Test Drive Jeep Cherokee (Liberty) 2001 - 2005 SUV

Saga about the present Indian

What is he, new cunes?
Jeep Cherokee (for North America Jeep Liberty) debuted at the Detroit Motor Show 2001. His predecessor with minimal changes lasted on the conveyor 18 (!). New Cherokee is offered only with a five-door body. Motor options for the European market are three: gasoline 2.4 and 3.7 liters and turbodiesel 2.5 l, and the most powerful six-cylinder motor comes only with an automatic transmission. The price in Russia is $ 27-37 thousand.

History Cherokee
Jeep Cherokee must be the name of the Indian tribe. He appeared in 1983, although conservative appearance assumes even a more solid age. Compact, lightweight, powerful sown united in the design of the accompatible design: carrying the body and a dependent suspension (spring front and spring back). The spars turned out to be strong enough to provide the necessary stiffness to the body, and at the same time allowed them to make it easier and lower. With a powerful four-liter motor, the dynamic qualities of the car were high, and the unsatisfactory smoothness of the stroke and handling in those years were the norm for Sport Yptiti. However, the permeability of the Jeep-Cherokee is worthy of the brand. It worked not only the direct engine, but also a small mass, a short base and solid road clearance. And yet no one, even the most successful car is not eternal. Although the modernization of 1997 was a little refreshing the car outwardly, and the new salon helped to attract buyers, it was obvious - the days of the Cherokee were considered. With the advent of a whole class of parquet oscidences, its comfort and controllability became archaic. So the replacement has slept on time.

Image - all?
A rough chopped style of the former Cherokee remained in the past. The current car relates to him only by seven branded vertical slots in the facing of the radiator and angular protruding wheeled arches. A courageous jeep can only look Hummer, they talked about the former car. Now the driver is no longer required to wear high army boots, cowboy shirt and possess light hotness to match the image of the car. Behind the wheel of the current car, you can imagine an intellectual in glasses, and even a lady with the family ... But if for a certain category of driver drivers is lost forever, someone will undoubtedly please.
First of all, a pretty increased internal volume. The height of the machine increased almost 200 mm, the width is 30 mm, the base is 75 mm, and the length is 240 mm. True, the increase in length mostly provided a spare wheel, which moved from the trunk outside, on the fifth door. In fact, the volume of the trunk is even slightly smaller than that of the old Cherokee. But the salon was thoroughly distributed in all directions: if the driver's landing and the front passenger in the old car was completely passenger, now she, as it should be at the cars of this class, is highly sitting, looking far away. About the back seat and there is nothing to say - the difference is just a huge. In the former Cherokee, it was just a shop (even if the skin was covered) with the back, barely reaching the blades. Now - a full seat on three with headrests. Bare is not too comfortable, prevents the protruding niche of the rear wheel. True, to the honor of the designers, the door is now opened along with part of the flap of the wheel niche and do not have to wipe the car.

THE LONG ROAD
In the city, evaluate the runoff qualities is difficult - reliable brakes and convenient outer mirrors are often more important than the dynamics and controllability. On the highway, the new Cherokee looks worthily: the engine is almost not heard, the aerodynamic noises are nicely suppressed, itching tire does not pushing. The algorithm of the automatic transmission is designed in the American style - soft operation of the hydrotransformer and not too hurrying the gas supply response. But with a sinking amplitude of actions, the accelerator pedal has no problems, on the contrary, even pleases that the box does not perceive the barely notable movements of the right leg as an order of the sowing head rushing forward. The dynamics of the machine is undoubtedly good, but it is impossible to say that the new V-shaped six in all parameters exceeds the old row. The loss of 300 working volume cubes is barely compensated for 25 superfluous horsepower.
Compared to the predecessor, the shaft jeep is harder to 200 kg, which, of course, affected the acceleration dynamics. In addition, he weighs even more his older brother Jip-Gran Cherokee. Despite this, in the city a new jeep a little more economical than the old - 15-17 l / 100 km. If you remember about a pretty graced altitude and not too streamlined the form of the machine, then it does not have to be surprised at the expense on the highway 12.5-13 l / 100 km. And this is no less than that of the former Cherokee.

The main thing - the steering wheel
No, it is not that it is a leather with luxurious spokes for a stainless steel and a multitude of cruise control buttons. The fact is that the Cherokee has an independent front wheels suspension and a rugged steering mechanism. The result was not to wait to wait - the sensitivity was improved at small corners of the turning of the ram. Now the jeep is managed not worse than the passenger car: that he is able to ride not only on asphalt roads, reminds only a high landing and a little slow reaction. Even rolls are not stronger than that of passenger cars, but this is the merit of the suspension.

