Jeep Cherokee loses variants, jumps in price for 2020

Jeep has taken the trimmer to the mid-sized Cherokee range, dropping two variants and adding a new range-topping S-Limited to the line-up.

The Cherokee, which was given a big mid-life facelift in 2018, has been a slow seller for the beleaguered brand, but new FCA boss Kevin Flynn promised to reinvigorate the five-seat, five-door SUV as part of his makeover plan.

“We packed in a lot of safety features in and we've simplified the range with those three models now, and the S-Limited really has everything that we can put in,” he told WhichCar earlier this year.

Gone are the Longitude and the oddly-named Night Eagle, while the S-Limited slides in above the base model Sport, the Limited, and the offroad-oriented TrailHawk.

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The entry-level Sport offers up a 130kW 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, backed up by a nine-speed automatic gearbox driving the front wheels.

LED headlights and taillights, a 7.0-inch Uconnect multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather-wrapped wheel and gearknob and roof rails are all standard, along with high-speed forward collision warning with AEB and pedestrian emergency braking, advanced lane-departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

It’s risen in price by $2000, now retailing at $37,950 before on-road costs.

It’s then a sizable jump to the Limited at $49,950 (up $3000), which offers a proper low-range 4x4 drivetrain hooked up to a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine, push-button start, automatic lights and wipers, leather upholstery with heated and vented front seats, 18-inch rims, a larger 8.4-inch multimedia system with sat-nav, along with adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assist and a powered tailgate.

The TrailHawk also costs $49,950 – an increase of $1500 – and brings a triple-locking diff 4x4 drivetrain with a low-range transfer case to the party, along with hill ascent and descent control, longer-travel suspension, bespoke bumpers and underbody skid plates, offroad-spec rims and leather/cloth seats.

The new S-Limited, meanwhile, takes the Limited specification and adds unique blacked-out body trim pieces that offset its colour-coded lower side mouldings and front bumper insert, 19inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof and unique leather-trimmed seats.

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Jeep reckons you get $3750 worth of gear for $2700, bringing the cost of the S-Limited to $52,650.

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It comes in Bright White, Diamond Black, Granite Crystal or Velvet Red.

MY20 Jeep Cherokee pricing