2017
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2001 2000

Jeep Cherokee

Unlock Ratings
The Cherokee finally gives Jeep a small SUV for those who want the brand's trail cred but don't want to pay Grand Cherokee prices. And while it does offer a lot of workhorse capability for this class, it fails to get a lot of the day-to-day basics right. The list of flaws is long. Performance and fuel economy from the four-cylinder engine is pathetic.
Alerts
There are 4 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.
2017
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2001 2000

Jeep Cherokee

Reliability
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Owner Satisfaction
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Crash and Rollover Tests
IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver Marginal
IIHS Side Crash Good
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
See All

Road Test Results

Performance
Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit.
Comfort / Convenience
Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.
Fuel Economy & Emissions
Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gas The Greenhouse Gas Rating represents the amount of carbon dioxide the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
Smog Rating Smog Rating The Smog Rating represents the amount of health-damaging and smog-forming airborne pollutants the vehicle emits compared to other vehicles of the same model year. This score from the EPA ranges from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).

Owner Reports

Worse Better
Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
NA
2001
NA
2002
2003
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2005
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2012
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2014
2015
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2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Reliability Trouble Spots
Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
Transmission Minor Transmission Minor Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.
Drive System Drive System Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.
View all Reliability
Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
2001
NA
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
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2011
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2014
2015
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2018
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2020
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Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
View all Owner Satisfaction
Safety Equipment
ABS and ESC standard. Side and head protection air bags standard. FCW, AEB, BSW, and RCTW standard from 2021.
Road Test

The Cherokee finally gives Jeep a small SUV for those who want the brand's trail cred but don't want to pay Grand Cherokee prices. And while it does offer a lot of workhorse capability for this class, it fails to get a lot of the day-to-day basics right.

The list of flaws is long. Performance and fuel economy from the four-cylinder engine is pathetic. It struggles and feels underpowered, while returning only 22 mpg overall, which makes the Cherokee one of the least fuel-efficient models in this category. The V6 is far more pleasant and is definitely the better choice, but it still isn't particularly quick. A new nine-speed automatic transmission may give the Cherokee bragging rights, but it delivers rough, unrefined, and ill-timed shifts. Thick roof pillars hurt visibility and the driving position is awkward. Handling is competent but dull, and the ride is jittery.

Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
4WD, AWD, Front
Warranty
Coverage varies among versions of this vehicle

In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

Read more about extended warranties
Body Styles
4-door SUV
Transmissions Available
  • 9-speed Automatic
Engines Available
  • 2.4-liter 4 (184 hp)
  • 3.2-liter V6 (271 hp)

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2017 Jeep Cherokee owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Air or water leaks

"The sunroof exploded while on the highway. This is the second time this has happened to a vehicle of mine. No bad roads, no flying rocks, just a big explosion. Got it home and parked it in the garage for a week until it could be repaired. Dealer balked at fixing it under warranty but Jeep allowed it to be done."

David A., GA (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

"The water leaks were due to failed weatherstripping along the moonroof. The moonroof ended up being completely replaced twice because the first attempt at fixing it failed after the first year."

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)
Seals and/or weather-stripping

"The seal on the installed moonroof failed causing water to pour in while raining. It was taken to the dealership to be fixed and then failed again the next year so it had to be fixed again. Both times were during extremely inopportune moments (winter holidays) and resulted in substantial down time which was even more problematic because we only have a single vehicle for the household."

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)
Squeaks or rattles

"I'm experiencing rattles from the panoramic sunroof"

Christopher A., MA (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

"Sun roof rattles took 6 tries to fix"

Norman G., NC (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)

"Dealership is working on trying to correct the problem"

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee)

"Something is rolling around in the front or drivers side."

Anonymous, IN (2017 Jeep Cherokee 75th Anniv. Edition 3.2-L V6)

"I have taken car in 6 times. There is a rattle around the back passenger door. It drives me crazy."

Anonymous, NV (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

"New panoramic sunroof is prone to rattles and creaks. I had the car into the dealership 3 times and had the worst one repaired. However, there are still occasional creaks/ rattles when going over a bump or stopping or starting quickly. No issues with leaks."

Dave G., ON (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)
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In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

What Owners Say

In-dash navigation system (GPS)

"System was totally inoperable, it could not track present location, could not navigate to specific locations, and it finally had to be replaced in total"

Anonymous, IN (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)

"Gasp was giving wrong info"

Anonymous, (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)
Phone pairing (e.g., Bluetooth)

"Hands free does not work with the GPS apps (google maps, waze, etc) on my iPhone."

Anonymous, NJ (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)
Radio

"When you turn off the radio and turn off the car, when you restart the car the radio is on!"

Thomas L., MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

"doesn't get reception from local stations"

Lou M., OR (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)

"Was getting an error message on the display screen."

Jeffery G., WI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)
Software update fixes

"Maps are dated with some addresses not available, but the addresses are available on some GPS apps on my phone"

Anonymous, IN (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)
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Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

What Owners Say

Body control module

"I select this because numerous modules were replaced without success as per previous explanation."

