here is my comment
Nice attempt. not too inspired, nothing new tried here. references to existing Jeep styling cues. Front looks like a frog. The rest is rather ordinary. Guesss they're trying to come up with something so bland (classic?) that it can stick around for another hundred years before the next redesign.

I didn't mean to get you all riled up Rich. But
we weren't saying the same thing. I think the
silver Liberty doesn't look as good because
the fenders and bumpers are the same color
as the body.

I am serious Carter. If you weren't "thrown'
by my big word "foreshortened" you would have realized we were saying the same thing!
It's simply the same rig photographed from a different or,(watchout,Carter!) "foreshortened"
angle!
I apologize to all you experts in the trailer park and promise to use simpler language (words) in the
future.
Rich

Rich is right, he's not an expert. Paint the
fenders and bumpers matt black and the
silver Liberty looks as good as the red.
Foreshortening? . . . . . . . . be serious.

uhhmmmm..to those last 2 jeep experts..
it's simply that the angle of the red jeep photo
is more foreshortened than the silver jeep..giving
it a sportier, blunter look..
No Expert, but...

My reaction???

Here it is:

FUCK CORPORATE JOKE AMERICA!!

I already knew things were not boding well for me to own Jeep Cherokee's the rest of my life when, in 1997, the sales and marketing jerks at Chrysler started messing with the '97 Cherokees - making small, useless changes to the outside body styling.

Now, they are making the predictable and brain dead move to say, "Screw the market following we've spent many years developing with our Cherokee product line. We're bored and don't have a clue anyway and it just has to be true that if we ditch all the committment we have from these people by getting rid of the product that they love and replacing it with something different that somehow we'll create an even larger group of buyers and we'll make even more money for ourselves." These jerks are even ditching the 4.0L straight six!!

My first reaction is to wait until the very last year they make the Cherokee available and buy one, hoping to extend my satisfaction with owning and driving one for as long as I possibly can. But then I can't help but feel a lot of bitter resentment that the money from my purchase will go to the same people that are getting rid of the Cherokee for this 'yet another mini-van for soccer mom's wanna be's'. This whole subject makes me just about as disillusioned and disgusted as the fact that George W. Bush the criminal has managed to steal the Whitehouse from the guy that got the most votes in Florida and in the rest of the United States.

Screw you Chrysler.

Sincerely,

John Jackson
Amherst, MA

uhhmmmm..to those last 2 jeep experts..
it's simply that the angle of the red jeep photo
is more foreshortened than the silver jeep..giving
it a sportier, blunter look..
No Expert, but...

here is my comment: I can't believe it. What a horribly, unnattractive vehicle. If I wanted a feminine looking powder puff vehicle, I would purchase any number of autos made in Southeast Asia. Sorry, some of us still haul cut firewood, guns, wild game and chain saws in our Jeeps. This vehicle looks perfect for hauling nothing more masculine than the kids' hockey equipment or a small, but lovely, piece of antique furniture. As for the wonderfully long-lived 4.0L in line 6, I guess its time to replace it. After all, mine is still running strong after 140,000 miles. Maybe the new one's will die at 90,000 and we will all run out and buy another Liberty. Replace the old Cherokee and you'll lose me as a consumer. One last question, does the Cherokee come standard with a politically correct sticker like "Hands are not for Hitting" or "Arms are for Hugging"?

Not unattractive, and I like the idea of a compact wagon. But overall it still looks like everything else on the market, especially since it's apparently only offered as a 4-door. That's why the XJ stands out from the crowd with its boxy, business-like shape. I'm sure Jeep will grab a share of the overcrowded 4x4 station wagon market with its new me-too vehicle, but as soon as DC announces the end of production of the XJ I'm going to order a super-rare 2-door 5-speed Sport as a stablemate for my trusty '97 TJ.

