Test drive Jeep Cherokee 1997 - 2001 SUV

Swan, cancer and pike

What qualities can combine several cars? By what principle are cars selected for a comparative test drive? That's right, this is usually a certain class, body type, belonging to one generation or a common style. We have chosen the price as the main parameter. What is a full -size, not a miniature, parquet SUV, can be purchased for thirty -thirty -thirty thousand dollars?

This time, well -known crooks from Korea, Japan and the United States: Hyundai Galloper II, Nissan Terrano II and Jeep Cherokee (in an invariable square body) got into a friendly company. True, the last two are collected, respectively, in Spain and Austria. Someone will ask what is common between them? After all, both the style and design of these cars varies great, and our heroes appeared on conveyors with a rather large interval from each other. We answer the four drive wheels, comparable dimensions and a relatively affordable price, which is, after all, one and a half times lower than that of more fresh classmates.
Design
All three cars have a memorable appearance, which, perhaps, corresponds to the image of everyone.
Dry, lean Cherokee, never displaced from production with a more imposing and expensive Grand. Ascetic appearance, not far out of now. Runned forms, which have long been replaced by applied descendants, only emphasize enduring masculinity and severity. The name itself, given in honor of the ancient tribe of the red-skinned inhabitants of the New World, causes in the imagination the image of an Indian with feathers in oily black hair to the shoulders, in which the scalps of defeated enemies casually hang on the belt.
 
