After doing comprehensive reviews of both the Limited and TH in the last two years, C&D did a quick take of the 2016 Cherokee. I agree with most of their comments (even though I don't have ESS 
), and especially on the final verdict:
Verdict: Leave it to Jeep to create a compact crossover that charts its own rugged course in a sea of bland boxes.
What We Like: The Cherokee imparts a feeling of solidity on the road, with secure handling and a firm, controlled ride. When equipped with the optional 3.2-liter V-6 engine, it’s fairly quick and sporty-feeling considering its mass—the last Cherokee V-6 we tested weighed in at 4382 pounds, nearly 1000 pounds heavier than a four-cylinder Honda CR-V. Even the Trailhawk model, with its knobby off-road tires, has decent road manners thanks to well-weighted steering and good body control. The interior looks and feels similar to that of the more expensive Grand Cherokee, and the Uconnect touchscreen, which controls navigation, audio, and climate functions, is easy and intuitive to use.
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What We Don’t Like: Jeep needs room to cram beefy four-wheel-drive hardware into the Cherokee’s compact-car architecture, so the interior packaging suffers even on models that lack those goodies. Rear-seat room and cargo space don’t measure up to competitors like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, and the high lift-over height can make it a challenge to load large or heavy items into the cargo area. The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is best avoided, as it’s unrefined and struggles against the Cherokee’s substantial mass. The nine-speed automatic transmission that is standard on all models doesn’t help: it’s sometimes slow to kick down when the driver requests more oomph. The V-6’s power and torque help compensate for the gearbox’s occasional confusion, but the engine upgrade makes for a thirsty Cherokee. Our most recent tests of V-6* four-wheel-drive Cherokee models netted 18 and 20 mpg combined, while an all-wheel-drive four-cylinder CR-V averaged 25 mpg in our care.
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http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-jeep-cherokee-review
), and especially on the final verdict:Verdict: Leave it to Jeep to create a compact crossover that charts its own rugged course in a sea of bland boxes.
What We Like: The Cherokee imparts a feeling of solidity on the road, with secure handling and a firm, controlled ride. When equipped with the optional 3.2-liter V-6 engine, it’s fairly quick and sporty-feeling considering its mass—the last Cherokee V-6 we tested weighed in at 4382 pounds, nearly 1000 pounds heavier than a four-cylinder Honda CR-V. Even the Trailhawk model, with its knobby off-road tires, has decent road manners thanks to well-weighted steering and good body control. The interior looks and feels similar to that of the more expensive Grand Cherokee, and the Uconnect touchscreen, which controls navigation, audio, and climate functions, is easy and intuitive to use.
What We Don’t Like: Jeep needs room to cram beefy four-wheel-drive hardware into the Cherokee’s compact-car architecture, so the interior packaging suffers even on models that lack those goodies. Rear-seat room and cargo space don’t measure up to competitors like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, and the high lift-over height can make it a challenge to load large or heavy items into the cargo area. The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is best avoided, as it’s unrefined and struggles against the Cherokee’s substantial mass. The nine-speed automatic transmission that is standard on all models doesn’t help: it’s sometimes slow to kick down when the driver requests more oomph. The V-6’s power and torque help compensate for the gearbox’s occasional confusion, but the engine upgrade makes for a thirsty Cherokee. Our most recent tests of V-6* four-wheel-drive Cherokee models netted 18 and 20 mpg combined, while an all-wheel-drive four-cylinder CR-V averaged 25 mpg in our care.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-jeep-cherokee-review
