The Jeep line-up has continued to grow its family over a period of seventy five years, commanding a loyal following of customers who vouch for the brand and continue to buy Jeeps year in and year out with impressive sales. Over the years, as many manufacturers do, Jeep models have received upgrades, with different versions being availed to the buyers. Every newer version is expected to be better than its predecessor. And now, the Cherokee which was first unveiled in 2014 is due for an upgrade. The Cherokee has been around since 2014, and definitely needs the facelift if it is to keep up with the rest of the Jeep family, especially the Compass that came before it in 2012. The new version of the Jeep Cherokee has been spotted testing on the streets of Detroit, but the engineers have done a good job of keeping everyone curious by covering up the new look until it is ready for reveal.
2018 Cherokee Cover
Covers or no covers, it is easy to guess what is likely to have changed when the 2018 Cherokee is finally revealed. The most obvious change is going to be at the front-end, judging from the fact that this entire area has been covered up by the engineers for the road test. There is a very low likelihood that the traditional Jeep grille will be gone. However, expect some subtle redesign that incorporates this grille while keeping things fresh and exciting.
Lights
It seems like the 2018 Cherokee will have two clusters of headlights merged into one-a direct opposite of the Skoda Octavia update which sliced the headlights into two. It appears like the LED daytime running lights will be incorporated in the headlights, which appear to be positioned higher than before. The 2018 Cherokee will therefore literally have a facelift.
Rear Design
The back of the 2018 Cherokee will also see some re-designs, but nothing too major. There will possibly be some tweaks to the taillight graphics and a modified bumper. These will however not be something to write home about and the focus will definitely be on the front-end.
Interior
Inside, things are likely to remain more or less the same. The standard tilt and telescoping wheel, cruise control and height-adjustable front seats and sliding rear seats will remain unchanged.
Transmission
Rumor has it that the nine-speed automatic transmission might make its transition from the Renegade and Compass, with a possible new range topping Cherokee Trackhawk. This will come with an upgrade version of the 3.2 litre V6 engine, or so it’s rumored. The only thing to do now is to wait for Jeep to release the 2018 Cherokee when it is ready. This will likely be sometime this fall, probably at the Los Angeles Auto Show although an online reveal could come a few days or weeks sooner.
While there are no official prices yet, it is unlikely that the 2018 Cherokee will go significantly higher than the 2017 model’s price range of $24,790 to $35,990. The 2018 Cherokee will be competing in the same space as the Honda CR-V, the Kia Sportage and the Toyota RAV4.