My 2015 Trailhawk fails every time I take it off road on the beach. The transmission overheats and on a slight incline and deep sand it will fail every time and turns on the MIL light, 4WD disables as does cruise control.
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It's good to see that Hank from Breaking Bad is still alive and well selling Jeeps...
thxiv Best Comment!
thxiv Beat me to it.
+thxiv THAT'S THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT! HAHAHAHAHA!
This guy is a dead ringer for hank. Even his voice
😂😂😂
One of the best videos on the Cherokee capabilities and how it works.
+lookathisstuff Thank you, I appreciate the feedback - Dave
I have a ALL Black TRAIL-HAWK V6 in North Carolina 27713. I LOVE IT!!! Thanks Everyman Ericsson!!😎💯
2016
The Cherokee Trailhawk starts at $30,790 on Jeep's website, not $25,000 as stated here. Huge difference!
2008equinox Yeah, I think after you start adding options to the Trailhawk you're looking at a $35k car. IMO, very few people buying a Cherokee will take it offroad and spending more for a Trailhawk is a waste of money. You're better off getting a Toyota 4Runner SR5 for less or a base Wrangler if you're even remotely considering going offroad. This is nothing more than an appearance package for urban dwellers and soccer moms.
Gazziza29 What about the locker, full skid plates, descent controls, and GVWR rated tow hooks? an SR5 doesnt have that.
ToAstYNaChO Those don't matter when you are built off a unibody frame with independent front and independent rear suspension. It's a crossover with an appearance package. Have you seen videos of the Cherokee offroading? The suspension has no travel and no flex. You can't even lift the damn thing!!! Rocky Road Outfitters looked at the possibility of adding a lift to the Cherokee but due to its suspension and lack of adjustment in the alignment system found out that the install of the lift could only be done by an auto shop and labor cost would be in the $1000-$2000 range. That is minus the cost of the a suspension itself. So to date you don't even have an option to buy any type of lift in the Cherokee.
That's why there are literally no aftermarket parts for it, no one wants to touch it and basically the Jeep diehards have shunned it. Whereas with any Wrangler or any 4Runner there are literally tons of aftermarket parts available.
I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Im going from my Ram 2500, two solid AAM axles, with mud tires, generous ground clearance, and various mods, to this, simply because it's cheap, capable, and needs no modification to do what i want to do, mostly road riding, but that occasional urge to tear up a field
Gazziza29 Makes sense, the manufacturer is trying limit that kind of thing b/c ya know we're in the new age where the main focus is largely mpg. It's in the affortable, daily driver class so there's really no need to lift it. At 8.7'' of ground clearance it's in the same class/closest competitor is the Subaru Forester. To be honest the Cherokee Trailhawk is more of a more capable "softroader" than a true offroader.
My dad is a finance manager across 3 dealerships (mainly 2) and he gets to demo out new vehicles. He just returned a 2015 Challenger and came back home with a Cherokee because he wanted to see what it's like. It's not a loaded up trailhawk but it's still a great suv. It comes standard with a lot of cool things like a large touch screen and secret storage compartments on the top of the dash or inside the seats.
I bought the 2015 Cherokee Trailhawk for my wife. I have owned a 1995 cherokee H.O. ( I still own it and would drive it anywhere ), a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 4.7 H.O. ( I put this jeep trough HELL! Mud, street racing, hill climbing) it threw a rod after years of serious abuse at 180,000 miles. I have taken the 2015 trailhawk off-road and it has never missed a beat! It will do exceptionally more than either of the previous jeeps I've owned. The price was a little more than I think it should be, but that gives the people on reviews like this something to be mad about. Lol it's a very effective, and off road capable vehicle. After you clean the mud off it's a nice date night vehicle too! People in my town rave about how awesome it is!
+eric banks any problems with the trailhawk since you had it? I've heard of many transmission problems
+Lance I've heard about the transmission problems too! So far so good. It's almost due for it's 2nd service. It has around 11,000 miles on it, and it still impresses me every time I sit in the drivers seat. No issues whatsoever.
