Jeep Restyles the Controversial Cherokee and Goes Turbo

When Jeep released the new Cherokee, Jeep fans took a step back and shook their collective heads at its spaceship-like design, especially those thin LED headlights. Jeep is now trying to pull its fanbase back into check with a refreshed 2019 Cherokee with an updated front end and adds a new turbocharged engine.

The grumbling finally got to Jeep, as it’s completely redone the Cherokee’s headlights, giving it a far more traditional look. Gone are those thin LEDs and in come thicker headlights with bi-LED lighting and signature daytime running lights. There are also new LED fog lights to finish off the lighting updates.

The rear end gains a new lightweight liftgate with hands-free operation, a dual-pane sunroof also rolls in, while five new wheel designs, including new 19-inch rollers, make their debut.

While the 2.4-liter and 3.2-liter engines will continue unchanged in 2019, it will gain a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. This new powerplant will produce 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine will also mate to an enhanced nine-speed automatic transmission.

Another notable change in the new year will be the adoption of the four-generation Uconnect system, which now includes standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This new system will include 7- and 8.4-inch touchscreens that respond to the pinch-zoom gesture, like a cellphone.

The pricing is not yet available for the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, but we should learn more on this and its official release date soon.