2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk

The Cherokee is Jeep's compact crossover, slotting between the Renegade and the Grand Cherokee with a unibody design that still offers real off-road chops. It competes with the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Ford Escape, but stands apart with its available Trailhawk trim and genuine trail capability. On the road, the Cherokee feels composed and stable, with a ride that absorbs most bumps, though the transmission can occasionally hesitate when you ask for quick acceleration. Inside, the cabin is well-built with comfortable seats and a user-friendly touchscreen, but cargo space is tighter than some rivals offer. Owners praise the Cherokee's fuel economy, stylish interior, and the Active Drive system's terrain settings that make it a confident companion in snow and mud. The Trailhawk adds Jeep's Active Drive II with low-range gearing, a locking rear differential, skid plates, hill-descent control, and all-terrain tires, making it the Cherokee that can handle real rock crawling. Its 2.0L I4 makes 270 horsepower and pairs with a automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, giving it eager highway passing and enough low-speed crawl for the trail. The off-road suspension and Selec-Speed crawl control are standard here, so you get proper trail gear without checking option boxes.