I traded in my 2011 Jeep GC Overland a few weeks ago and got the new 2015 Trailhawk (fully loaded). There are only 3 of us in our family so I couldn't justify the bigger and waaay more expensive 2015 GC. The Trailhawk is a lot of fun so far (1300 kms). Planning to do some off-roading/camping up North soon and also wanted it for the bad Canadian winters. When you look at it from the outside it looks a fair bit smaller than the GC. I was initially concerned about that...until I got inside and took it for a test drive. The only place you are losing place is in the trunk - up front I felt like was still in my GC. Even the passenger seats in the back were roomy enough. I also am finding it a little better on gas than my GC (was also a V6 but it was the older 3.6 Pentastar engine). My only critique so far is the 9-speed automatic. A bit of gear hunting at times hmmmm IMO 6 speeds would have been plenty.
4:56 I have a Liberty and love it. What I don't love is how hard of gas it is. Now I'm looking at the 2016 Cherokee. Jeep is the way to go. My jeep has never let me down yet. Ford and so on has.
That is unbelievable.
I've been watching your reviews for a while now, and this is my first time commenting. I see all the hell that people give you, and how everyone tries to give you advice, and personally I think all those viewers are ignorant, and they don't really understand what your reviews are about and who they are for. Your reviews are for the average guys that want to know more about the vehicle that they can't find out by just strolling into the car lot and taking it on a test drive. I enjoy your reviews, and think that you have a good combination of humor and wit. Also, I love when you comment back on all the negative comments, and they respond by kissing your ass. Haha keep making videos and I'll keep watching!
I live in El paso Texas and take mine offroading daily to red sands never have I ever gotten stuck and had problems going up real dunes have even pulled out a couple z71 Silverados so if you're hear saying it's not offroading capable then you just don't know how to drive
Id say about 90% of the people hating on it probably can't even afford it :) :) Get a life people, only judge if you can actually afford the vehicle or the ones you think are better.
got one such a good car i love it
I love my trail hawk!!
Where's the mud? This is a packed and wet dirt-road?
That , is very remarkable what the Jeep Cherokee can do.
I know you had a Subaru Outback out there testing but it's too bad that you didn't have a Subaru Forester out on that same track you took the Jeep Trailhawk. Interesting vehicle but very skeptical on the reliability being a Chrysler product. Good job though Dave!
Wish they still offered the "Anvil" blue-grey colour. Jeep switches their colour options too much. Good vid and nice to see the Trailhawk getting muddy! Jeeps look better when muddy.
Someone tell me which you'd get Jeep Cherokee trailhawk, or Subaru Forester, or even Subaru Crosstrek.
Nice interior and I hope that the drivetrain is a vast reliability improvement over the one found in the Liberty. There's a lot of sensors operating the four wheel drive in order to divert power to wheels with traction though, no doubt due to the independent suspension's inability to flex enough to keep all four wheels in contact with the dirt, so I'm curious to see how long the sensors will last before needing to be replaced.
PLEASE do a Grand Cherokee (at least overland trim level) review or vid like this!!
Hey guys, I bought a Cherokee Renegade recently and this video had was a big factor in my decision. Thanks so much!
You mean a renegade trailhawk?
+Rick Sander 2 different cars you either mean a jeep Cherokee trailhawk or a jeep renegade trailhawk
I just bought this last week and this does not get anywhere near as much MPG that he says! It’s 14 around town and 17.4 on the highway doing 65. Only gets 225 miles per tank of gas at a 15.8 size tank.
This thing slips in snow more then my 2012 Chevy Cruze did this winter and I’m in Western NY.
Can someone explain to me (fairly in depth please) the difference between Cherokee's Active Drive II with Rear axle lock and Grand Cherokee's Quadra Drive II? I get that they're very different systems, but I can't find descriptions of how they actually work. Specifically, since I often have to get to the hospital through deep snow before the plows arrive, which would more capable in deep snow? Also, has Quadra Drive II lost capability since eliminating the front Limited Slip differential several years ago?
