[GeekInAJeep]

Hello there, just registered on this forum. I've driven a Liberty (first a 2008 Limited and then a 2011 Limited, both purchased brand new) for literally the past decade, and am now trading up to a 2019 Cherokee Overland, which should arrive from the factory hopefully in a couple weeks. I went with the V6, because I don't like the sound of 4-cyl engines, and I'm not convinced that the turbo is the better choice in the long run. Obviously since it's already being built, I've already made my decision to make the switch, but I've been scouring the internet for info on the Cherokees while I've been waiting, and I've noticed a distinct lack of any real comparisons between the outgoing KK Liberty and the new KL Cherokee. I know the KL is a completely different vehicle than the KK, but it still served as a direct replacement, so you'd think SOMEBODY would think it was a good idea to directly compare the two.

I've been pretty happy overall with my KK, and was planning on driving it a few more years, but am trading up now because it's threatening to cost me potentially thousands in repairs (transmission is making me very nervous, among other things), and I'd rather put the money into something new with better ride, better mileage, and a long warranty safety net. I did test drive a 2019 KL Overland before custom ordering one spec'd to my liking, and it seemed to be quite an upgrade over my KK, but it was a fairly short test drive. I wish I had been more thorough, but I was in a hurry for various reasons, so now I've just been spending my days dreaming about it, and stressing about it, hoping I made the right choice, especially given all the issues with the 9-speed that I wasn't fully aware of before I placed my order. My parents have a 2014 Grand Cherokee, which I've enjoyed driving from time to time, but it's a bit on the big side for me, so I'm really hoping this new Cherokee offers a similar experience in a smaller package.

Anyway, due to the lack of official comparison reviews, I'd like to hear if there are any owner reviews to be had. I'm curious to know if anyone else here has upgraded to a KL from a KK, or even a KJ, and what your thoughts are on how they compare. I'm tired of reading about how the Cherokee compares with other ugly crossovers that I couldn't care less about. I want to hear how it compares to older Jeeps!

 

[Mark_]

Hi there and welcome to the forum !

I've posted a few times on the subject, here, but nothing substantial and it never took off, so my guess was (is) there aren't that many former KJ/KK owners on here.

I had 2 KJs, a 2002 Limited (the original, with off-road package and Tow group) and a 2005 Sport. When the KKs came out, I was under the impression they were *less Jeep* and more Dodge Nitro. I never drove a KK so I can't comment, really. The KJs made a splash when they came out, with some GC owners jealous of the ride... I loved those Jeeps, the 2002 was totalled so we got the 2005, but I much preferred the 2002 Limited.

Now... fast forward to 2015 : I sell the 2005 KJ and get in a 2015 Cherokee Latitude AWD. Oh my. Apples and oranges, those two platforms are so different, you can't really compare them. The Liberty had a more rigid frame, a more boxy look and feel. The KLs are... more CUVs and very civilized om pavement. The ride is so superior it's not even funny. You sit lower though, the KL does feel more like a car (relatively speaking). The AWD system is awesome in the KL ; I had Selec Trac in both KJs and liked it, but the newer AWD systems are so much bettter, at least for on-road needs (like our winters). Stability controls in the KLs are, to me, a bit too intrusive at times, but the safety factor they bring is so superior to what older technology offered... It's hard to make these KLs skid around, even on very slick surfaces. If you have winters where you are, we'll take again in 6 months

Other that that... the 2005 was 10 y/o when I sold it, not that many miles on it, yet I was starting to spend... on stuff like the water pump, the gas pump sending unit, lower ball joints, sticky brakes at back, broken rear door swtich, etc... and it was starting to rust (normal at 10 years where I am) but nothing major. My KL has had more warranty work done than all my previous vehicles combined I think. Yeah oopsy. But my case is somewhat isolated (I watch and compare here on the forum, haha), so I won't cry here. I love the driveability of this Jeep so much more than the KJs...

