Stellantis Halts Production Of It’s Jeep® Cherokee For The Rest Of October!

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the engineering of Cherokee, in fact, it’s a very good SUV, it’s just needs to be reinvented. It’s hard to admit that sometimes mistakes are made and sizing, equipping and engineering two vehicles so close in so many ways creates a conflict problem for one, in this case it is Cherokee. The global winner is Compass for a number of good reasons including global investment. The news that Jeep is hard at work on a new Cherokee hopefully involves a “reinvention” that solves the conflict and overlap. I have often on this site championed a few solutions, based on over six years of satisfying Cherokee ownership, including going wider, longer and rear wheel drive with the next generation. Cherokee can not succeed in its present configuration, as good as it might be, and the development team must eat some crow, not for a job done badly, but for two jobs done well a bit too simarlar. Redemption lies in a Cherokee reinvention that is substantial and fundamental. Tinkering around the margins would only exasperate the situation and sink all their past effort unnecessarily. A plausible solution may just be found right here from some guy blowing smoke on a chat site, especially if you can’t see the forest from the trees. Of course this self flattery is silly though entertaining but I believe there is enough armchair insight here that needs consideration. “Reinvent or perish” may just be a slogan that opens eyes and bares fruit that saves Cherokee.

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It's the chip shortage. We have a lot of Cherokees and Compasses in our fleet. I spend a lot of time behind the wheel of both, even though its only for short distances most of the time. If Jeep management wanted too, they could create trim and option packages which can easily differentiate the Cherokee from the Compass. This can be done simply by dropping the lower trim levels and the 2.4 liter Tigershark four cylinder. The remaining Cherokee engines would be the GME 2.0 liter turbo four and the V6.

I don't know if the Ford Escape is being produced or not at this moment. All I know is we have stopped getting them and they are in short supply. The Bronco Sport supply is also drying up. I don't think its just the Jeep Cherokee.

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There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the engineering of Cherokee, in fact, it’s a very good SUV, it’s just needs to be reinvented. It’s hard to admit that sometimes mistakes are made and sizing, equipping and engineering two vehicles so close in so many ways creates a conflict problem for one, in this case it is Cherokee. The global winner is Compass for a number of good reasons including global investment. The news that Jeep is hard at work on a new Cherokee hopefully involves a “reinvention” that solves the conflict and overlap. I have often on this site championed a few solutions, based on over six years of satisfying Cherokee ownership, including going wider, longer and rear wheel drive with the next generation. Cherokee can not succeed in its present configuration, as good as it might be, and the development team must eat some crow, not for a job done badly, but for two jobs done well a bit too simarlar. Redemption lies in a Cherokee reinvention that is substantial and fundamental. Tinkering around the margins would only exasperate the situation and sink all their past effort unnecessarily. A plausible solution may just be found right here from some guy blowing smoke on a chat site, especially if you can’t see the forest from the trees. Of course this self flattery is silly though entertaining but I believe there is enough armchair insight here that needs consideration. “Reinvent or perish” may just be a slogan that opens eyes and bares fruit that saves Cherokee.

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Bill I agree on the reinventing. I think you said it in another replay that the currant Grand Cherokee should be come the new Cherokee, since the new ones are bigger and more pricey. We traded in our 2008 Chrysler 300 last year for an off lease 2017 Cherokee. Our intent was a Grand Cherokee (for the room), but it was well out of out affordability range. My wife was on the fence due to its size, being smaller than the 300, but the deal we were given we could not pass up. So far we love it, do wish it was bigger.
The Compass and Cherokee seem to be very close, but to me the Compass seems to "cheap" compare to the Cherokee. I do hope the new Cherokee is bigger than the current one, and also affordable for someone who wants to get into a Jeep SUV, but cant afford the steep price of the new Grand Cherokees or the Grand Wagoneer's. We are not all wealthy and Jeep need to realize that. Not all middle class can drop 30 grand plus in a full size SUV, but we also don't want puddle jumpers like the Compass and Renagade. Your reinventing of the Cherokee sounds like a GREAT idea than Jeep can use!

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It's the chip shortage. We have a lot of Cherokees and Compasses in our fleet. I spend a lot of time behind the wheel of both, even though its only for short distances most of the time. If Jeep management wanted too, they could create trim and option packages which can easily differentiate the Cherokee from the Compass. This can be done simply by dropping the lower trim levels and the 2.4 liter Tigershark four cylinder. The remaining Cherokee engines would be the GME 2.0 liter turbo four and the V6.

I don't know if the Ford Escape is being produced or not at this moment. All I know is we have stopped getting them and they are in short supply. The Bronco Sport supply is also drying up. I don't think its just the Jeep Cherokee.

My main reason personally for selecting the Cherokee, twice, was the V-6 engine. Since that is an existing difference, trim options alone will not do the trick. Jeep has built its reputation on capibility and rear wheel drive and cargo capacity needs to be fundamental to the solution. The FWD similarities and Jeep cultural imoage vagueness with Cherokee as almost a Compass clone really hurts. People will spend more for a downsized Grand Cherokee like product than for an up priced Compass like product. Too many priced out Grand Cherokee loyalists can now hopefully stay with Jeep with this solution. Hard medicine, especially since the easy way is too easy but sadly, as evidence dictates, won’t work. Reinvent.

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