Galloper II, decorated with the Hyundai emblem, now carries an oval on the radiator with a galloping mustang depicted in profile. Compared to the predecessor, blinded from the first Mitsubishi Pajero, the car was noticeably modernized: a twisted front, other optics, rather fashionable thresholds, extensors of wheeled arches and a kangaroo. There is no doubt that conservative, time -tested forms have a lot of adherents.
In this regard, Nissan stands apart. The born in 1992, Terrano II stood out with a rather modern design, and restyling spent a couple of years ago only emphasized its dignity. The face was decorated with four round headlights. The hood of even a gasoline version is now complemented by a characteristic nostril in the middle, and plastic linings of a steel shade along the bottoms of household panels visually crushing a high body. Actually, Terrano II gives the impression of a larger car than it actually. It is even amazing that in the factory program this Japanese is the smallest of all -wheel drive Pathfinder a little more, and Patrol is completely giant.
Device
For objectivity, we took the entire trinity in five -door design and with gasoline engines. Although we believe that for an economical buyer, a diesel option would be no less interesting. (This is especially true for the Hyundai Korean, working on diesel fuel, cheaper almost a quarter.) The gearboxes came out with disagreement: Jeep has an automatic machine, and the eastern machines of the mechanic. The drive of the front bridges is disconnected everywhere, with the same lever, which is in charge of a low gear in the handout.
The most powerful engine has a four -liter in -line six. Galloper is equipped with a well-known three-liter V-shaped engine (the only gasoline option on these Korean SUVs). And the most modest motor in Terrano is 2.4 liters of four cylinders, more powerful Nissan engines are saving for older brothers.
Asian three -door bodies have a shorter base and only five seats (in long cars behind the second row of seats there are a third folding for two passengers of medium or small complexion). The overseas jeep has a standard base, and there are both three and five doors, but in Europe, where our Cherokee was collected, only a five -door version is released.
We do not know what access to the trunk to your taste through the rising or through the open door, but the reserve in the cabin seems to us more preferable, especially since in Jeep it stands vertically on the left and does not block anything. The same that the spare wheel will always be clean and there is no need to talk.
You will have to wash these cars with different frequencies. The most streamlined Japanese confidently holds leadership, a fellow from Korea shamelessly splates the windshield, hood and roof even when overcoming small puddles, and Yankees pouring and sprinkling the doors and wings throughout the plane with his protruding wheels.
Door handles and landing are most convenient for Galloper. Nissanovsky is also good pens like eight, and quite sufficient in width and height of the door. And the narrowest doorways are just on the wide. It is almost impossible to climb onto the rear sofa, without staining the trousers on the forever dusty arches. It is nice that Jeep and Nissan complete the keys to the remote opening of the locks.
In terms of shoes, the most serious mood is obviously of Hyundai the largest rubber size, and the road clearance is what you need.
Everyone has alloy, serious external body kit (arcs, winches, additional headlights) is put by order.
Interior
Intranshal differences are no less than external. The closest, especially in height, of course, Cherokee, but the American has a magnificent location at the wheel, sit like a glove, the devices are visible perfectly, hands and legs where you need. On a leather steering wheel control of a cruise control. Good music, electric package. The review is good, despite the modest sizes of the windows. In the center of the ceiling, back from the mirror, there is a console with an eyelet and lighting plafins is very convenient for everyone. But at the back it is better not to ride the crown in the roof for a long time, knees in the front back, shoulder on the door. Or maybe children will like it there?
On the eastern SUVs, places for children are on the gallery itself. We did not dare to climb into the trunk, on the third row of seats, but on the second it is very spacious.
The driver’s place was somewhat disappointed. To Galloper, several nit -picking instruments shields are blocked by the steering wheel, and to feel the radio buttons located slightly lower than the ashtray and slightly taller than the floor is almost unrealistic. The review is especially annoying when you look through the glass, the reserve is great, and the external mirrors, although large, but do not have not only an electric drive, but even adjustments from the cabin should be opened with glass (!). The glasses themselves on the entire trinity on the buttons, you do not need to twist the handles. Planting in the driver’s place is far from the optimal place, you slide forward from the chair, and it stands too close to the door with your shoulder, propagates the window, and far to the passenger.
On Terrano, a gearbox lever is far away to the fifth and even stretch to the third, tearing your back from the seat. And to control the stove with the help of horizontal sliders, and not the pens, as is now accepted, is also very inconvenient. But in height, the Japanese is the most spacious. And the leather salon, which is included in the standard, is more pleasant and practical than a rag.
On solid ground
In order to give an objective assessment of any vehicle, you need to look very carefully at how the car behaves on the road, how the driver will steer. On a good highway, with funny fellow travelers or pleasant music, we forget about the appearance of the car and the convenience of passengers. Under our constant control, there are only relationships in the chain of connections and signals driver car. Road the surrounding space.