Barbara G., OR (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)
Exterior lights (other than headlights)

"Wires were burn and need replacement"

Eduardo M., TX (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

"Previous owner installed a towing connection system that they installed haphazardly. Jeep dealership removed it under warranty. All is well now."

Anonymous, SC (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)
Gauges

"Engine and stop/go icons stayed on. Dealer had car 4 months and with Chrysler could not locate or fix problems. I took Jeep to an independent mechanic that located and solved the problem in 2 days."

Barbara G., OR (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)
Headlights

"auto dim failed on dekivery"

Frank J., NC (2017 Jeep Cherokee)
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Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Power steering pumps and hoses

"New car and power steering is failing"

Morris G., NC (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 2.4-L 4 Cyl)
Shocks or struts

"Defective strut replaced at dealership under warranty"

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

"Shocks were making metal on metal sounds and replaced due to internal failure / dryspot. Right shock replaced twice due to same problem."

Anonymous, CO (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

"At about 15000 miles started to hear banging from front wheel. Dealer replaced strut . no cost"

Anonymous, (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)
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Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

What Owners Say

4WD/AWD components

"front differential gear had to be replaced."

Anonymous, AZ (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)
Driveshaft or axle

"Something had failed in the drive shaft, causing a noticeable vibration at low speeds. It was replaced under warranty, so I didn't delve further into it."

Anonymous, ON (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)
Traction control

"Traction was erratic and wheels occasionally would spin or pull to one side."

Kenneth K., NY (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

What Owners Say

Slipping transmission

"Vehicle would slip out of drive and shut off while driving."

Anonymous, OH (2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland 3.2-L V6)
Transmission computer

"First there was an issue with the transmission shifter. The compute came up and said that the shifter needed service. The lights on the P, R, N, and D all went red. The dealer replaced the shifter. The next issue came with the software upgrade. After Chrysler's latest software upgrade, the Jeep no longer shifted into 9th gear. I took it to three dealers and then the excuses came. The excuses included my snow tires were not the correct size, they were. My snow tires did not have tire sensors and then when they did it still would not shift into 9th! Then the next excuse was I have to drive 120 km/h as in my province it will not shift into 9th. Drove it 130 km/h on a US interstate and still did not shift into 9th. Chrysler all BS all the time. Had a rental car, a Jeep 2017 it shifted into 9th. Still Chrysler will not admit there is a problem. Went to another honest Chrysler dealer and he told me there is a Technical Service Bulletin and it is the software."

Michael B., ON (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)
Transmission leaks

"Transmission leak caused rough shifting but it was fixed promptly at no cost to me including a loaner vehicle while it was being repaired. No further problems since"

Britton M., GA (2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland 3.2-L V6)

Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

Automatic climate control

"When the outside temperature is 30-40 degrees, the system blows cold air."

Anonymous, PA (2017 Jeep Cherokee)
Heater system

"No heat on passenger side. Dealer didn't fix it."

Anonymous, PA (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Normal routine brake wear

"Had to replace pad and rotors on all four wheels as they were warn out. This is standard maintenance for any vehicle and was not due to any fault with the vehicle."

Anonymous, AB (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2-L V6)
Pulsation or vibration

"Braking had a lot of pulsation, grabbing and noise when applying brakes."

Anonymous, OH (2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

What Owners Say

Sunroof

"Portions of the sunroof track were not installed correctly, causing parts to be loose and rattle constantly. A new sunroof was installed by a dealership but was done incorrectly leading to water leaking in and discoloring part of the header. The botched installation was fixed 6 months ago, however, we recently started having issues with it again."

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

What Owners Say

Coil

"Coil packs went out"

Anonymous, PA (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

What Owners Say

Other/unsure

"Did not function"

Kenneth K., NY (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

What Owners Say

Loose exterior trim or moldings

"The trim and seals surrounding the back passenger-side wheel well became loose and was allowing debris to be deposited under the chassis in areas that should have been protected."

Anonymous, MI (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 3.2-L V6)

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

What Owners Say

Oil leaks

"Car is burning about a quart of oil per month. It is a known issue with the 4 cylinder engine per my dealer. Jeep has not covered any repairs under warranty yet as they claim the oil burn does not meet their specifications for service or replacement of the engine. I plan on continuing to have the engine tested for oil consumption."

Jason S., NH (2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 2.4-L 4 Cyl)

Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

What Owners Say

Fuel injection system

"Beginning in August 2019 our Jeep has a rotten egg/gas smell when it idles or stopped. We have taken it to be serviced 6 times. The first two times they said they didn't see a problem. Then we made the manager come out with us and we showed him. The dealer has replaced the fuel injection system and seals and other pieces. The problem still exists. The last time service worked on it , it was in for 3 weeks. It was under warranty so we had a rental car."

Anonymous, NC (2017 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.2-L V6)

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

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