The Front Grill and trapizodal weel openings look
like Jeep. Not being able to pull the lever and be in 4 weel drive seems odd, I am not familiar with the pro's/con's of all weel. I think us Jeep loyalists have been spoiled to Jeep models not changing alot which add to that reputation for timeless design they have built. Jeep should
consider the trap of frequent major model changes. Like Jeep other premium brands like
LandRover have had timeless yet fresh design.
Cherokee is a classic, but I will have to see
and drive an actual Liberty to make a fair judgement.
Women outnumber men, so I guess something more rounded, like all the other subcompact SUV's that are designed to appeal to the female market will sell well. What happen to name Commander, I guess
that was too masculine.

Sorry guys, but I see no RAV-4,
-V or Sportage influences when I look at
this photo of the Liberty. I do however see Wrangler in the front, Grand from
the side and Cherokee in the wheel flares. I still want to see one in person, but
I have to tell you I like what I see here. Of course styling is subjective and what
will make or break this vehicle is what it can do off-road, that will determine if
it deserves to wear the JEEP badge. If the Liberty proves itself off-road then it
will be a great addition to the Jeep line. I think most people seem to think that
this vehicle is on the small side ( same as RAV-4, Sportage etc ) but, from what
I have read it is closer to the X-Terra which is what I would prefer. Regardless I
think Jeep will sell a bunch of these, thus bringing in a large number of new Jeep enthusiast which I think is a good thing.

here is my comment:
It looks good, but if it does'nt perform better than my 98sport I'll pass.

All I know is I have a '99 XJ Sport, 5 speed
manual, and the thing looks awesome!!! The
current XJ, in the Sport package, is a far cry
from the vehicle introduced in 1984. Dated?....
try rugged and fun.... and the package still
looks a heck of a lot better then most of the
goofy looking things produced now a days. As
for this new vehicle, it doesn't look any better,
as a matter of fact..... it looks like a 4 door
version of that Daewoo clone vehicle that got
so much flack a while back... probably drives a
lot like a Daewoo too! The only thing DC Jeep
had to do was fix the rear bench!!!! That was
the ONLY think wrong with the current
Cherokee!!! I am buying my '99 XJ when the
lease is up next year!

Wow,nice job. Dead between the Wrangler and the Grand. Perfect.

Congratulations, Gentlemen ! You've just invented the RAV4 ! *yawn*

The old XJ never looked so good as right now....I'm hanging on to mine, mein Fuehrer Schrempp so go peddle your toy somewhere else....

Ta Dahhh... Now presenting something with infinite possiblities that was ultimately screwed up by DC engineers. Not a totally bad look on the front. It could loose a few of those curves and the bubbly roof (from Xterra/Durrango) add a few more edges (Like Cherokee/Wrangler) and definatly loose that funky IFS and V6 and you have a decent Jeep. One thing I noticed is how could they have ever marketed this thing as a Cherokee. It looks nothing like a Cherokee. Jeep has the highest brand loyalty in the industry you might loose brand loyalty because there is return Cherokee buyers that would feel slightly alienated by this KJ Jeep. Well the front end definately has the most potential on any part of the Jeep. This thing is going to get entirely too expensive with the WJ's 4 wheel drive. The whole pricing issue of the KJ has me very bewildered. But I find it interesting that they mentioned the suspension has been tuned for maximum articulation. Maybe those DC fellows have become sympathetic to our cause and increased articulation, or they said that to shut us up. Oh well, they tried, they missed, there is always the next redesign, the XJ is still superior.

More than likely, the silver one is a "Limited,"
and the red one is the "Sport" trim level. From
what I see, I like the Sport bette

Ok, I still love the XJ, but the other picture... of
the red KJ ... looks a heck of a lot better then
the silver one. You should show the red one
Mike!!! I could tolerate the KJ in the Jeep
lineup if it looks like the Red Liberty, and if they
continue to produce the XJ. I said it looked like
a Daewoo in my first reaction... the red one
does NOT look like a Daewoo.

I don't trust any car "expert" who calls the venerable 4.0, a reliable, torquey engine, a "lump".

