Thanks for @TheTechnicalWizard for making his Jeep available for this video!

Today at #LCR, we’ll review a square. I mean a box. I mean, it’s red. And it’s 4-wheel drive. I’m talking of course about the #Jeep Rectangle. I mean #Cherokee. Let’s be real, is there anything more square and cool looking than the iconic Cherokee XJ? The one we’re reviewing is a 2001 Limited with only 94,000 miles.

Starting production all the way back in 1984, 17 years later the 2001 model year was the last year that these square off-road icons rolled off Jeep’s assembly lines.

So, what does the Limited trim add to what was intended to be a spartan SUV meant to be driven in the mud? On the outside, its iconic 7-slot grille is body-colored, just like the other trim on the Jeep. The body-colored bumpers, skid bars and even the mud flaps, give this Limited a sporty look. The limited furthermore came with fog lamps and 16” alloy wheels.

Door handles have a sporty black finish, matching the black roof rack. That rack expands the already large amount of utility of the Jeep. The rails can be moved and adjusted by simply pushing the button and sliding the attachment back or forth.

On the inside, this Cherokee has camel cloth seats, which look much nicer than the standard grey most of them came with, plus for the limited they were equipped with adjustable headrests. As you’d expect, the back seats fold down to create a 69 cubic feet cargo space.

One thing we didn’t like, is the full-size spare tire taking up a lot of cargo space. Why not hang it on the rear liftgate like Jeep’s always done on the Wrangler?

That Infinity amp that you saw underneath the rear bench was another option that came with the Limited trim. It drives 6 speakers, playing AM/FM radio, cassette or CD through the Infinity head unit. Time to play some smooth jazz while climbing that Moab trail. And the Limited gives you a full gauge cluster to see what’s going on under the hood. Options we liked in particular are the adjustable seats and steering wheel, although the Cherokee provides surprisingly little legroom for what is still a quite sizable SUV. The same goes for the back, where you may be able to fit a refrigerator, but not a presenter for LCR.

Talking about refrigerators, this thing has nice ice-cold A/C. Too bad the climate control is not automatic, but I guess you’ll need to keep doing some manual labor in a Jeep.

Further luxuries include keyless entry via a remote key fob, sun visors with vanity mirrors and leather-wrapped steering wheel. The center console features a storage space underneath the armrest, two decent size cupholders with this small removable storage box, and an ash tray. Power options include power adjustable mirrors and power windows.

That’s nice and all, but the most important question for every Jeep is: what are its off-road capabilities? This 2001 Jeep Cherokee is powered by the PowerTech 4 liter inline-6 engine, which was still developed by AMC before Chrysler bought them.

That engine makes 193 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque and is paired to a 4-speed automatic transmission, with an average fuel economy of 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. The Jeep weighs 3,194 lbs.

Four-wheel-drive on the Cherokee was optional, and this one is equipped with the Select-Trac system, which adds a full-time 4WD mode in addition to the Command-Trac’s part-time 4WD mode. The 4WD system makes the Cherokee an incredibly capable off-roader. Standard ground-clearance is 8.1 inches, which is about 3 inches more than your average sedan. It also has a solid front axle and front coil springs, which are must-haves for avid off-roaders. This particular Jeep also is equipped with the Up-Country suspension group, which adds tow hooks, skid plates, a Trac-Lok rear differential, full size matching spare and an auxiliary transmission oil cooler. And also handy: the rear liftgate has a wiper to wipe the mud off the rear window.

The 4WD system is quite heavy to shift, but then again, Jeeps are only driven by super strong people. Other than that, this Cherokee drives very smoothly on the road. Steering and throttle are responsive and if you’re tired of the smooth ride, it can take you practically everywhere with the 4WD system.
And look at the construction of this thing! It has steel bumpers! Even the sides are protected by these steel skid rails against unforeseen objects. But it’s better to just not crash into things in the first place.

Overall, this classic Jeep Cherokee has a smooth enough ride to be a comfortable road cruiser, but didn’t become a pavement princess like its modern incarnation. It’s a fun mix between off-road utility and comfortable daily driving. And that’s reflected in the fact that they’ve been steadily going up in value in recent years.