2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: Is This Worth Buying Over A Wrangler???

[@rdbjr52]

I love my 2021 Trail Hawk. That said, I’ll never do serious off-roading. Two tracks and fire roads, that about it. Its a far superior over the-roader than the Wrangler. No question there.

[@sscbkr48]

Agreed! it's a car with off road capabilities.

[@CarlosAlexisCabrera]

I recently replaced my 2014 Cherokee Limited with a 2021 Cherokee Trailhawk and while the cost is a bit higher and includes fuel mileage (20 mpg on average) I think it's worth it if you also like the All Terrain. Its 4x4 and off-road capabilities are simply impressive. This SUV looks like a change from just a city tuxedo to an off-road mountaineering suit. I think there are plenty of SUVs on the market, but few have that metamorphic ability besides the comfort and luxury in either case.

[@916roberts]

Well put 👍

[@fireant1272]

I have a 2016 Cherokee and live on 2 Miles of rough roads. The Cherokee handles the roads great and has been reliable.

[@coloradomallcrawlers]

Nice overview! I’m a 5x wrangler owner, but I’m likely going to get one of these as second vehicle. Wasn’t even thinking about till I started making trail guide videos with them. So good Off-road and much more comfortable than my wrangler (still, love my wrangler).

[@RoadCone411]

As I write this, I am nearing the end of driving a Trailhawk as a two-week rental - or, as I call it, an extended test drive. I have somewhat mixed feelings about it. It's really a good looking SUV and the seats are quite comfortable. I'm not big into off-roading but I have already taken this vehicle onto the soft sands of Fort Fischer, North Carolina - 4x4s only - and it was no sweat for this Jeep. It had no issues with the fine sand, as long as I followed the ruts others had made and stayed out of the really deep stuff near the dunes. On the road, it drives pretty well too, not sporty but not a chore either. In fact, it's not a bad highway cruiser at all, very quiet inside with a soft, compliant ride. The infotainment works as well as can be expected, including CarPlay, something I cannot say about some other recent rentals I have had. So what do I not love? Well, 25mpg on the highway isn't great but that's the price you pay for a V6 powered 4x4 as opposed to a 4-cylinder AWD SUV like a CR-V or Rogue, both of which should get >30mpg on longer highway runs. The biggest letdown to me is Jeep's Achilles Heel: quality. The dashboard has all the right tech but it's surrounded by cheap-looking or cheap-feeling plastic; there are some rough edges here and there. For example, the drivers' side window switch panel feels like it is going to pop out when I use it, and I found a small piece of black plastic trim on the floor, no idea where it came from. It's not a Mazda CX-5 inside, for sure. Outside, the hood feels like it is made out of the same material as cheap, nasty bumpers - I could almost open it without pulling the release handle. Lighter is better? In its defense, this is a rental Jeep with 10K miles on it, so who knows who had it before me. Overall, I don't hate it - in fact, I tried to find some reasons to dislike the Cherokee but it lives up to its TrailRated badge, that's worth something, and the V6 allows this Jeep to leap into action without a big fuss. I liked this Cherokee's on-road drivability and practicality far more than I thought I would. I just wish Jeep/Stellantis would get their stuff together on reliability and quality.

[@spiceworm8102]

thanks for the honest review man, very helpful

[@TheOnespeedbiker]

We bought this exact car new in 2021 (same color and trim) and a 2021 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, both were $10,000 less than comparable models today. The comparison between the two models in this video is spot on. So far both have been great cars with no issues. One caveat was the Grand Cherokee had the optional V8 Hemi, which makes it a powerhouse; it's too bad there will be no more Trailhawks or V8s, because they were great trims. AAMOF we chose the Jeeps because of the Trailhawk trim. Today we would probably look elsewhere.

[@joskjj3625]

These things are surprisingly very capable off-roading

[@FJDH11]

No. No they are not.

[@joskjj3625]

@@FJDH11 there’s always some doubters over here, you are one of them

[@FJDH11]

@@joskjj3625 LOL, not a doubter, I rented one of these on my trip to Hawaii last year. It's night and day difference to my Wrangler in off-road capability. So, no, not worth it.

[@spud2727]

What a piece of crap. Thing is hideous

[@Electrotract]

Do they still have issues with the drivelines/ transmission?