 

[Jeepster1]

Hello there, just registered on this forum. IAnyway, due to the lack of official comparison reviews, I'd like to hear if there are any owner reviews to be had. I'm curious to know if anyone else here has upgraded to a KL from a KK, or even a KJ, and what your thoughts are on how they compare. I'm tired of reading about how the Cherokee compares with other ugly crossovers that I couldn't care less about. I want to hear how it compares to older Jeeps!

Welcome to the forum...…..
Buyers remorse or as I call it 2nd thoughts is very common and I get them also.

* Transmission issues were fixed mid 2015 production with a new hardware fixed ZF. No more issues to date.
* The KL platform is a new platform for the new Cherokee. The KL is a totally new type of SUV that is basically a computer on 4 wheels.
It also has a unique drive train and 9 speed transmission that sets it apart from all the others and other brands, in my opinion.

In my case I drove it first, a 2014 Cherokee, and loved the way it drove and handled. It just felt solid. I had a '04 Grand Cherokee SE V8 at the time.
I did compare all the interior area like seating and had almost as much room as the Grand. I factory ordered it as I could not get the options I wanted on the dealer lot. I absolutely wanted the Full Tech group and tow group.
For me there was almost no difference between the two in function except rear cargo storage and the '14 being loaded with more tech.
Towing was great with the '14 as it was with the Grand.

How it compares with my 3 older Jeeps, both '92, 2001 Cherokees, and an '04 Grand Cherokee simply said it does not in any way.

Its far better, more solid and road quiet than the other ones. It also is more stable due to the stability controls built into the vehicle.

I have never looked back at that early purchase of my 2014 Cherokee. Also glad I picked up a Max Care Life plan on it as I will keep this one a long time.

 

[dhh3]

I had a 2003 Liberty Renegade. It was Black with the Chrome Mopar Bull Bar and leather interior, tow package. The only thing that I did not like about it was I had to use a short hitch extender because of the spare tire, but I liked having the tire on the door, and I really liked having a door with the flip-up window rather than a lift gate as found on the KL. There was not a whole lot of room behind the second seat; but, there is not a whole lot of space in the KL either. I received compliments wherever I went. I had zero issues with it and the only reason that I traded it was I was smitten with the Commander in 2006! There are times when I really miss it. I basically am not a fan of the overall look of the KL, but for some reason the MT completely changes the overall look and I receive compliments wherever I go. What I find hard to believe that this KL, based on an Alfa Romeo platform, is within inches in size when compared to the Commander and Liberty. When driving the the KL, the head wobble has been eliminated, when compared to the KJ. Much improved suspension. Off road prowess seems to be the same.

 

[GeekInAJeep]

Thanks for all the replies thus far! Frankly I've never felt like my Liberty was unstable on the road, quite the opposite. When I first upgraded to it from a 99 Explorer, by comparison, it felt much more solid on the road, with a much smoother ride, better handling, reduced road noise, and about the same fuel economy. Of course there were better things on the road, but for me personally, it was a huge improvement, and at the time, my specific needs (decent cargo room, Minnesota winter capability) and preferences (LOVED the unique boxy look, and preferred a "heavy" but planted vehicle over a lightweight tin can that gets easily tossed around by wind and semi trucks) made it the obvious choice.

I bought a 2008 first, and traded up to 2011 later to get some of the bells and whistles I had been missing on the 2008. Both of them were bought after factory order cutoff dates, so I had to pick from remaining dealer stock. The 2011 configuration was almost perfect, except that it lacked the full-time Select-Trac 4x4 system, as did the 2008, so for the last decade, I've been manually flipping the 4x4 lock switch on and off as part of navigating icy/snowy roads. I've gotten used to it, and it really does very well on those surfaces, especially once I finally replaced those absolutely HORRIBLE OEM Goodyear tires with Michelins, but I am definitely looking forward to the ActiveDrive I system on my new Overland, which is full-time and far more capable with its different modes.

