2022 Jeep Cherokee

The executives at Jeep decided to slim down Cherokee's extensive lineup for 2022. As a result, this pint-sized crossover now comes in just five trim levels, including the Altitude, Latitude Lux, Trailhawk, and Limited. The big news in the class is the newly introduced Cherokee X model. It joins the family just above the base variant and touts plenty of attitude with its unique appearance package. Like this new addition, every 2022 Cherokee wears its own style. The Limited trim offers shoppers a premium look with loads of chrome and 18-inch diamond-cut aluminum wheels. The rugged Trailhawk's exterior design is more athletic with all-terrain tires, a black hood decal, and red tow hooks. Of course, true to its heritage, every variant wears Jeep's legendary seven-slot grille.

The Jeep Cherokee is available with a pair of engines, starting with the standard 3.2-liter V-6. It's good for 270 horsepower and 171-pound feet of torque and delivers strong off-line acceleration and plenty of passing power. You can get even more robust performance with the available 2.0-liter turbo-four. It produces 271 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque for quick acceleration. Both powertrains pair nicely with Jeep's snappy nine-speed automatic transmission.

Thanks to its adventurous capabilities, the 2022 Cherokee Trailhawk models go places competitors wouldn't dare. Its off-roading ability makes this little SUV a serious contender where the pavement ends. It's a refreshing breath of air in the class with three sophisticated all-wheel-drive systems, skid plates, a beefy, off-road suspension, and hill descent control. The Active Drive Lock all-wheel-drive system also gives this crossover a rear locker, or you can settle for the budget-friendly Active Drive II package with a 2-speed transfer case. The Cherokee can also out-tow its peers with its 4,500-pound maximum capacity.

The new Cherokee's cabin strikes a nice balance between comfort and practicality with cloth upholstered, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and LED lighting. The higher you go in the lineup, the more premium the materials get. The Latitude Lux trim adds leather seats, plus appealing amenities like dual-zone automatic climate control and a power liftgate. Jeep's Uconnect infotainment system is one of the best with its well-organized menus and generous features. The standard 8.4-inch touchscreen system comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and available Wi-Fi. Move up to the Latitude Lux model and get an additional pair of USB ports for back seat passengers.

Jeep provides an array of standard driver-assistance technology features like forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning. Pile on an assortment of appealing optional driver assists, like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist on top trim levels.