I believe jeep had to change the cherokee model so it would not compete so much with the grand cherokee. Granted the Grand cherokee looks are more updated and has more luxury options but it's not necessarily a better full duty 4WD compared to the XJ. I believe there was too much product overlap, there was not a clear seperation of models. I agree with most of the comments about the new cherokee having a rav4 style and build.I like what there trying to do to the front to give it some stlye of the jeep but the whole design looks too flimsy and proportionally appears to be off. I bet it won't be as stable or handle as well as the XJ. I hope this new lightweight looking jeep at least has better gas mileage.
I think that it is Jeeps every intention to have a lighter duty entry level 4WD and if you want a full duty 4WD jeep you now have go out and buy the Grand Cherokee.
Jeep probably could of updated the XJ that was loyal to it's original design and satisfied customers that wanted a newer look and at the same time kept its integrity but probably see a bigger market in this new type of light duty want-a-be 4WD and for the Grand Cherokee because of the new market share.

As an owner of an '89 Cherokee, I am concerned with the direction Chrysler is taking with the new Liberty. If this picture is the real deal, I am inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. It definitely isn't unattractive. The comparisons to the RAV4 are highly unwarranted. Has anybody besides myself looked at pictures of these two side-by-side? There is no comparison! The RAV4 is a mutated car/minivan that's trying to be an infiniti QX4 (which isn't saying much). The Liberty, which is larger than it appears, takes jeep styling cues and puts them together with a fresh, new look. Nothing outrageous- could you imagine the reaction if it was? I mean, I love XJs, but they've pretty much looked the same for the last 17 years. I, for one, am ready for a change, and I'm willing to wait and see how this all shakes out. I'll keep my opinions until I've driven one, walked around one and see how it looks from more than one angle, and given the tires a good kick ot two. If the new Liberty turns out to be a lemon, I'll trade in my '89 for a brand new '01.

Just as GM comes up with a new in-line six
cylinder engine with high horsepower (270)
and low-rpm torque perfectly suited for an
off-road vehicle, Chrysler in their infinate
wisdom begins transfiguring Jeeps into Road
Cars. Dumping the old "lump (Mike's concept)
straight six with it's low rpm peak torque is
certainly bad news for any off road intended
user. V-6 engines are smoother, but they are
not an off-roadable machine. Bad idea!

here is my comment
As the proud ower of a 96 sport, it say....
Bravo! I see nothing at all wrong with updating the design, and this has a family resemblence to the current cherokee. I think those who are knocking it before it has even hit the lots would not care what it looked like, or how it performed. They just do not like change, and thus are convinced that this must be bad for Jeep. Even with the IFS, I suspect it will perform at least as well if not better than the Xterra/4runner type vehicles, and will carry the jeep name well. IFS does not mean it is crippled off road, and under most conditions it should perform just as well as the current cherokee. Maybe not a rock climber, but in most other off road applications(snow, mud, sand, steep rutted trail), ifs is at no disadvantage as compared to a solid axle.
Common folks, lets at least give it a chance.

Not unattractive at all. Looks like a "baby Grand." It'll be interesting to see how the truck drives and handles, both on and off road.

here is my comment

Its a good looking truck....yes I said truck. I love the Cherokee and have owned five but when I see that my 98 and original 85 drive and look the same, then I see this change was necessary. I think its all Jeep keeping the varoius looks of today and the past without looking pieced together.

I hate to go against the flow but this looks like a nice truck. I don't get how someone can criticize this truck before someone actually drives one. It might perform better than an XJ, who knows? Keep in mind that the best jeeps are built, not bought. This may not be the top offroad Jeep but it will be close to the top if you look at all Jeeps since 1941. Jeep is in business to sell Jeeps. BTW, Subaru is the only co. that only sells 4x4’s there is a 4x2 Cherokee.

Looks like a
V or Sportage, not a JEEP.
A freshened Cherokee that is a little taller,bigger tires would have been better than all the roundedness of the Liberty. Remember there are still boxy rugged type SUV's out thier, the Discovery, the Xtera, the Trooper, unfortunately Jeep has taken a different track.
I am hanging on to my 99 Cherokee.

Looks kinda of like a RAV4. Guess Jeep is going to cave in to the non 4-wheeling crowd with this entry. Hope it is not a sign of the future for the Jeep line of vehicles.