But yeah, never really felt like the Liberty is a bad vehicle. I knew it wasn't the smoothest ride, but it was good enough, and I know it's not even remotely a sports car, but I've never really thought it handles all that terrible. The only real things that bothered me about it were the rather poor fuel economy and the limited amount of foot room in the front seat, coupled with lack of foot rest, which makes for a more uncomfortable ride on longer trips. Still though, I have gone on some longer trips in it, including one a few years ago from central Minnesota down to Oklahoma City and back. I paid if off a couple years ago and have also put a bunch more money into it for major maintenance items, new tires, etc., and it still only has 50k miles on it, so I thought I'd be good for another few years.

However, I've now been told that the steering gear is starting to leak a bit, which is an $800 fix, and the transmission has been starting to act up lately, with harsher shifts and some jerking that feels as if there's a lot of slack in the drive line or something. Extended warranty is gone too now, so those things and a few other quirks are making me really nervous. I really didn't want to go back on car payments again, but I can handle small monthly payments a lot better than unexpected repair costs in the thousands, and I also realized that it's probably better to put the money into a new vehicle that gets better mileage, better ride, and better tech, and has a long extended warranty on it (going for a 10-year warranty this time).

I was also originally held back by the fact that I could never bring myself to like the KL design. It just looked so alien, and unlike anything I wanted. I chose the Liberty over other things in large part because of its boxy style, and the KL was anything but. However, when I got hit with the news about the steering gear leak, I took another look and found that the 2019s were now out with the front and rear ends completely redesigned, looking much more like the Grand Cherokee style that I love. I've wanted a Grand Cherokee too, parents have a 2014 that I've driven a number of times, just couldn't ever afford one at the trim level I prefer, and frankly it's a bit too big for my needs anyway. The 2019 KL restyle now basically gives me a Grand Cherokee look and feel in a smaller package, so it's practically perfect. Seeing this new design, and faced with the threat of major repairs, and of course knowing that the trade-in value on my Liberty was quickly fading, I suddenly realized that yep, it's time to trade up.

I guess the main thing I've just been worried about is whether the transverse 3.2L and ZF9 are going to be just as good as the 3.6L and ZF8 in the Grand Cherokee. I know the latter is a bullet-proof combo, and I have educated myself on the internal design differences of the ZF9 that have made a lot of people unhappy (dog clutches vs. clutch packs for some gear changes), but there's no substitute for actual experience, and there was no way I could really get a good feel for it on a short test drive. Oh, and I've also been stressing about whether or not I should've gotten the 2.0L turbo, because everyone keeps raving about it, but my reasoning was that I hate the way 4-cyl engines sound, I'm leery of the long-term reliability of the turbo, and I don't like the 91 octane requirement for getting the max advertised horsepower. The V6 is more tried-and-true at this point, and despite people's complaints about it lagging behind the turbo, it has a LOT more horsepower than the old 210 HP 3.7L in the Liberty, so I can't honestly believe it's that terrible of a choice. Just like how I thought the Liberty was a dream compared to the Explorer it replaced, I'm hoping that the Cherokee will far exceed the experience of the Liberty, despite its apparent shortcomings that reviewers love to nitpick at.

The only other thing that's a bummer coming from the Liberty is that the Cherokee has less cargo room, even with the additional cargo room they added in the 2019. The sloping roof line makes the tail gate opening smaller, and I believe the room between the wheel wells is narrower as well. It's not too often I actually need a lot of cargo space, but when you need it, you need it, and I have packed my Liberty pretty darn full on several occasions. I just hope the reduction in cargo space doesn't come back to bite me in the long run. If it does, I guess my next vehicle at some point down the road will have to be a Grand Cherokee. Probably will have to be anyway, because it's highly unlikely the V6 will remain an option in the compact SUV segment for very much longer.

Oh, and for those wondering, I ordered my 2019 Overland in olive green pearl (stands out nice in the sea of black/white/tan/silver/gray/red/blue on the road) with the black/dark sienna interior, the trailer tow package, and the technology group. Now that I finally get to custom order one, I didn't want to cut myself short on anything. The only thing I left on the table was the panoramic sunroof. Almost got that too, but it's an expensive option for something I'll probably almost never use (Liberty already has a moon roof that I practically never use), plus I honestly don't think it's worth all the downsides such as reduced headroom, extra weight, and the great potential for squeaks/rattles and water issues later on in its life. I also skipped the the ActiveDrive II option, which wouldn't have done me any good since I don't really do much off-roading.

