Standard equipment includes a 184-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, but I strongly recommend upgrading to the optional, 271-horsepower, 3.2-liter V6. In the Trailhawk, the V6 is actually the more efficient engine on the highway, and it matches the 4-cylinder in terms of its 22-mpg rating in combined driving.
One reason is that it comes with an automatic stop/start system that shuts the engine off while the Jeep is idling in traffic or at an intersection. The driver can turn this feature off, but I kept it on, as it operates in quick and smooth fashion and never becomes an irritant.
Still, I think the EPA’s fuel-economy estimates are optimistic. Over the course of more than 500 miles of driving, with many of those miles covered on highways, the Jeep returned 20.6 mpg. Based on my driving and the Cherokee’s 15.9-gallon fuel tank, the Cherokee offers about 300 miles of range before you need to find a gas station, and fast.
A 9-speed automatic transmission is standard and comes with a manual shift gate featuring a counterintuitive pattern. Lots of Cherokee owners complain about this transmission, which is used in a wide range of models including Acuras, Maseratis, and Land Rovers. In fact, when you research reliability information about the Cherokee, the misbehaving transmission causes some organizations to predict that this SUV will be unreliable.
Personally, I have experienced dissatisfying behavior with this transmission in Acura, Chrysler, and Jeep products. Because of this, I paid special attention to how the transmission in my 2016 Cherokee behaved, and aside from disappointingly slow multi-gear downshifts that I requested in order to take advantage of holes in thick holiday traffic, I was satisfied with the latest iteration of this transmission.
When properly equipped, the Cherokee tows up to 4,500 pounds of trailer. Jeep also offers three different 4WD systems for the various Cherokee trims, and the Trailhawk comes standard with the most capable of them: Jeep Active Drive Lock with a locking rear differential that delivers an even split of power to each rear wheel for serious off-roading situations. The Cherokee Trailhawk also includes Jeep’s Selec-Terrain technology, which supplies driver-selected Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, and Rock drivetrain settings.
Selec-Speed control is unique to the Trailhawk, allowing the driver to program a specific, and very low, travel speed, essentially programming the drivetrain to manage the braking and acceleration while the driver concentrates on steering. This is particularly useful for descending steep, rock-strewn grades.
Additional Trailhawk exclusives include a 56:1 4-Lo crawl ratio, an off-road suspension with a 1-inch lift and 8.7 inches of running ground clearance, 20 inches of water-fording capability, and substantial improvements to approach, breakover, and departure angles. Yep, a Cherokee Trailhawk is, in many respects, a completely different animal when compared to other Cherokees.
How does it work on rugged terrain? As advertised, which is always a good thing. I’ve had several opportunities in the past few years to drive a Cherokee Trailhawk in difficult conditions, and this SUV always proves that it can go places a typical crossover can’t. Therefore, the real question is this: Does the Cherokee Trailhawk owner trade off-road capability for on-road driving dynamics?
The short answer is no.
In fact, I would argue that many of the same qualities that allow the Trailhawk to perform brilliantly off the pavement also serve it well in the cities, suburbs, and mall parking lots where it will spend the bulk of its time serving as a daily driver.
In my opinion, no matter the driving situation or condition, the Trailhawk is terrific to drive. It shrugs off deteriorating pavement in cities, it tackles freeway on- and off-ramps with enthusiasm, and it flies down a freeway in quiet and composed fashion.
Credit, in part, goes to independent front and rear suspension designs employing frequency-selective dampers, as well as the Jeep’s expertly tuned speed-sensing electric steering. Providing excellent heft at all speeds, and in combination with an impressively tight turning radius, the steering is easy to use in cramped situations, both in cities and on trails. Plus, this Jeep fits into spaces marked “Compact” with no trouble at all.
During several hour-long highway trips, my wife and I marveled at how quiet the Cherokee was, with wind, road, and engine noise masterfully hushed. The brakes, apparently calibrated to allow fine-tuned inputs in tricky off-road situations, worked beautifully while navigating the urban jungle, and thanks to the all-terrain tires, lifted suspension, and revised front and rear styling, the Cherokee is unconcerned about parking blocks, deep drainage dips, steep driveway aprons, or severe speed bumps.
Although the V6 engine didn’t return what the EPA estimated it should and will never deliver acceleration that could be described as fast, it does supply enough power and acceleration to satisfy almost any driver. Plus, the engine sounds and feels refined when revved hard to motivate the Trailhawk’s 4,000+ pounds of curb weight.
Circling back around to the 9-speed transmission, in addition to delayed downshifts, it sometimes allows an unnatural amount of vehicle roll after the driver chooses “Park.” I’ve noticed this in the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot Elite, which also use this ZF-sourced transmission, and this kind of behavior is never a good thing out on the trail, so be sure to use the Jeep’s electronic parking brake.
