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2018 Jeep Cherokee review

Research, photos, specs, and expertise
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Jeep Cherokee highlights

Customer rating

Pros

  • Smooth ride over rough surfaces
  • User-friendly touchscreen on most trims
  • Strong performance from optional V6

Cons

  • Slow acceleration with base four-cylinder engine
  • Less cargo space than other compact crossovers

Mileage (EPA estimate)

18 city, 24 highway, 21 combined

Pricing for current inventory

(no current inventory)

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Year

The 2018 Jeep Cherokee drops the Sport trim

The 2018 Jeep Cherokee is a comfortable compact SUV that’s good for the daily commute and offers some extra off-road prowess. The Cherokee Trailhawk trim especially stands out in the class; among its off-road upgrades are a low-range crawl gear and locking rear differential, rare features in crossovers like the Cherokee. Other Cherokee models offer a smooth ride and easy-to-use technology features, although the Jeep lags behind top competitors in terms of cargo space. The optional V6 is a nice upgrade, especially considering how sluggish the base four-cylinder feels, and offers up to 4,500 pounds of towing capacity, a strong showing for the class. Various factors may impact towing capacity, including weight of passengers, cargo, and options/accessories.

For 2018, Jeep eliminated the base Sport trim, making the slightly better-equipped Latitude the entry-level Cherokee. The new Latitude Plus trim offers a step up with more tech and convenience features, and the Trailhawk and Limited trims get standard blind-spot monitoring and rear parking sensors.

All Jeep Cherokee years

What is new for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?

  • The Cherokee is available in a new trim called the Latitude Plus.
  • The 75TH Anniversary Edition and Sport trims have been discontinued for 2018.
  • Flex Fuel Vehicle features are now available as options on select trims.
  • The Latitude trim now comes with Navigation System, Satellite Radio Ready, and Smart Key as standard equipment.
  • The Trailhawk trim now comes with Cloth Seats, Blind Spot Monitor, Parking Sensors, Power Seat(s), and Smart Key as standard equipment.
  • The Limited trim now comes with Blind Spot Monitor, Parking Sensors, and Power Hatch/Deck Lid as standard equipment.
  • The Trailhawk L Plus trim now comes with Blind Spot Monitor and Parking Sensors as standard equipment.
  • The Altitude trim now comes with Rear View Camera as standard equipment.
  • The High Altitude trim now comes with Parking Sensors and Power Hatch/Deck Lid as standard equipment.

2018 Jeep Cherokee trims

Curious how Jeep Cherokee trims differ? Use our side-by-side vehicle comparison to see the differences and similarities

Latitude:

  • 184-hp, 171-lb-ft of torque 2.4L
  • 271-hp, 239-lb-ft of torque 3.2L
  • Cloth Seats
  • Cruise Control
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Mirrors
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control
  • View our Jeep Cherokee Latitude inventory

Latitude Plus:

Altitude:

Limited:

  • Includes all features available on the Altitude
  • Leatherette Seats
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Remote Start
  • Front Seat Heaters
  • Heated Steering Wheel
  • Leather Seats
  • Parking Sensors
  • Power Hatch/Deck Lid
  • View our Jeep Cherokee Limited inventory

Trailhawk:

Trailhawk L Plus:

Overland:

High Altitude:

Jeep Cherokee photos

5 reasons to buy the 2018 Jeep Cherokee

What We Like

Ride quality: The Jeep Cherokee manages a smooth, stable ride over all sorts of rough and uneven surfaces. Even the Trailhawk is more comfortable than you might expect from an off-road focused SUV.

Capability: The Jeep Cherokee is one of the most off-road capable small SUVs you can find, especially in the Trailhawk trim, which adds features normally reserved for trucks and 4x4s. The Cherokee can also tow up to 4,500 pounds when properly equipped.

User-friendly tech: The available 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system is straightforward and easy to learn, with big, friendly buttons and quick response times. There are more advanced systems, but this one is very approachable.

What Needs Improvement

Cargo space: The Cherokee has a lot less cargo space than other small SUVs, like the spacious Honda CR-V. Jeep did sacrifice some space in order to make room for a full-sized spare, but not everyone will want to make that trade.

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

The 2018 Jeep Cherokee is a four-door SUV that is a smooth ride. Customers like the cargo space and versatility of the car. The car is also good for driving in different types of weather.
4
Excellent

RepairPal gave the Jeep Cherokee an overall reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Jeep Cherokee 8th out of 29 among Compact SUVs.

View RepairPal's full rating of the Jeep Cherokee

Jeep Cherokee features and specs

Latitude 2WD 4D Sport Utility

Standard Features

  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • Alloy Wheels
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • Cloth Seats
  • Cruise Control
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control
  • A/C Seat(s)
  • Alpine Sound System
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Automated Parking
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • CD Audio
  • Flex Fuel Vehicle
  • Front Seat Heaters
  • Full Roof Rack
  • Heated Steering Wheel
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Leather Seats
  • Leatherette & Cloth
  • Memory Seat(s)
  • Navigation System
  • Panoramic Sunroof
  • Parking Sensors
  • Power Seat(s)
  • Remote Start
  • Satellite Radio Ready
  • Smart Key
  • Sunroof(s)
  • Tow Hitch

Drive Wheels

Front Wheel Drive (2WD)

Engine size

2.4L

Horsepower

184

Torque (ft-lbs)

171

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

15.8

Wheelbase

106.3"

Overall length

182"

Width

73.2"

Height

65.7"

Leg room

F 41.1"/R 40.3"

Head room

F 39.4"/R 38.5"

Front tires

P225/55TR18

Rear tires

P225/55TR18

Seating capacity

5

Max towing capacity

200/2000 lbs.

Transmission

Automatic

2018 Jeep Cherokee FAQ

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