 

[Mark_]

Thanks for all the replies thus far! Frankly I've never felt like my Liberty was unstable on the road, quite the opposite. When I first upgraded to it from a 99 Explorer, by comparison, it felt much more solid on the road, with a much smoother ride, better handling, reduced road noise, and about the same fuel economy. Of course there were better things on the road, but for me personally, it was a huge improvement, and at the time, my specific needs (decent cargo room, Minnesota winter capability) and preferences (LOVED the unique boxy look, and preferred a "heavy" but planted vehicle over a lightweight tin can that gets easily tossed around by wind and semi trucks) made it the obvious choice.

I bought a 2008 first, and traded up to 2011 later to get some of the bells and whistles I had been missing on the 2008. Both of them were bought after factory order cutoff dates, so I had to pick from remaining dealer stock. The 2011 configuration was almost perfect, except that it lacked the full-time Select-Trac 4x4 system, as did the 2008, so for the last decade, I've been manually flipping the 4x4 lock switch on and off as part of navigating icy/snowy roads. I've gotten used to it, and it really does very well on those surfaces, especially once I finally replaced those absolutely HORRIBLE OEM Goodyear tires with Michelins, but I am definitely looking forward to the ActiveDrive I system on my new Overland, which is full-time and far more capable with its different modes.

But yeah, never really felt like the Liberty is a bad vehicle. I knew it wasn't the smoothest ride, but it was good enough, and I know it's not even remotely a sports car, but I've never really thought it handles all that terrible. The only real things that bothered me about it were the rather poor fuel economy and the limited amount of foot room in the front seat, coupled with lack of foot rest, which makes for a more uncomfortable ride on longer trips. Still though, I have gone on some longer trips in it, including one a few years ago from central Minnesota down to Oklahoma City and back. I paid if off a couple years ago and have also put a bunch more money into it for major maintenance items, new tires, etc., and it still only has 50k miles on it, so I thought I'd be good for another few years.

However, I've now been told that the steering gear is starting to leak a bit, which is an $800 fix, and the transmission has been starting to act up lately, with harsher shifts and some jerking that feels as if there's a lot of slack in the drive line or something. Extended warranty is gone too now, so those things and a few other quirks are making me really nervous. I really didn't want to go back on car payments again, but I can handle small monthly payments a lot better than unexpected repair costs in the thousands, and I also realized that it's probably better to put the money into a new vehicle that gets better mileage, better ride, and better tech, and has a long extended warranty on it (going for a 10-year warranty this time).

I was also originally held back by the fact that I could never bring myself to like the KL design. It just looked so alien, and unlike anything I wanted. I chose the Liberty over other things in large part because of its boxy style, and the KL was anything but. However, when I got hit with the news about the steering gear leak, I took another look and found that the 2019s were now out with the front and rear ends completely redesigned, looking much more like the Grand Cherokee style that I love. I've wanted a Grand Cherokee too, parents have a 2014 that I've driven a number of times, just couldn't ever afford one at the trim level I prefer, and frankly it's a bit too big for my needs anyway. The 2019 KL restyle now basically gives me a Grand Cherokee look and feel in a smaller package, so it's practically perfect. Seeing this new design, and faced with the threat of major repairs, and of course knowing that the trade-in value on my Liberty was quickly fading, I suddenly realized that yep, it's time to trade up.

