New Jeep Cherokee revealed with fresh design at Detroit auto show

Fiat Chrysler revealed its redesigned 2019 Jeep Cherokee with wider headlights and a fresh front-end look early Tuesday morning, Jan. 16.

Jeep planned a press conference later in the morning at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

There are five new wheel designs -- including a 19-inch option -- along with a new front fascia, hood, and LED headlamps, daylight and fog lamps. FCA touts an all-new 2.0-liter, direct-injection, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that can generate 270 horsepower and 295-pounds of torque. This engine option will come with a stop-start feature to improve fuel economy and limit emissions.

The 2019 Cherokee can also come with a 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 engine that generates 271 horsepower and 239-pounds of torque, or the "fuel-efficient" 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir2 engine with 180 horsepower and 170-pounds of torque.

"A stunning, more premium design and the addition of our new fuel-efficient 2.0-liter turbo engine make the new 2019 Jeep Cherokee even more desirable in the mid-size SUV segment," Mike Manley, head of the Jeep brand, said.

"In addition, Cherokee builds on its benchmark 4x4 capability and on-road dynamics with refinement and style, a host of new attributes, powertrains and the latest technology that is perfectly situated for consumers worldwide."

On the safety side, FCA says the 2019 Cherokee will come with more than 80 available safety features with park assist, lane departure warning, electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, rear path detection, among many more.

Included in those features is adaptive cruise control, which FCA says can "bring the vehicle to a complete stop without driver intervention, in certain conditions."

The Cherokee will use radar and video sensors that keep on eye on both other vehicles and where the distance between them. If this distance between is "dramatically breached" then the adaptive cruise will "aggressively deploy the vehicle's brakes" for a full stop. If this happens, the driver can reactive control by tapping a button on the steering wheel.

The 2019 Jeep Cherokee has a body of 65-percent high-strength steel with other materials, such as hot-stamped and ultra-high-strength steel, used throughout for a "strong, lightweight, solid vehicle architecture."

"The architecture Cherokee is built on is comprised of common, modular and interchangeable components and allows for modularity of the wheelbase, front track, rear track, front overhang, length and width across vehicle lines," FCA announced.

On the inside, customers can choose betweeen the 7- or 8.4-inch touchsreen that can come with three different Uconnect systems.

The Cherokee has five different terrain traction control modes in auto, snow, sport, sand/mud and rock. It also has five different trim options in the Latitude, Latitude Plus, Limited, Overland and Trail Rated Trailhawk.

As for those exterior color options, FCA will release the Cherokee in Blue Shade, Sting-Gray, Velvet Red, Firecracker Red, Olive Green, Hydro Blue, Light Brownstone, Granite Crystal, Billet Silver, Diamond Black Crystal, Pearl White and Bright White.

FCA says it will make the 2019 Jeep Cherokee at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, and that it is due out in the first quarter of 2018.

The automaker revealed the long-awaited Jeep Wrangler at the LA Auto Show back in late-November. The new Wrangler will come available in both a hybrid and four-cylinder engine option. The V6 engine remains available, and FCA has introduced the U.S. to a diesel engine option on the Wrangler.

Before the 2018 NAIAS opens to the public from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28 at the Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit, automakers show off new models and make world debuts in scheduled press conferences. Press preview days are scheduled for Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, which is when to check in with MLive for any breaking news or coverage of fresh reveals.

Full coverage here.

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