Like its exterior, the Cherokee's interior hasn't had much updating over the years.
The instrument panel is a collection of squarish shapes, and there's only one airbag, mounted in the steering wheel hub. Thanks to the long steering column, that hub winds up a little closer to the driver's sternum than we'd like, and we found it difficult to orchestrate the seat adjustment and tilt wheel into a comfortable driving position.
The Cherokee's reclining front seats--high-back buckets in our tester--were adequate, but not on a par with newer sport-utilities, particularly in terms of lateral support.
This is a smaller vehicle than the Explorer and Jimmy/Blazer, and it's not as roomy
behind the front seats, although front seat legroom is fine. We also found the rear
door openings to be a bit narrow, which combined with a relatively high step-in (a
function of the Cherokee's 8.3-in. ground clearance) to make climbing in or out of the rear seat a little awkward.
On the other hand, our Cherokee Sport got good marks for interior storage, with
several bins and cubbies up front and map pockets molded into the door panels. The cupholders are mounted just to the right of the shifter, a location that's great for the front seat passenger but a bit of a stretch for the driver.
There's a fair-sized cargo compartment behind the rear seats, and like all midsize
sport-utilities the Cherokee's rear seat folds flat to expand cargo volume.
The basic SE includes an AM/FM radio but other civilizing features cost extra.
Aside from the absence of a passenger's airbag, safety features are adequate. Jeep added door beams and reinforced the upper body structure for better rollover
protection a couple years back, and 4-door models have child safety rear door locks. ABS is optional ($599) on all models, but is not available on the 4-cyl. SE.
Other options of the comfort and convenience variety abound, particularly for the
Sport and Country models. You'll obviously make your own choices here, but we do
recommend the Up Country suspension package--which includes high-pressure gas shock absorbers, stiffer springs and underbody skid plates--if you're planning to take your Cherokee into the wilds. Prices for this package vary by model--$1048 on the SE, $733 for the Sport, $645 for the Country.
While the Cherokee lacks the refinement of its newer competitors, 6-cyl. versions can definitely hold their own in traffic. The combination of low curb weight and plentiful power gave our Cherokee brisk acceleration that still compares favorably with all but the Grand Cherokee V8.
It's also surprisingly agile in the handling department, another area where low weight pays dividends. Our Cherokee Sport changed directions quickly, without excessive body roll, at least by sport-utility standards.
Similarly, we found that the Cherokee's braking performance measured up quite well compared to vehicles that weigh in at almost two tons.
Ride quality was another story, however. This is a stiff setup, and it doesn't do much to take the hard edge off bumps, potholes and broken pavement.
We also found the Cherokee's interior noise levels to be high compared to most of the competition, another area where this vehicle is showing its age.