RUGGED TERRAIN
It's not a secret, many modern sacrifts deserve the combinations so-called. Miserer suspension strokes, road tires and small clearance reduced the main advantages of the full drive. Fortunately, it is impossible to say about the Cherokee. He has enough trumps for off-road. The dispensing box with an inter-axis differential select bar is equipped with a blocking and reduced transmission with a number of 2.72 - it allows a crawler car with the speed of the elderly pedestrian. By the way, the transfer of a transfer box in jeep traditions is mechanical, one lever. The algorithm is not entirely common, immediately behind the position 2 (rear wheel) follows 4 Part-Time - with a blocked differential and only then 4 Full-Time with unlocked. If we consider that most drivers per full drive remembers only stuck, in such a scheme there is logic: in the mud inter-axis differential - a bad assistant.
An independent front suspension has a rather large move, but it will not work on off-road. After it squeezes 65 mm, the weight of the car becomes not enough - the continuous course is only dynamic. In addition, the front suspension has stratum and road clearance - under it only 185 mm. But the dependent beam is rearly fade on the crossing on the full program, providing full 270 (!) Mm stroke. Hermann-Rangler S4 tires were well shown well, which were not only silent on the asphalt, but also with good rowers in the loose snow and on the outlined motocross track. In the same place, it was found that the geometric patency of the Cherokee is quite enough even for a leisurely moving through the springboards, and the self-locking rear differential begins to help climb up, only when the buxy wheel meets at least some resistance. If the wheel hung or stands on ice, the differential has to go to the handbrake.
Type of Cherokee from below inspires respect - the only vulnerable (and then with the reservation) can be considered an intermediate muffler, and everything else is securely covered with metal linings.

Real Indian?
A rare schoolboy did not read the stories of Phoenimor Cooper. Images of proud and brave indigenous residents of America, severely oppressed by the pale conquerors, sealed in the heart. The reality was where progress. When the author had a chance to visit America and see the Indian reservation with his own eyes, everything turned out to be different. No, the Indians did not become blondes, but their lifestyle dispels rainbow illusions - all concerns about the well-being of indigenous ethnicities went as shroud. Even bought for twenty dollars a ceramic kettle with painting in the Indian motives, when the label was spared, turned out to be Chinese.
Do you still want to see this Indian? Admit, because you are much closer to his image from the books of Cooper. So the old Cherokee has become too rude and clumsy for the modern world. The main thing is convenience in real life, and here there is an impressive distance between the current and former Jeep-Cherokee.

Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.7V6
General data: Number of places - 5; Curb weight - 1866 kg; Full weight - 2540 kg; Maximum speed - 180 km / h; overclocking time up to 100 km / h - 10.0 s; Fuel consumption in conditional country and urban cycles - 19.5; 11.8 l / 100 km; Fuel supply - 70 l; Fuel - unleaded gasoline AI-91. Design: carrying five-door body. Dimensions, mm: Length - 4496; width - 1819; height - 1866; base - 2649; Pitch in front / rear - 1524/1518; Road clearance - 198; The volume of the trunk is 909/1951 l; Radius of rotation - 5.5 m. Engine: gasoline, v-shaped, six-cylinder, with two valves per cylinder, one camshaft in each head; Working volume - 3700 CMZ; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 93.0x90.8 mm; The degree of compression is 9.1; Power - 155 kW / 210 liters. With. at 5200 rpm; Maximum torque - 312 NM at 3800 rpm. Transmission: Connected drive to the front wheels with inter-axle blocked differential; gearbox - automatic six-speed; Gateways: I - 3.00; II - 1.67; III - 1.00; IV - 0.75; s. X. - 2.39; Main transmission - 3.73; Disposal box: I - 1.00; II - 2.72. Suspension: Springs with transverse stability stabilizers; Front - independent on double transverse levers, rearly dependent on the longitudinal levers, with a triangular central lever. Brakes: in front - ventilated disc, rear - drum, with amplifier and abs. Steering: Rush with a hydraulicel. Tire size: 235/70R16.

Powerful traction engine, smoothly running gearbox, accurate steering, the presence of an inter-axis differential, good permeability, a comfortable luggage compartment, a comfortable interior.

Large fuel consumption, high price, the model with a four-cylinder engine has no mid-sieve differential.
 
Text, Photo / Anatoly Fomin

A source: Journal "Behind the wheel"