Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
The Jeep Cherokee is a sport utility vehicle developed by American Motors Corporation and marketed across a single generation by Jeep in the United States from 1983 through 2001, and globally through 2014. It was available in two- or four-door, five-passenger, front-engine, rear- or four-wheel drive configurations.
Sharing the name of the original, full-size Cherokee SJ model, the 1984 XJ Cherokee was Jeep's first all-new design since the 1963 SJ Wagoneer, as well as the first American off-road vehicle built with fully integrated body-and-frame design, and formed the mechanical basis for the Jeep Comanche pickup truck.
Jeep marketed XJs as Sportwagons, a precursor to the modern sport utility vehicle before that term was used. The XJ is credited for spawning competitors, as other automakers noticed the design cannibalizing sales from regular cars, supplanting the role of the station wagon and transforming the vehicle type "from truck to limousine in the eyes of countless suburban owners," though GM had also launched road-biased, RWD and 4WD compact SUVs, the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and GMC S-15 Jimmy, one year earlier, initially available in two-door form only.
The 2007 book Jeep Off-Road called the XJ a "significant link in the evolution of the 4x4." In 2011, Kiplinger magazine selected the XJ as one of the "cars that refuse to die." Automotive journalist Robert Cumberford, writing for Automobile, called the Jeep XJ one of the 20 greatest cars of all time — for its design, and "possibly the best SUV shape of all time, it is the paradigmatic model to which other designers have since aspired."
Background
Initial designs for the revolutionary Cherokee XJ emerged in the late 1970s at American Motors, driven by the need to replace the then-current full-size SJ Cherokee with a more compact offering. This strategic move was underscored by reports indicating similar downsizing plans from General Motors and Ford for their utility vehicles. The 1979 acquisition of a 22% stake in AMC by Renault further shaped the XJ's direction, with the French automaker advocating for not only a smaller footprint but also reduced weight, improved fuel efficiency, and enhanced ergonomics.The early styling proposals for the XJ Cherokee displayed a distinct European influence, conceived mainly by AMC engineers under the guidance of design vice president Dick Teague. The styling was one of many steps that AMC took the Cherokee XJ "into new territory and several would become industry benchmark". Recognizing the potential of this new segment, American Motors invested $250 million in the XJ's design and production, a key element of their strategy asserting that "the compact SUV was 'the future' for automobiles in the United States."
Observing General Motors' development of a new two-door S-10-based Blazer, AMC engineered an entirely new four-door model alongside a two-door variant. This forward-thinking approach was complemented by American Motors' vice president of engineering, Roy Lunn, who created the innovative "Quadra-Link" suspension system specifically designed to mitigate the risk of vehicle rollover. Renault's François Castaing contributed to the XJ's groundbreaking design by developing a drivetrain that utilized a significantly smaller engine than typically found in 4WD vehicles while achieving substantial weight reduction in the new model.
The Cherokee XJ "is noteworthy as the first nonmilitary 4x4 with unibody construction." This unconventional structure enhanced the XJ's durability and off-road prowess, ultimately winning over most critics, even those initially skeptical of models equipped with early, less powerful GM engines. The XJ is also characterized "as the first small crossover SUV in the U.S.," with "plenty of the Jeep toughness built-in". The innovative design and strategic market positioning of the XJ, alongside the AMC Eagle essentially "foreshadowed the car-based crossover utility-vehicle fad."
The advantages of this new design were immediately apparent: "The new XJ Jeep... was 1,200 pounds lighter, 31 inches shorter, six inches narrower and four inches lower than the Cherokee SJ it replaced, and yet — thanks to unibody construction — the XJ kept 90 percent of its predecessor’s interior volume." And, not only was fuel economy much improved, but "articulation is also better, as is ground clearance, as well as approach, departure and breakover angles. These, along with its smaller profile, make the XJ better both off-road and on."
Despite the recent introduction of the XJ models, AMC, facing competition from much larger rivals, proactively began developing its successor. To accelerate its product development cycle, the smallest U.S. automaker pioneered a business process now recognized as product lifecycle management. By 1985, AMC's development and engineering processes were based on sophisticated computer-aided design software systems, with all drawings and documents stored in a centralized database. This pioneering PLM system proved so effective that after Chrysler acquired AMC in 1987, they expanded its implementation throughout their entire enterprise.
The lasting impact of this vehicle has been recognized: "The Jeep Cherokee XJ is often pointed to as the vehicle that started America's modern love affair with the SUV." British TV presenter and motoring expert Quentin Willson described the XJ Jeep as "a real 4x4 icon" and one of the "few truly great cars... which, despite being left behind by newer models, still offer fresh and urgent possibilities. Cars, which become more relevant the older they get."
