1997 Jeep Cherokee XJ 4.0L 4AT AWD (178 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After Renault’s departure from the American market, Chrysler took over the remaining of the American Motor Corporation and launched a facelifted version of the already known Cherokee XJ.

Renault ended its alliance with the American Motors Corporation in 1987 after it sold it to Chrysler and then left the U.S. market. However, one of the most significant models developed with the funding and technology of the European automaker remained: the Jeep Cherokee. That model sold well, and Chrysler wanted the brand and finally got it. Fast forward to 1997, and the famous XJ was dramatically enhanced, following some styling cues inspired by its bigger brother, the Grand Cherokee, which Chrysler launched in 1993.

Up front, the car retained the main design elements that made the first generation of the Cherokee a darling for everyone. Its flat, seven-slat grille was reshaped and integrated the rectangular headlights. Underneath these, the automaker placed horizontal blinkers while a new bumper completed the image. Customers could have that in body color, and, at first sight, it looked like it was made from plastic, but it was made from steel.

From its profile, the compact crossover that revolutionized the automotive market still had flat surfaces and windows but shaved corners to look more rounded. Furthermore, Jeep added plastic moldings on the door panels. At the same time, the plastic moldings around the wheel arches were neatly continued by the bumpers. As a result, the car had a composed overall styling. Chrysler considered that the oversized door handles should be kept since they were easy to operate while wearing gloves. The design changes also affected the vehicles sold overseas, in Europe, by Renault. Finally, at the back, the wide tailgate was kept and was flanked by redesigned taillights.

Inside, the utilitarian look of the 1984 Cherokee was replaced by a much more modern one. The dashboard was redesigned, integrating the instrument cluster and the center stack into one big component. Furthermore, the automaker installed dual airbags in the SUV, improving safety. Customers could find comfortable bucket seats available with cloth or artificial leather up front, depending on the grade. In the back, the flat folding bench seat could expand the trunk’s space if needed. The trunk wasn’t that spacious, especially since it also housed the spare wheel mounted on the driver’s side.

However, some of the most significant upgrades to the vehicle happened under its skin. For the U.S. market, Jeep ditched the 2.5-liter engine inherited from AMC, and also dropped the option for the 2.8-liter V6 provided by Chrysler. It kept the four-liter inline-six (written as 4.0 Litre on the car’s back), which was significantly improved over its predecessor and had lower noise and vibration levels. Besides the five-speed manual, the automaker offered the Cherokee with a four-speed automatic as well. Moreover, it ditched the former four-banger engine completely from the model and improved the inline-six it already had. For selected markets, the automaker also offered the Cherokee XJ with either a 2.5-liter inline-four or a 2.1-liter turbodiesel that was later replaced by a 2.5-liter oil burner.