I think that question would be better suited for a Jeep forum or even a dealer with a salesman who knows what he's talking about. I'd want you to get the right answer about the snow question. I think they are similar systems but I have not gone in depth to be sure.
There is one of these sitting at my dealership where I get my car serviced. It has 76,755 miles on it it’s selling for $19,000 if I trade my car in I could get it for about $10,000 think it would be worth it? The drivetrain warranty expires at 100,000 miles. The manufacture warranty has already expired. I would love to drive it on a local beach to do some surf fishing. The carfax report said this vehicle was well taken care of. Thanks for your video. Yours seemed to handle well. Have you driven it in lose sand?
I love my Jeep Latitude, but I'm getting a Trailhawk no doubt. Shocking myself because I'm the biggest Bimmer fanboy.
I have a Bimmer and thinking of switching over to Jeep.
Love the video
Is this Tahuya near Belfair, WA? That staging area and trails look awfully familiar ...
I have a Cherokee with the basic 4x4, do you know how that would do on the trails? It's a Latitude not the trailhawk....
Derek Tellinghuisen You have about an inch and a half less ground clearance (lift + tires), and you lose the rear locker. It doesn't come stock with offroading tires, doesn't have the toe hooks, and your bumpers are lower to the ground meaning a worse approach and departure angle.
+SheepTrees trailhawk has a different suspension.
0:35 Since when was the jeep liberty a body on frame truck? I was under the impression that it was unibody as well. It was a rear wheel drive platform with a 4x4 system similar to that of a truck, but I am almost completely positive it was unibody.
+Michael Miller
You are correct, liberty was a unibody vehicle. Also, great towing capabilities? The guy was talking nonsense.
I own a 2008 KK and the frame and suspension are weak sauce: unibody with IFS/IRS. It's impressive for what it is, essentially an archaic crossover, but there is nothing truck about it. Frankly if it was body on frame I would be a shit ton happier. With solid axles, I would shit my pants with joy.
+SkrillexAndShit The Jeep Liberty KK has a solid rear axle, not IRS...
+Michael Miller +KeliBaB the libery, commander, and grand cherokees from that era were all body on frame. sort of.
they had true frames underneath them. but they weren't bolted on like body on frame vehicles usually are. they were welded. so you lose one of the biggest benefits of body on frame (body lifts). the only real benefit is frame rigidity in comparison to a true unibody.
pretty sure the 2011+ grand cherokee/durango went to a true unibody platform
how does it compare to the jeep renegade? for a family of 4 (two baby's) and currently owning a 2dr 2012 wrangler (great off ¡road, but noisy, harsh ride and currently cannot go hardcore because of babys). I'm 6'1 230 pounds what do you suggest? now my top will 30k, maybe 35k but it will be pushing it.
Hehe. And that wasahhh, about 5 mph. Hid the truth with tone, pitch, volume. :) Cool vid.
Hi dave erickson, thanks for making car reviews and it helped me a lot in choosing my next vehicle. I have one question, what is KL stands for in Jeep Cherokee KL? Sorry to waste your time for this, it's just that I can't find the answer on google. Thanks and God bless.. :)
Hell yea, let's go Michigan.
Sweet jeep! Good video!
2:07 Talk about how the plastic part on the right side of the radio ALWAYS hits your leg when your driving.
+MrHow2fail You just did :-)
+MrHow2fail no it doesnt...adjust you seating position dude....im 6ft and im fine, if you are 7ft...get a grand cherokee...
For the price of this it is insane not to get a wrangler ... And if u don't want to off-road get a non trail hawk version like my grandma got ! She loves it and it's great on the road
Cherokee Trailhawk is a unique VUS!
Hi there I am JP from Miami Florida I've got a question has there been any recalls on this Jeeps?
this car is meant as a cross over suv. not a trail blazing beast. but the fact it does well off road is a great feature
25k for a trailhawk? Wtf are yall smoking..the latitudes are damn near 30k for a fwd version..the trailhawk is upwards of 35+
+davesilecchia I own a latitude fwd and only paid just over $24,000 for it. The Trailhawks start at around $30,000 last I checked.
