With an aggressive, yet smooth exterior, officials say the new Cherokee, which replaces the Liberty in the U.S., could lead the compact utility vehicle segment in a new direction.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of people interested in it,” said Jesse Toprak,
senior analyst
Toprak said based on the brand’s previous performance in the segment and the new design, the 2014 Cherokee
The vehicle is expected to arrive in dealerships during the third quarter of this year, according to the Auburn Hills-based automaker.
Chrysler sold 75,483 Liberty models last year, a 13 percent increase from 2011. The Liberty is the Cherokee’s predecessor and successor.
Karl Brauer, editor in chief and CEO of TotalCarScore.com, said the vehicle should attract Jeep die-hards who were fans of the previous-generation Cherokee as well as new customers thanks to the resurrected name and design.
“There’s no doubt it’s a Jeep,” he said. “It also looks different than any other previous Jeep and it looks like an evolved, forward-looking Jeep.”
Brauer said Jeep didn’t lose its distinctive styling cues with the vehicle, but “they aren’t just making the same box on wheels that they’ve been making for 50 years.”
Jeep has historically been known for boxy, rugged designs and less-than-optimal fuel economy. But with the new direction design, Chrysler said it expects the vehicle to set a few new standards for the brand and segment.
“The all-new, ‘no-compromise’ 2014 Jeep Cherokee sets a new standard with even more best-in-class capability, exemplary on-road driving dynamics, and fuel economy improvements of more than 45 percent versus the outgoing mid-size SUV model,” Chrysler said in a statement.
One of the most-notable things about the exterior of the vehicle is its headlights, which are substantially smaller than most, if not all, on the road today.
Brauer said as long as the lights work well and abide by government regulations, they could be a game changer for the industry.
Toprak said he also expects the Cherokee to perform better in some markets, such as California, where Jeeps don't necessarily sell thanks to the futuristic design.
“Eventually all vehicles in this segment will look similar in their aggressiveness and design, and Jeep just happens to be leading the pack for the moment,” he said, adding the vehicle should perform well in markets overseas if Chrysler plans to export it.
The Cherokee will be built at Chrysler’s Toledo Assembly Plant in Ohio. The last time the Cherokee nameplate was available in the U.S. was in the early-2000s.
Chrysler did not released pricing, fuel economy or other details about the 2014 Cherokee, which is scheduled to make its world debut next month at the 2013 New York International Auto Show.