[@adventuretoshare]

Regarding your question ' Is This Worth Buying Over A Wrangler???' you didn't come even close to even discussing it, so I'll give my answer. It a BIG YES. I had the first release 2014 KL, it was my introduction to offroading and I soon migrated to a JKU Willy's edition which was cool, but I quickly went back to a 2019 KL Elite which is so much more fun off-road than a stock JKU. Clearly there are some limitations like ground clearance and articulation, but as long as you can accept both, then the KL is so much more than a JKU - comfort, refined, more economical, loaded with tech and given the rear locker which is pretty unique in this class of crossover, it's quite remarkable where it'll go with good tires. Oh it can tow upto 4500 Ib, I suggest you go check out what a JKU can tow :-) If it wasn't for the fact that I leased mine, I would add as much lift as I could and slap on some larger wheels, maybe add metal bumpers front and back and even add a winch. True Jeepers have stood and watched in amazement when seeing where my Cherokee can go. It's certainly gained a lot of respect since its first launch. Some small external detailing changes have helped with this. So again as an all round weekend fun vehicle which is also great for long road trips and also daily commute, you really cant compare it to a JKU :-)

[@Michael-1337]

For what its worth my fiance has a 2020 cherokee and the transmission works just fine. It shifts smoothly and in my opinion is only slightly on the slow side for shift speed. I think that is intentional because it was intended to tow and go off road. The slower lock up can improve the transmission life.

[@wranglercody8422]

Might be my next ride. I currently have a 13’ wrangler 2 door and I’ve always had more bare bones and less comfortable vehicles. Wanting something that’s moderately capable off-road and is still comfortable to drive every day. Also I love the color on this one.

[@cristianmerli5050]

It's not perfect but i've had mine since 2014 and still love it. I was recently looking at the GC trailhawk but i like the Cherokee better because it has a more rugged look

[@user-mz5tf5pm7u]

Any issues?

[@cristianmerli5050]

@@user-mz5tf5pm7u in 7+ years i only replaced one able shaft

[@shawndejong6699]

As someone who's owned both, a heavily modified JK and now a stock KL, it all depends on what you want to do. The KL is a VERY capable little machine, that said, it's not a wrangler so don't beat on it like one.

[@916roberts]

My 21 Cherokee just like the one in this video is way more comfortable at highway speeds then the wrangler or gladiator I test drive before I bought the Cherokee. And I got pretty much all the options I wanted and for cheaper than a base new wrangler with no options. And 0% financing!

[@Axtec36]

Finger cross for a Grand Cherokee Trackhawk review.

[@robo08ify]

That 9-speed transmission would be the main reason I would look to the Grand Cherokee with its better, quicker shifting 8-speed.

[@IsaidQUIETnHERE]

I owned a 15 JC...trash. Traded it in for the GC, so much better

[@Chrysler1998]

@@IsaidQUIETnHERE I do also prefer the 8 speed. However I had a 2015 Cherokee and the transmission was awful, then I got a 2019 and the transmission is perfect. Whatever the issue was on the older ones seems fixed on the new ones.

[@bertrandrhule6568]

This is quite good, the exhaust sounds great. Body profile is on point✌🏽

[@916roberts]

I just installed the Gibson Performance exhaust on my 2021 Cherokee Trailhawk in hydro blue :D it sounds so much better than stock! And got it on sale!

[@brandytoutant1692]

I have this exact car 🚙 LOVE IT!

[@jeff2698]

Love my 2019 TH, have same color. Lots of off road grunt for a stock SUV.

[@pwvincil]

A lot of reviews miss the controls on the back of the wheel. Volume control paddle on the back of the wheel on the right and skip/tune control paddle on the left.

[@jimmymccoy967]

I got a 2019 Cherokee trailhawk and I love mine.

[@shiftintohigh5564]

👍👍😎🇺🇸 Good looking. Just ordered a Gr Cher THawk. Wife has a Cherokee w/ v6 it runs great! Good city and hwy mileage. We like it!👍👍😎🇺🇸

[@sscbkr48]

Apart from hwy road noise we still enjoy our all manual 2 dr 2015 wrangler ST.. back seat is always out, lots of room and tons of fun. Like the look of the TH but not big on high tech bells and whistles or the transmission issues the 8 spd had.. if it's in warranty, fine, if not.. 😭

[@petekane2501]

You did not mention the flat towing ability of the trail hawk! But great review

[@TheProboy127]

Drove one I don’t know if it’s just me but I was really not that impressed, the interior and everything was really nice, the looks of the exterior look great as-well but driving it just didn’t feel nice super slow pick up, didn’t handle the best, tons of blind spots but then again it was a suv but I’ve driven a Durango also and definitely prefer that

[@kikiprincee]

Will this be good for a new driver?