I got the I4 version. And no, its the Granite Crystal paint. The actual MSRP of the car was actually a little over $26,000. I got a good deal on it. In retrospect, I sometimes wish I got the V6.
I thought the exact same thing. I just bought a 2016 Trailhawk and the MSRP was $45,400! The dealer gave me a $12,500 discount with a rebate given to some dealers to help move the 2016's.
LVen21 yeah in Canada I see trailhead going for up to 48 grand
Chris Huber
I bought mine for 53 grand in southern Ontario
I think the Design will grow onto people. Is this car more capable than a RAV4, Rogue AWD , or CRV AWD?
Seems like it
omar khan It looks to easily be better than those in off-road situations.
I've heard these Trail hawks are bad a$$ for being stock and they will shock a handful of people. This to me really didn't show what it can do,I think it can do much more then water puddles!
I also wonder why he didn't say anything about the Commander. They are awesome from what I've seen & heard.
Great video :)
Purchases a new 2015 Cherokee Limited 4 wheel drive went out about 20 miles from the dealer had in the shop over 30 days they couldn't fix it.
I made the dealer give me a new one, in less than a week the U Connect went out took almost 2 mo. to get a new one.
Has a lot !!!!!!!! of vibrations in the doors the dealer tried several times to fix them....couldn't finally took it to a body shop may be getting them fixed one by one.
I'm almost afraid to drive it.
Get a 4 Runner !!!!
so its primarily FWD? but it knows when to divide up the power?
EKFiPod Exactly. I have alot of experience with this Trailhawk Cherokee and it is amazing. I'm a true body on frame kind of guy and I love truck based suv's. With all of these new crossvover "SUV's" out there wearing true body on frame names (Pathfinder, Explorer, Durango, ) it really makes me cringe sometimes. This crossover however, is really a capable off road vehicle (excluding muddin'). I personally have driven both the Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawk and they are both surprisingly capable for what they are. If you ever have the chance to test one out, I promise you won't be disappointed. They don't look like serious off road vehicles, but they can do alot more than people think.
EKFiPod Yes. It is basically your typical transverse layout that you would expect in a FWD, but has provisions to drive the rear axle like most AWD crossovers. The difference with the way Jeep did it is that they can completely uncouple the rear axle so there is no parasitic power loss from spinning the rear differential and drive shaft. They can then use the wheel speed sensors to determine when they need to engage that rear axle. It actually works really well. Being a Jeep it also has a little more ground clearance, that locking differential and good approach and departure angles to help it make its way through rougher terrain. They also figured out a way to work a very low ratio low gear into the mix (46 to 1, if I remember correctly), which is something you don't see on vehicles of this type. That is something that makes a huge difference off road. Drives like a car, goes like a Jeep - that was the goal with this Cherokee. They seem to have hit their mark with it. It isn't chasing number one in the segment yet, but it is selling very well.
+1guyin10 If it doesn't have rear lock outs then there is still parasitic loss because the axles and rear drive shaft are still being turned by the rear tires. Just being dragged along instead of being driven ,
bugsnstuff The rear half-shafts are all that turn. The rear hypoid gears and prop shaft are disconnected when not needed. It uses American Axle's EcoTrac system if you want to read up on it.
Good, now do this trail again in the new Renegade trailhawk.
Paul Wicklund That piece of junk wouldn't get a mile.
oscarwildeghost your moms a piece of junk
+Steel balls Ouch. That hurts.
That's what I said when she sat on me.
+Steel balls ...... and the zingers keep coming. I feel like I'm in kindergarten again.
why doesnt anyone ask about problems with the car, running costs and dealer parts being hard to find.
great reviews
Is that at Tahuya in WA state?
+dylan burnett yes
did they test the Grand Cherokee in that trail?
