In February, I finally purchased a “new to me” 2019 Jeep Cherokee. This was a well-needed upgrade from my 2004 barely running Jeep Grand Cherokee. I’ve had the car for a little over 3 months now and I would like to share my thoughts on it and what are my plans for the future.
What I Like About the 2019 Jeep Cherokee
- Miles Per Gallon – I don’t drive too much since I commute via rail into New York City. The Jeep Cherokee is a great SUV just to get you to A – B. The MPG’s aren’t great if you compare it to a Toyota RAV-4 but you can expect that if you’re driving a V6. You have to sacrifice a little when you want more power. The Cherokee blows away the city MPG I was getting in my 2004 Grand Cherokee.
- Engine Stop-Start – Still piggybacking behind the MPG. I like the engine stop-start function at stoplights or during traffic. It’s just another way to save your gas. This is especially important on Long Island since many roadways are a nightmare with endless traffic and stoplights.
- Autostart with Heated Steering Wheel and Seats – This is such a game-changer. Gone are the days of having to run out to your car in the winter to warm it up. With a push of a button, your car will warm up for you. The heated seats and the heated steering wheel is nice too. I notoriously have cold hands during the winter so this has been a plus.
- Engine Performance – This cat can pure once it gets going (more about that in one sec) You can hear and feel the power of V6. Depending on your drive style, If you aren’t watching your speed indicator you can run the risk of going over the speed limit.
- Size – This isn’t meant to be a huge car and it doesn’t feel that way. It doesn’t feel like you are driving a tank down the main street. The interior is close, compact and very comfortable. I am about 6 feet tall and I feel like I have enough space.
What I Don’t Like:
- Sluggish Starts After Engine Idle– When you put your foot off the gas after an idle, the Cherokee takes almost 2 seconds to respond sometimes. It almost sounds like a stall sometimes. I’m not sure if it is a problem with my individual model but I have read online with similar complaints about this sluggishness.
- Cartoonish Look – This more of a recent Jeep problem that leads me to avoid wanting to get a new Jeep for a long time. They just don’t look rugged anymore. Besides the Jeep Wrangler, every other Jeep model had a look for while that a stiff breeze will set the airbags off. Now, they have gotten better but it took looking at modded Cherokees for finally convince myself to go in the direction of actually purchasing one. The stock Cherokee looked stupid.
- It’s Not A Trailhawk – The trail hawks are the most popular Jeep Cherokee KL’s. They look pretty bad-ass with the recovery hooks and offer better off-road capabilities. I just hate the fact that if I want to make the best of my limited, I have to do some modifications.
What are my Plans for My Jeep Cherokee?
As for anyone that has a Jeep, going off-road is my number one plan. I plan on taking it out on the beaches of Long Island to optimize my surf-fishing capabilities. I’ve already secured my 4×4 Beach Permit.
Some modifications already in place include swapping out the stock tires for Falken all-terrain tires and mounting them on new matte black wheels. So my limited is looking a little bit less dumb.
My next round of modifications will probably be installing a set of recovery hooks in the bumper. I also need to put a cargo rack on top to hold my fishing crap, kayaks, and other things necessary for outdoor leisure. Another plan is to install either a light bar or some form of external light on this roof rack to complement the rugged look I am trying to achieve.
I will keep you posted on these updates.