I guess the main thing I've just been worried about is whether the transverse 3.2L and ZF9 are going to be just as good as the 3.6L and ZF8 in the Grand Cherokee. I know the latter is a bullet-proof combo, and I have educated myself on the internal design differences of the ZF9 that have made a lot of people unhappy (dog clutches vs. clutch packs for some gear changes), but there's no substitute for actual experience, and there was no way I could really get a good feel for it on a short test drive. Oh, and I've also been stressing about whether or not I should've gotten the 2.0L turbo, because everyone keeps raving about it, but my reasoning was that I hate the way 4-cyl engines sound, I'm leery of the long-term reliability of the turbo, and I don't like the 91 octane requirement for getting the max advertised horsepower. The V6 is more tried-and-true at this point, and despite people's complaints about it lagging behind the turbo, it has a LOT more horsepower than the old 210 HP 3.7L in the Liberty, so I can't honestly believe it's that terrible of a choice. Just like how I thought the Liberty was a dream compared to the Explorer it replaced, I'm hoping that the Cherokee will far exceed the experience of the Liberty, despite its apparent shortcomings that reviewers love to nitpick at.

The only other thing that's a bummer coming from the Liberty is that the Cherokee has less cargo room, even with the additional cargo room they added in the 2019. The sloping roof line makes the tail gate opening smaller, and I believe the room between the wheel wells is narrower as well. It's not too often I actually need a lot of cargo space, but when you need it, you need it, and I have packed my Liberty pretty darn full on several occasions. I just hope the reduction in cargo space doesn't come back to bite me in the long run. If it does, I guess my next vehicle at some point down the road will have to be a Grand Cherokee. Probably will have to be anyway, because it's highly unlikely the V6 will remain an option in the compact SUV segment for very much longer.

Oh, and for those wondering, I ordered my 2019 Overland in olive green pearl (stands out nice in the sea of black/white/tan/silver/gray/red/blue on the road) with the black/dark sienna interior, the trailer tow package, and the technology group. Now that I finally get to custom order one, I didn't want to cut myself short on anything. The only thing I left on the table was the panoramic sunroof. Almost got that too, but it's an expensive option for something I'll probably almost never use (Liberty already has a moon roof that I practically never use), plus I honestly don't think it's worth all the downsides such as reduced headroom, extra weight, and the great potential for squeaks/rattles and water issues later on in its life. I also skipped the the ActiveDrive II option, which wouldn't have done me any good since I don't really do much off-roading.

Oh crap, the rack and pinion... forgot about that... Yes sir, the 2005 needed a new one at about 8 years old. Very costly repair because of the difficult access... and a known problem with the KJs (didn't know for the KKs).

For cargo room, get some crossbars and a nice roof cargo box My 18 cu.ft Thule Motion XT is perfect for the KL. There are cheaper ones, I got mine as a free warranty replacement for my older and somewhat cheaper Thule box which had peeled badly.

 

[GeekInAJeep]

Oh crap, the rack and pinion... forgot about that... Yes sir, the 2005 needed a new one at about 8 years old. Very costly repair because of the difficult access... and a known problem with the KJs (didn't know for the KKs).

For cargo room, get some crossbars and a nice roof cargo box My 18 cu.ft Thule Motion XT is perfect for the KL. There are cheaper ones, I got mine as a free warranty replacement for my older and somewhat cheaper Thule box which had peeled badly.

Hmm, I'll keep that in mind. Like I said, I don't need the space terribly often, so I'll probably be fine, but nice to know there are options.

 

[UN4GTBL]

Congrats @GeekInAJeep!

 

[load97]

From my Dodge Nitro (shared platform with Liberty), the Cherokee is definitely an improvement. Though the Nitro still has a better turn radius that I miss, but the Cherokee isn't far behind. Still have the Nitro though.

 

[Rand]

Cant go wrong with the V6, I'm liking the 2.0T in my 19 better than the v6 in the 2017, but esp for long term ownership the V6 is a very strong dependable option and quite a few of the reasons I traded it in are also on a 2019 with the V6. Just wait till you see the headlights at night.. they are GREAT.


Both are great options however the engines are not what you would expect
from engine choices even 10 years ago.



the 3.2 makes all its power high 4000+ rpm loves to scream upto 6500rpm
the 2.0T is more torque at lower rpm and runs of out air by 5400rpm or so
The exact opposite of how you would expect a V6 and an I4 to behave.