[@ABSVabeautifulsunsetvlog]

40K and no sunroof? This model used to come with a pano sun roof and was less money. What the heck Jeep?

[@helmhamburgerhand]

Everything Stellantis sells has been jacked up. Because idiots w/ more money than sense pay it. Got my TH during the Cherokee overstock for about 8K off

[@tornsoul82]

its not jeep, that dealer has huge markup.my build had every package except the technology package. i don't need automatic high beams, or adaptive cruise control.. mine came in at 36 grand.

[@punktexas]

lol.. I'm just the opposite. I don't want a sunroof but Jeep forces us to buy it to get the upgraded Alpine radio. I don't want to pay $1600 for a 200lb. piece of glass and attachment that might leak and give the car a higher center of gravity. Just saying.

[@Sweetguy1821]

I just picked up a trail hawk for 40k, has pano sun roof and pretty much all the features.

[@ABSVabeautifulsunsetvlog]

@@Sweetguy1821 nice

[@PrestigeBrothersEntertainment]

that radar in the front is used for lane assist and not for the adaptive cruise control. this trailhawk isn’t even equipped with adaptive cruise control.

[@jessegarza1732]

Looking to upgrade to this. Currently have a '19 Compass Trailhawk 2.4.

[@saeedallahyar9910]

So what was the conclusion?

[@mattchristiani1664]

Everything about the Cherokee is pretty damn good, right up to the point where you go to sell it. Then you realize that it losers it's value about twice as far as a Wrangler.

[@Gerry6376]

So buy one that is a year or two old and enjoy it!

[@01hondascott]

in terms of size how would this stack up against my second gen ford escape? would it be more on par with this or the grand cherokee?

[@lordflashheart3706]

In terms of size, the Compass is more similar to your escape. This is roughly the same size as the newest Escape which is larger than a second gen.

[@916roberts]

Def this! But this is way better and way more capable in the snow or off-road than the escape

[@newidinme]

Can this Jeep be flat towed (all wheels on ground) behind Motorhome?

[@longbluesquid]

How do you like this over the 2022 Compass? I have a Grand Cherokee but I am considering Cherokee or a compass now.

[@MrMukhtar17]

Cherokee V6 is much better

[@tornsoul82]

what a markup... i built one with every package except the cruise control one.. and it came in at 36 grand.. specced out how that one is is closer to 30 grand..

[@edwardclement102]

This is a nice package and has an auto-locking rear diff like Chevy S10 Blazers had and appears to one-up the new Chevy AWD Blazers offroad. But the V6 sounds not as aggressive as the 3.6 V6 in the Chevy Blazer RS. Looks like Chevy needs some offroad kick on Blazer and Cherokee needs some power in the motor. The old S10 Blazer had it offroad and the old Cherokee 4.0 was known for its get up a go power. Cherokee looks to have much tech and tow hooks.

[@off-roadingexplained8417]

Yes... If you don't want a lift over 2 inches.

[@IsaidQUIETnHERE]

Transmission in my 15 had 28k miles... was complete shit. Are they still using the same program/transmission still?

[@tylergibson6418]

No they aren’t

[@victorlabadia881]

Its a sharp looking vehicle.

[@rickg2517]

Waste of 13 min. Your title implies a comparison of the Trailhawk to the Wrangler. I don't care about molding, trim, floor mats, seat upholstery, how nice the steering wheel is; I wanted a performance comparison. You only slightly mention the Wrangler in your closing comment.

[@keytothegate68]

Yes, it is worth about 20K in the price difference

[@damiandeneir6527]

The turbo's fun

[@jeremystout412]

I have a ‘21 Latitude Lux with the 2.0L and Active Drive I, and I must say I agree 110% with your statement.

[@punktexas]

The Cherokee Trailhawk is not available with the 2.0 Turbo for 2021. There is no reason made public.

[@loganr8184]

Thats better than a Ford flipping Ranger

[@BenHardyCars]

Lol

[@gasolinediesel972]

You can't say that here. There are a lot of Ford fanboys around lol.

[@knightmareseer1045]

@@gasolinediesel972 Haha 😆

[@IsaidQUIETnHERE]

Wait til you try & resell one of these heaps.

[@punktexas]

I've been shopping these for a few months. They seem to hold ~80% of their value after a year.

[@BRAINFxck10]

It's funny how their interior quality went up but their reliability went down, Jeep needs to get their priorities straight again, that's why classic Cherokee's have gone up in value

[@BenHardyCars]

Lol

[@kikiprincee]

@@BenHardyCarswould this be good for a new driver ?