Let's say honestly on the solid coating of Jeep in obvious leaders. Of course, we must not forget about its most powerful, in comparison with competitors, the engine (and it would be necessary to take 2.5 liters), but it seems that Cherokee is really the most passenger of jeeps, in the good sense of the word. Yankees are so fun gaining speed and so clearly writes turns that you are amusing. Sometimes you even forget that the car has serious off -road weapons. The rigidity of the suspension can be called optimal. It shakes in moderation, and the vibrations are extinguished very well, which is uncharacteristic for his fellow tribesmen. I struck us, only with a minus sign, the process of inhibiting. It seems that even heavier jeeps have a smaller braking distance. Several times we almost got into the walking cars ahead. Yes, coupled with a powerful motor, such brakes make it be alert.
We transplant to Galloper. The name is quite justified by the car is quite fast and very jumping. Therefore, on the asphalt, frankly, I would like to have a tougher suspension. The buildup on the longitudinal waves is sensitive, but for some reason small depressions are also not extinguished for some reason. The passage of turns is quite unsuccessful. Hyundai is heavy and clumsy every time he takes out the trajectory. The gear shifts are too large moves, however, you have to use the lever infrequently helping out a painful engine with a wide range of high torque. Such features once again make you pay attention to diesel modification, more suitable for a leisurely and sedate driver.
Terrano here in its qualities in the middle. The rulers are not too clear, but you can’t call it smeared. The best in the three, quite sensitive brakes. Great review. Short hood, panoramic glass. All reactions are expected and natural. True, lovers of driving is unlikely to satisfy a modest motor, although its dynamics cannot be considered insufficient. The craving of the motor is rather not enough. The powerful and moment characteristics of the engine, apparently, are such that on each program you have to twist up to 4.5-5 thousand revolutions. And only then do you keep normally in the stream.
Departure on the highway somewhat smoothed out the notes noted. The dense and clear Cherokee made itself felt by the noise of the oncoming air flow, and Terrano amused with the exhaust system. Galloper turned out to be the most acoustically quiet.
The vibration sensations appear only in the Japanese at low speeds slightly shake the steering wheel and a gearbox handle.
Strive for joy!
In the spring, in the Rasputitsa, outside the city, thank God, expanse for the jeeper. All kinds of off-road are presented widely (and somewhere deeply) here and the remnants of snow porridge, and fresh dirt melted by a peeping sun, and the ice that grabbed the April puddles.
We tried to plant each of the subjects deeper, if only not everyone at the same time. Of course, Hyundai Galloper, even on one bridge, rowing, is excellent priority. Having flushed with a blurry rut into a ditch -disguised ditch and hanging on the belly, we, to surprise, stalled. Pushing the four of us does not help. Then only someone noticed that the front wheels were not connected. We stick the lever to the lowering position with a 4x4 drive. Two or three pitching back and forth without outside help and huge wheels pull us out of a snow-bell-shaped mess.
It is nice to overcome the barriers to Jeep. Having accelerated properly on the third reduced, holding the gas in the floor, we fly out of the rolled snow on the virgin lands. Shreds of last year’s grass fly in all directions, tires with slipping, rotating frantically, take us to the next dry site.
We go down from the steep bank on the outskirts of Zvenigorod to the Moscow River that has opened from the ice. The shores are washed with melt water. It is always easier to move down down, the main thing is not to touch the brakes, to go in the first gear. If you brake and the side roll may be more permissible. The result is an inevitable coup on the ears.
The face downward, slowly slowing down the engine, finally went down. It's nice to get to the very edge of the jelly water. The beauty. How to do without all -wheel drive? In a smooth place, it is no longer interesting to ride for serious SUVs this is not a test. And weakly climbing from acceleration higher to Kruch?
Further, Nissan took off. And even then at the end of the path we were stained, we had to slow down. From the next attempt, they would have reached the top. The Japanese pulls surprisingly great. Hyundai oligels, he lost only a couple of meters to the leader. The element of the Korean row from pits and ditches. And Jeep, also seems to be a good rogue, rested in the snow in the snow halfway. Maybe because an American is lower or just a snowdrift in his way was deeper?
We easily go back. Now our task is to get upstairs without loss. It wasn't there. There are no gentle trips, and in our opinion, it is unrealistic to go through a muffled flood meadow, cut by streams. But who does not risk that does not jeep. We plant one by one, pull it out with a cable and plant our horses again. Finally, Galloper felt for a solid foundation and with all his might powerfully and confidently rushed forward and up. The rest went along the rut. We translate the spirit. They were tired and wet to the knees, smeared with mud themselves, and the equipment was also made in order. Barely reached the gas station. By the way, they eat these modestones suitable. Once again we recall the advantages of diesel engines.
Comparative results
It is extremely difficult for the buyer advice, because people are different. If this is a leisurely person, respecting traditions, Hyundai Galloper II may suit him. The pluses of this car include discreet appearance. Traffic police officers are usually watching our Korean, their attention is attracted to more steep cars. And the neighbors in the house or cottage are unlikely to dry with envy. By the way, for giving this option is the best.
About Nissan Terrono II we can say that his driver is a white medium -sized collar, self -respecting himself and others and appreciating modern style and reasonable practicality. The car is equal to both the city and for sorties to nature with friends and friends, and family people will thank the creators of the SUV for additional places for mother -in -law and dog.
Jeep Cherokee, of course, Drivers-Car. An active driver will be able to tear himself away on him both on the dish and on our Russian off -road. Perhaps the American is more crowded than competitors and is not so practical, but all this fades into the background, when it is possible to manage from the heart in this wonderful car.
 
Vladimir Smirnov
Photo by Alexander Kolesnichenko
 

Source: Cars