Another major factor is the 3.2 recommends 87 octane the 2.0 recommends 91 requires 87


I'm still not sure why they even make the 3.2L you think they would just shove the 3.6L pentastar in there. and get rid of an engine that only comes in 1 vehicle(the 3.2)

 

[Namlehse]

I have a 2004 Jeep Liberty Sport 2wd (Converted to 4x4). I got it for free at around 130k miles after it had sat for several years. The front end was shot (As it is in most) and took it to fix up and turn into a daily driver. I rebuilt the front end, converted it with parts to 4x4, added an old man Emu lift, replaced all the fluid, and added a set of Cooper AT3's then proceeded to put another 180,000 miles on it. In that time, I've also replaced the Alt, Radiator, hoses, drivers seat, and a few lights. I finally decided it was time to stop depending on it, when I went to change the oil and nothing came out (After the radiator problems).

I love my KL, rides soo much better, and the OME lift was far better than stock. The little Liberty wouldn't die, I'm hoping I can get something similar out of this Jeep. My back is so much happier with the new seats and sitting position, I'm also really enjoying the adaptive cruse. The Cherokee also doesn't get blown around at all, my KJ was all over the road.

I'm tempted to attempt a solid axle swap on the KJ, just the ammount of lift required would be off putting on such a small platform.

 

[GeekInAJeep]

Cant go wrong with the V6, I'm liking the 2.0T in my 19 better than the v6 in the 2017, but esp for long term ownership the V6 is a very strong dependable option and quite a few of the reasons I traded it in are also on a 2019 with the V6. Just wait till you see the headlights at night.. they are GREAT.


Both are great options however the engines are not what you would expect
from engine choices even 10 years ago.



the 3.2 makes all its power high 4000+ rpm loves to scream upto 6500rpm
the 2.0T is more torque at lower rpm and runs of out air by 5400rpm or so
The exact opposite of how you would expect a V6 and an I4 to behave.


Another major factor is the 3.2 recommends 87 octane the 2.0 recommends 91 requires 87


I'm still not sure why they even make the 3.2L you think they would just shove the 3.6L pentastar in there. and get rid of an engine that only comes in 1 vehicle(the 3.2)

Yeah, the potential long-term reliability issues and higher octane requirement are the things that largely steered me away from the turbo, though the newness of the turbo engine (as of yet unproven) and the cheap-feeling noisiness of 4-cyl engines were factors as well. I've heard some early reports that 87 works just about as good as 91 in the turbo, but I get the feeling that constantly running an engine designed for higher octane fuel with lower octane fuel is going to be even worse for long-term reliability.

I do understand that the peak power output from the V6 requires higher revving, but honestly, so does the old 3.7L V6 in the Liberty, which doesn't wanna do much until it hits about 3200 RPM, where it suddenly comes alive. Add to that the fact that the 3.2L Pentastar has a peak horsepower of 271, and the 3.7L tops out at 210, and I'm pretty sure the Cherokee is gonna feel a lot more powerful when I put my foot down. There's also no arguing with the fact that the Cherokee can manage 0-60 times in the neighborhood of 7-7.5 seconds, whereas the Liberty is more in the realm of 11 seconds, so that's a REALLY big boost. The only real question is whether it will feel more sluggish than the Liberty on the low end, for whatever reason. It certainly seemed more peppy on the test drive, but again, I didn't drive it nearly as long as I should have to really get a good feel for it.

And yeah, I don't really get why they made the 3.2L. I'm fairly certain it was intended for use in more vehicles, possibly the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart, both of which were built on the same platform as the new Cherokee, and both of which got discontinued due to poor sales and so that they could ramp up production of the hot-selling Cherokee. I've been told the block is largely the same as the 3.6L, just a smaller bore, so if there's no physical size difference, perhaps it was just a matter of them feeling like the 3.6L was a bit too powerful for the compact platform? Regardless, I just really wish they had switched to a RWD setup with the ZF8 instead of the transverse FWD with this problematic ZF9, which I'm still feeling rather nervous about. I know the platform was built as transverse, but since there has to be a driveshaft under it anyway for the 4x4 models, why not just adapt it to make it natively RWD? Oh well, it is what it is.

