2019 Jeep Cherokee vs 2020 Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Cherokee, in its various forms, is not like the rest of the compact crossover set. While most rivals offer rugged, capable vehicles, the Cherokee delivers more. Its 4-wheel-drive and terrain-management systems are proven, and the Cherokee’s Trailhawk trim is the only small SUV that can actually hang off-road with the likes of the iconic Jeep Wrangler.

This capability puts it at a unique crossroads—it provides Jeep shoppers with a pretty capable SUV, but one that's more affordable than the Grand Cherokee. The Trailhawk also offers Wrangler buyers a potential alternative with better on-road manners.

Add to this that the Cherokee has been redesigned for 2019. Are the looks enough to make compact SUV buyers flock to it? And is the Trailhawk capable enough to make a Jeep shopper consider a Cherokee over the Wrangler?

It’s hard to find a car with better brand recognition than Jeep's Wrangler. It is an American 4x4 icon, with military roots and millions of miles of trails traversed. As awesome as Jeeps are, they require one caveat: They are not very efficient. This has become more glaring as the rest of the industry works to improve fuel economy. Jeep has made incremental improvements in the past several years, with mild hybrids and turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, but these setups still don‘t get much better than V8-level fuel economy.

So for 2020, Jeep offers a new diesel engine in the Wrangler Unlimited. Read on to learn if this new engine actually improves the Wrangler’s fuel economy. And if not, does the Wrangler Unlimited do other things well enough to make up for its fuel thirstiness?