Because of its high-functioning suspension, it could handle all variety of terrain and allowed millions to explore the road less traveled. The XJ was a successful forerunner of the Jeeps available today that can manage off-road terrain like no other brand on the market. While there was no second-generation Cherokee XJ, there were plenty of changes over the years.
So here are some of the different versions and trims of the XJ throughout its year reign. In the very early years, the XJ had a 2. That made hauling anything or moving quickly a real trick.
As we know, though, things got bigger, better, and faster over time. By , there was already a 4. But there were other things that varied, beyond the power of the early years. The early Wagoneer trim was very popular and came with a variety of features that, while we might laugh or even scoff at them today, as we will see, were somewhat advanced at the time.
The fake wood exterior of the Wagoneer, for example, was a selling point for many. The Wagoneer also had a cassette player and radio that offered both AM and FM capabilities the base model only had AM for well into the nineties, though.
To hear the radio, the Wagoneer offered four speakers as opposed to the two that came on the base model and had air conditioning and a few other very nice features on the inside. As early as and again from , the Classic trim came with keyless entry and an overhead console, two features that are more in step with modernity and came relatively early on in the technology revolution.
In early , both the interior and the exterior of the Cherokee XJ was given an update. Among other things, the fiberglass liftgate was replaced with a steel one, the front header panel became more aerodynamic and the spare tire was moved from the exterior to the interior. Issues with noise and vibrations were reduced thanks to a stiffer unibody frame and new door seals. In the early s, the Jeep Cherokee XJ became a popular choice for certain types of professional use, including police work.
For the model year, a special police package the Cherokee AHB police package was introduced. Among other things, this special car had no indoor handles on the rear doors and it was fitted with a revised hp high output version of the 4.
For context, that was about 40 hp and 45 lb-ft over the concurrent Toyota 4Runner. The XJ was not a speed demon, but with that torque it was surprisingly quick off the line. It could last for a long time — well past , miles — and often enough, outlast the original paint job, electrical components and body panels. Not many things in the automotive world last longer than the XJ Cherokee's year production run Yes, many people drove XJ Cherokees who wanted nothing to do with off-roading.
But in 4x4 spec, the XJ was quite well-equipped for hitting the trail. As noted, it was comparatively lightweight and had a ton of torque; plus, it was stable, with a relatively long wheelbase for a short length. While it did ditch the traditional body-on-frame construction, it still kept Jeep features like the solid-axle front suspension setup and a legit low-range transfer case. And it's still an appealing off-roader today.
Currently, it has one key attribute for off-roading the Wrangler lacks: it's super affordable. That makes the XJ an ideal base to start accessorizing With a production run spanning from to it certainly was influential, helping countless people travel through the outdoors as well as navigate life in the city. While many have survived, finding one for a good deal these days is becoming increasingly difficult as owners cling to them since there really is no Jeep like these made today.
Renault, which had a financial interest in the beleaguered American automaker, had a big part in the creation of the Cherokee. To make it appealing to the European market , the French decided it should be a unibody vehicle for greater maneuverability in tight spaces, which also helped with achieving aggressive government fuel economy standards of the time.
However, Chrysler used a hybrid design which included some frame construction elements. Funny enough, the unibody construction came with a number of advantages. The biggest one was the lower curb weight, which was a half-ton less than the old Cherokee SJ. Yes, that meant the Cherokee XJ was less of a gas guzzler than had it been a body-on-frame truck.
More importantly, the lower curb weight made it perfect for traveling through sand, mud, etc. That fact alone made it a favorite for enthusiasts. Compared to the SJ, the XJ was 6 inches narrower. Better breakover and departure angles were a result of the XJ being 21 inches shorter than the SJ.
However, the interior capacity of the new Cherokee was 90 percent of the old version, so about the same amount of people and equipment could fit inside. Unlike crossovers of today, which are also unibodies, the XJ came with solid front and rear axles.
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