[@Depressedwarriorsfan6238]

Nice for a compact suv

[@erniearruda8861]

No wrangler is better.Rear seats on the Cherokee does slide back and forth,Ben didn’t mentioned that.Transmission is still the same from 2014 and it’s still stupid shifting, still no cubby spots to put phones and wallets/purses.and also has a small fuel bladder.👎🏼👎🏼

[@MarvFitBikesKicks]

no automatic liftgate? they gotta do better

[@916roberts]

It’s faster to do it yourself! And it’s just something more that can go wrong and fail

[@FearlessTrailhawk]

Video Title..."over a wrangler".....constant comparison to the Grand Cherokee, only says "wrangler" in passing...twice? Yes, i think the KL TH is worth buying over a wrangler if you don't want to do lots of extreme offroading. It will follow an average wrangler down the average trail...then ride home in absolute comfort! And in my personal opinion, i love the way the KL feels and handles on the road. It may not be up to the airbag-quality ride of a WK2...but thats why the WK2 is like $12,000 more than the KL...lol

[@punktexas]

Watch his channel (Fearlass Trailhawk) if you're interested in what one of these can do. You'll be amazed.

[@shawnwarner8204]

Living in California I think it’s hilarious that you think THAT is massive amounts of traffic 😂

[@jeffmorse645]

A lot of California doesn't have much traffic. The whole state isn't LA or the Bay Area.

[@shawnwarner8204]

@@jeffmorse645 very true sir,(thank god) but the traffic in the capital ain’t much better 😂

[@jeffmorse645]

@@shawnwarner8204 Yeah, Sac can be a mess at certain times.

[@kenmccune8843]

Jeep you put a beautiful blue on this jeep Cherokee trail hawk Ben your funny

[@areddfishing7473]

My bigger question is have they solved the transmission issues for 2021-2020 models

[@sscbkr48]

Great question.. you don't want to be the one to find out they haven't. 😄

[@MrMukhtar17]

OMG whats issues there? i just got my Trailhawk 2021 and waitit it

[@HONORYOUROATH]

just got rid of my 2021 Cherokee Trail Hawk because of the horrible 9 speed zf transmission. Do not buy a Cherokee Trail Hawk without researching the transmission issues.

[@HONORYOUROATH]

@@MrMukhtar17 ​ just got rid of my 2021 Cherokee Trail Hawk because of the horrible 9 speed zf transmission. Do not buy a Cherokee Trail Hawk without researching the transmission issues.

[@MrMukhtar17]

@@HONORYOUROATH Too late bro...I got the TH 21 and now I am suffering the transmission issue....can you help me what's your issue was..and how did you fix it?

[@ashleywalker4795]

I love jeep cherokee trackhawks

[@916roberts]

There is no jeep Cherokee trackhawk, you mean the grand Cherokee trackhawk …..

[@spkuse]

I have the 2020 Trailhawk Elite. I do not understand why you are trying to compare the TH to the Grand Cherokee or the Gladiator?? They are not in the same vehicle class range!! The Grand Cherokee and Gladiator do not share the same engines and are larger vehicles!! You need to compare the TH to a RAV4 or another SUV in its class. I am 6-1 in height and I prefer the Cherokee TH over the Grand Cherokee.

[@TheFancySalmon]

Worth buying over a wrangler? Practically.... yes but I do I wanna stop being stubborn and get a Cherokee next time instead of my wrangler? No

[@rjw8316]

You are obviously partial to the Grand Cherokee. However, you get what you pay for, comparing the Cherokee to the Grand Cherokee is a folly. Of course the Grand is going to be better, next time compare like vehicles.

[@knightmareseer1045]

I like it

[@EliB200]

Wrangler Ez

[@strategic-werks]

👍🏽

[@Theangelg]

So basically not as good as the grand Cherokee lmao

[@Jeremy_810]

I like the looks of these but always hear about reliability issues. That and it kinda screams 20 year old girl car.

[@grantdillon1083]

The reliability issues always seem to stem from the transmission, which is the ZF 9 speed. I think it’s better now but I’m still hesitant to consider this car.

[@youarerightboss]

JEEP Junkie Entity Evolving Poorly

[@HughRussell06]

Or *J* ust *E* veryone *E* lses *P* arts

[@charliemontero5217]

This car is horrible they should stop production of this car awful reliability

[@GmauriCook]

U a lie