That "trail" looks like my driveway. I'm pretty sure the wife could have run that in her Ford Fiesta. How about a real off-road test?
Scott Bozarth sounds like you need to move!
Nah, I'm good. Living the dream in Alaska. Shitty driveways keep shitty visitors away.
No joking . . . we had a road to our house just like this when I was growing up here in Florida. One day there was a knock at the door and it was two Jehovah witnesses.
Nice car. Didn't like the look of it at first but it has grown on me. I wonder if there are any owners that can chime in about the reliability of these cars. I heard they break down way too much.
I'd be the first to admit when these first came out I gave the front end design a really hard time! But after looking at the trailhawk in person, I really would consider buying one, but as you mentioned, I'm skeptical about the reliability.
bmwmsport11 I've owned one since last fall (apparently I got one of the first in Canada) and I've had no breaks of any kind even after a bit a mistreatment in off road (some people would say just driving in Montreal would also qualify as off roading).
So far very reliable but the bigger engine is a must given the car weighs about half a ton more than other models (I thought even the basic front drive I tested was quite sluggish going uphill with the base engine).
bmwmsport11 got mine Jan 2 2014. It has been a great on road vehicle and a fun off-road vehicle. It's not a Wrangler, but it can still get out there and have fun. I have heard some folks had some trans issues .. but really have not seen it. No regrets buying this one.
bmwmsport11 I bought a trailhawk June 2014 and it's been great. 22k miles already, we took it to Tahoe (from the Bay Area) every weekend for snowboarding season. Averaging 19.5mpg, the interior is awesome it's luxurious but still repels dirt. Heated steering wheel is better than on my BMW. It's been completely reliable. There has been one recall which was a transmission reprogramming. I still don't trust my transmission as it's the same as the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. But so far so good. 5 year warantee on that. No break downs. :)
youngblood23rb Jeep's reliability ratings as of late do leave me skeptical.
If they were to drop the price enough that I could see clear to stretch the warranty I might consider one.
I guess the legendary reliability of the old ones, running 250-300K miles makes it tough to keep selling them. I mean, mine is 21 and still gets driven a few times a week.
I prefer the older Jeeps.
my lowered Pontiac gtp make it up that hill on bald tires
I am highly considering to replace my 02 grand cherokee with the cherokee trailhawk v6 instead of a newer grand cherokee
hey if you are going to give up your wj for one of these. sell it to me ill buy it for 3k put 2,000 dollars worth of mods in to it and for 5,000 dollard ill have a vehicle ten times more capable than any trailhawk could ever be
Is this shot in Tahuya?
I didn't know Ray Liotta had a brother who does cars....hehe
What's the song at the very beginning of the video?
0:01 Hello, please tell me, on what you're recording video camcorder?
Alex Andr Model camcorder?
Darude sandstorm
+yahya alghamdi that's not funny
You didn’t show the way to change the differential
Never miss an opportunity to get dirt on your pants, Do you Dave..?!! ;)
4Runner baby
Recently bought a Cherokee trail-hawk of my own, and honestly I only ever get 22 mpg average max on the highway. It's got a 9 speed trans but doesn't have enough power to use anything past 7th gear at 75 mph, kinda odd if you ask me
Body on frame truck chassis on the liberty???????? no way!!!!!! so much bullshit on a small vid!!!!! who is that guy anyway??????? the wrangler is body on a frame never was the liberty!!!!!!
I have a latitude and honestly my only complaint is how low the ground clearance is. I scrape the front of my car going out of driveways all the time. That shouldn’t be happening in a Jeep
hill descent, realy. Land Rover put that into the Discovery in 1998. And Jeep put 15 15 years affter. it´s crazy.
Francisco Maia sorry *15 years*
i think my grandmas ford taurus could rip this test track up!
He made the comment that if you can't afford a 45 thousand dollar rubicon then the 25 thousand dollar Cherokee is right for you because it has plenty of off-road capabilities. That is true to an extent. The trail hawk (in my own words and opinion) looks way too much like a street car. The more square body rubicon looks way better. And for you jeepers who are going to say I just hate Cherokees, I own a 1997 Cherokee.