1984–1996
The XJ Cherokee introduced for the 1984 model year was the first Jeep with a ladder-boxed chassis integrated into a single monocoque unit rather than the traditional separate body-on-frame construction. The design was rigid and sturdy with approximately 3,200 welds in a completed body, "yet wonderfully lightweight, Uniframe permitted outstanding performance even with AMC's new four-cylinder engine."Both two- and four-door versions of the XJ Cherokee were offered throughout its lifetime, each having the same track and wheelbase measurements. Two-door models, however, received longer doors and front seats that could fold forward to assist in rear passenger entry and exit. This was in addition to extended-length rear windows that did not open, although an optional rear vent window was available on some models.
This version was the first to be sold in Europe. In the early years, however, only a few cars were exported. Notable sales only began in the late eighties or early nineties, depending on the country. In 1988 an import organization was established in Switzerland. In 1989, the Cherokee was launched in France, in 1992 in some additional markets, and in 1993 for the United Kingdom. Early versions came with the inline six-cylinder engine. European Cherokee XJ models introduced the 2.5 L petrol and 2.5 L VM Motori turbodiesel engines in 1995, expanding powertrain options beyond the earlier 2.1 L diesel.
In mid-1985, a two-wheel-drive version of the Cherokee was added to the lineup. This marked the first time any Jeep product was offered with two-wheel drive since 1967, and was done to attract buyers who did not need four-wheel drive. When the XJ Cherokee-based Comanche pickup truck was introduced, it was also available in two- and four-wheel drive. The new two-wheel-drive models shared the front suspension with four-wheel-drive models. Jeep simply used a single axle tube from hub to hub with no differential between, resulting in an inexpensive front suspension.
For 1996, partially to comply with new U.S. OBD-II exhaust and evaporative emissions regulations, the engine management system was upgraded to Chrysler's then-new "JTEC" PCM. This added the side benefits of improving reliability and easing diagnostics.
American Motors' compact XJ Cherokee was to be replaced by a new and larger model known as the ZJ that was under development by AMC. However, the smaller model's continuing popularity caused Chrysler executives to rethink this decision, and while the ZJ models were introduced in 1993, the XJ models were retained until 2001. The Jeep XJ has remained a popular choice among off-roading enthusiasts due to its potent off-roading capability in stock form. Its popularity has resulted in strong ongoing aftermarket support in the form of a wide variety of products.
Wagoneer
A variation on the Cherokee from 1983 until 1990 was the Jeep Wagoneer. These were unrelated to the similarly named full-sized Grand Wagoneer models that had carried the Wagoneer name before this point. The compact XJ Wagoneer was available initially in two trim levels: the "Wagoneer" or "Wagoneer Base" and the "Wagoneer Limited." The "Wagoneer Base" trim was soon discontinued, with its last model year being 1987. Both Wagoneers were distinguished from the Cherokee for the 1983 through 1985 model years by a slightly different grille and a smaller "Jeep" emblem offset to the driver's side. The single rectangular sealed beam headlamps were changed for 1986 to vertically stacked quad low and high beam headlights, with front turn signal lights relocated behind the grille. Where the Cherokee tail lights were split in half with a red section above an amber section, the tail lights on Wagoneers had a single red lens. The Wagoneer Limited came with vinyl wood trim on the sides and cloth seats with leather bolsters. "Limited" was embossed on the front seat backs and in the center of the rear seat back. The standard equipment list was extensive and included air conditioning, cruise control, power disk brakes, rear window wiper and washer, and adjustable steering wheel.Fleet markets
In the early to mid-1990s, the Jeep Cherokee started becoming popular for government and police use. The Cherokee AHB police package was introduced during the 1992 model year. Starting in 1996, Jeep released a special version of the XJ Cherokee SE for police and fleet use. It featured no interior rear door handles and a revised high output version of the 4.0 L "Power-Tech" inline six-cylinder engine. The new HO engine replaced the previous version of the 4.0 L engine in all installations.The Cherokee was also made in right-hand drive format, initially for the United States Postal Service. As a spin-off, it allowed Jeep in later years to enter right-hand drive markets — the Cherokee went on sale in both the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1993. It was also sold in Japan, but due to the country's strict "Shaken" motor-vehicle inspection laws, many used Japanese-market Cherokees have found their way back to the U.S. for use by rural mail carriers.