 

[fusseli]

Why would the turbo be a long term reliability issue? Turbo gasoline applications can go 200k+ in many platforms

 

[Desoto]

Why would the turbo be a long term reliability issue? Turbo gasoline applications can go 200k+ in many platforms

I would hope that things have improved, but my experience with 2 1.4 Turbo Darts was dismal at best. No experience with the new ones.

 

[Turbo2.0]

Completely different engines.


.

 

[Rand]

the 1.4 liter multiair has no relation to the all new "hurricane" 2.0 that is a very recent design.


I'd like to think I'll keep it 10 years but if previous experience is accurate I'll probably keep it 2-5 years so .. its not like I'm going out and buying a 10 year old turbo etc.


in other words its undetermined reliability doesnt bother me much buying new and having full warranty.

 

[GeekInAJeep]

Why would the turbo be a long term reliability issue? Turbo gasoline applications can go 200k+ in many platforms

I don't know that the new turbo engine will be unreliable. I also don't know that it will. I've admittedly never owned a turbo-charged engine, so keep that in mind. I've heard stories about how unreliable turbo chargers can be, and have been told that issues with the turbo charger are often not covered under any warranties, which may or may not be true. On the other hand, I've heard that turbo technology has greatly improved over the years, and newer ones are much more reliable. Lacking any experience with them myself, I'm inclined to err on the side of caution, especially when the overall benefits of the turbo vs. the V6 are relatively minimal, and offset by things like premium fuel requirement. Had the V6 not been available at all, I definitely would've gotten the turbo, but the availability of both made this a complicated choice, and I decided to go with my gut and stick with the V6 for now.

I'm also aware that this is a brand new engine, and conventional wisdom says to avoid the first year of a new engine until others who are willing to take the risk of being early adopters find all the hidden problems in the new design that the manufacturer has to iron out. Maybe there won't be any such issues, but there's no way to know. Maybe I will be proven wrong, and the turbo will be a fantastic, reliable engine, and will completely replace the V6 in the coming model years, and I may be left hanging regret over not picking that option. Right now I just know that the V6 has proven reliability, and the turbo is as-of-yet unproven, in my eyes.

 

[fusseli]

My garage queen is a 1984 Thunderbird Turbocoupe with a Ford 2.3L with Garrett T3 turbo from the factory... nothing's truly bullet proof but those things are tough, and they can last, and they are from a design over three decades ago...

 

[swallman]

I'm actually glad someone posted this as we're in the same situation. Will be coming from a 2008 Jeep Liberty Limited w/132,000 miles on it. Just had to put a new (used) transmission into it back in October at a cost of almost $3000. Wanting to get rid of it soon before other stuff starts going to pieces LOL!

 

[AZJeeper]

I had a 2012 KK Latitude 4x4 that I used as a "toad" behind the motorhome. Put on over 45,000 miles pulling that thing around the country and Canada.

Really liked the Liberty until I started messing around with it. Put in a JBA 2.4" lift and BFG KO2 tires to get me a bit further into the backcountry. BIG mistake. The lift caused new squeaks and squeals that JBA tried to help with but eventually gave up, as did I. The BFG KO2 tires were loud, and I mean LOUD! The worst was at 45 MPH. Almost had to yell to communicate with my better half. I blamed it on the combination of the JBA lift and the unit-body construction of the KK. With the lift, I got severe cupping of the front tires, even after several alignments. JBA said it was from towing behind the motorhome. A solution that eventually worked for me was to put the front tires at 45 PSI when being flat towed. The beast also seemed to eat bushings. I had to replace all of the suspension bushings BEFORE I put on the lift (and some after too).

All of that is behind me. The new toad is a 2019 TH/E with the 2.0L Turbo. I read all of the horror stories about towing the 2014-2018 Cherokee, but held out hope that the 2019 would be different. It is!! No special kit required and tows like a dream. Not enough miles yet to know if I'll have any cupping issues or any other problems, but so far so good!