+Potato Masher The new "cherokee" doesn't count as a cherokee
+swimmer8585 it's the 21st century. keep up
Edwin Brink Funny, because the new "cherokee" sure as hell can't keep up with the real cherokee on the trails
swimmer8585 yes they can
My 2001 jeep Cherokee sport 4x4 will take this new jeep on any road and still cost less with all the things I've done to my jeep
Plus we all want fuel economy in the rest of the jeeps as well.Jeep!!
I'll keep my Pro 4X Xterra!!!!
Good.
Where are you buying a trailhawk for 25k?
46:1 low range? Those Rubicon boys are gonna be mad with their 4.0:1. lol
Think of all the uses of that torque tho. You could damn near twist the wheel into a pretzel with that much gear reduction.
Also, who knew that Dean Norris from Breaking Bad, now works for Chrysler...
I'll take this track to my BMW 3 Touring
I'll take that 4Runner in front of you.
Trigger Happy Guns Yup, I was looking at the 4runner as well. It's still body on frame with the Toyota durability.
Trigger Happy Guns Yup, I was looking at the 4runner as well. It's still body on frame with the Toyota durability.
Trigger Happy Guns I'll have a 4Runner video from my time there in the coming weeks!
Trigger Happy Guns Though i can get a trailhawk for just 25k with all of those bells and whistles, i cant even get a base model 4 runner for that price
ToAstYNaChO
I've owned 3 4Runners, two currently. They are fantastic vehicles and worth every penny.
What trail? What mud? That's a nice car. I like my 2000 XJ way better.
Jeeps are square and they don't squint at you
Gee, the XJ wasn't considered a real Jeep when it came out with square headlights. Get over it.
so it will go where my nissan altima will? lol
Call me old school but I don't trust the electronics in these things, far too much stuff to break or short out while in the bush.
my g/f drives her ford escape through trails like to come find me when im hunting lol these things are marketed torwards city people that want the feeling that they can off road but never will, iv seen one at an event one time the second it hit the articulation trails the driver had to back out cause we all thought it was going to flip lol they are nice but they are not ment for true offroading
+slicktrips What do you hunt? Duck, deer, etc? Dave
+Everyman Driver haha if it walks it drops if it flys it dies that tell you enough
Come take a ride with me sometime I'll change your mind. It's like having a Cadillac that will go anywhere. #2015cherokee trailhawk
Definitely not a $25,000 car...
I can do this sane trail with a Grand Marquis or a Crown Vic
Should have never stoped making that color.
I can't believe people buy Chrysler products.
Redline I did, yes it was a mistake.
kinda sucks that bead of water stayed on the camera the hole time bummer
I participated in a similar trial. Lame..staged not intended to push the vehicle as real world off road use would dictate.
+B Cuz When and where?
Trailhawk $25k...where? Lol. That model as shown is probably $36k at the lowest.
...was that in the merger deal with fiat?
,make some type of non-recognizable crossover vehicle with the jeep logo?!
,i have a 2004 grand and i love that body style -----> i love my jeep ~ sorry i pass
Why no diesel or V8 for the Wrangler!!! Grand Cherokee gets both!!!
Chad Freeman coming this year
instead if bringing it on a completely flat dirt road with a few puddles bring it on a REAL offroad course and see how it fairs!
and some guy got his stuck out at the beach the other day and I had to rescue him with mine
Because some of us have to be adults and wrangler doesn't say class or practical...
I dont care which one or when they do it, but jeep, PLEASE put portal axles on a Wrangler, or Grand Cherokee!!!
Seems every time a new "version" replaces its sister version, it gets less and less capable. Sorry but this car did not replace the Liberty. I'm sure Jeep wanted it to be but after sitting in one (yes, sitting, no need to drive it) I beg to differ. It replaced the compass/Patriot. The Liberty went away to force people to buy this car. Then, I looked at the renegade in the same showroom. Again, not sure what it replaced but I had to laugh when I was sitting in it. Everywhere I looked, there's the little Jeep 7 slot pictures. On the windows, windshield, doors, bumpers, tail lights. News flash to jeep. Stop squirreling your prospective customers with nostalgia and get back to the basics. Those cute pictures, fancy electronics don't do you any good when you got water coming over your hood or the snow is up to the front bumper. Just a little helpful hint from a KK and KJ owner. Psst.. as far as the fuel economy? Really now. Get off the track and come out to the real world where your consumers tell a different story.
tc1uscg Liberty=mid20k 5 pass SUV with the most capable 4WD in the class. Cherokee= EXACTLY the same, except your kidneys won't be rattled and you get luxury. Compatriot is still for sale to this day and for another year. Renegade= subcompact SUV, the first time for Jeep. And Jeep is doing the best of any major manufacturer as far as sales for the past 2 years, ironically since the Cherokee debuted, seem to be doing a lot right!.
tc1uscg I agree that the liberty was discontinued, to put you in a cherokee. The Liberty was a unibody, and had upper/lower control arm front suspension. The cherokee has car based, MacPherson struts, with an aluminum lower control arm front suspension. It's fine for light off roading, but is not a direct replacement for a Liberty, which could handle some real off road abuse without breaking.
wiibaron When it comes to Jeeps, aftermarket parts/mod's are as much to jeep as it's history. This vehicle has been out for what now, 2 years. Don't see any major modifications for it much less people sticking 30+ inch tires under it's fenders. For the market this car is targeted for, I doubt they would even care about rockrails that really work, 100lb+ front steel bumper with winch, a 2 or 3 inch lift with complete replacement of springs/shocks and "A" arms, etc.. Short of strapping a bull bar to the front, not sure it's front end can even handle the extra weight. It might be "trail rated" but whos trail? I've done all the above to my 02 and 09 Libertys (and then some) just to keep up with all the demanding trails Wranglers run on. I'm not in the market segment for this kind of car. I think I'd be looking at a Subaru instead.
+Skyler Sandlin I agree. The XJ was a pretty good offroader but a epic failure to capture the market Jeep wanted to with the Liberty and now the new Cherokee. However, I've "added" a few items to my KK that makes it hold it's own off road to a like equipped XJ (and I'm paying for it in mpg LOL). With that said, I've seen people mod out their XJ's, at least the ones that are still around, to handle what the wrangler can handle off the show room floor. Just like the XJ, the KJ and KK and now whatever X it is, they were designed as every day drivers. Not weekend only mud mobiles. When it comes to the segment of the market Jeep tried to capture back then, they are trying it again, however, just like always, they are a day late and dollar short. The TrailHawk is no more trail capable then a Subaru. Plenty of youtube videos to back that up. I can say this much though as far as the Liberty goes. The KJ is more off road capable then the KK, off the lot. I have both. The KJ will run rings around my KK in the snow or on the trail. But after some mods and about 800lbs later, my KK can hold it's own and with it's winch, get it's self out of what it can't. Happy trails.
+tc1uscg Rubicon Trail, Hell's Revenge + many other difficult trails. I have rock sliders, 31" tires with modified wheel wells, front brush guard, cold air intake with exhaust system and tuned + 30hp. I can also handle better, go faster and get better gas mileage with it as my daily driver. Tell me now, how is it not modifiable?
Any vehicle which is part Fiat I would never buy.
You do know they own Ferrari?
Eric Ladd 50 cent said it best " I'm sorry Ferrari they keep blowing up"
Almost every car in the world has some parts from Fiat, so what do you want to drive?
These sales propaganda videos are misleading people. Reserach Jeep Cherokee transmission problems. My 2015 Trailhawk fails every time I take it off road on the beach. The transmission overheats and on a slight incline and deep sand it will fail every time and turns on the MIL light, 4WD disables as does cruise control.
I can use my sedan on your track. Why would I need your Jeep?
My brother was going 20mph on a dirt road and spun out...