Photo: Jeep
Less than a year after Alfa Romeo took the veil off the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the Italians debuted the 2.2-liter MultiJet II as the entry-level engine in Europe. An all-aluminum turbo diesel available in multiple outputs, the four-cylinder motor is now available in the 2019 Jeep Cherokee too.
“Wait, what? How come?” Alfa Romeo and Jeep are both controlled by Fiat Chrysler, and in retrospect, the marriage was bound to happen. Succeeding the previous 2.0-liter turbo diesel with 140 horsepower, the MultiJet II develops 150 PS (148 horsepower) and 350 Nm (258 pound-feet).
If you’re looking for the most get-up-and-go available in the entire lineup, you’re better off with the Wrangler 2.2-liter MultiJet II. In the off-road utility vehicle, Jeep is much obliged to squeeze out 200 PS (197 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet), making the oil-chugging engine the torquiest option on offer.
Turning our attention back to the Cherokee, customers can choose front- or all-wheel drive along with a six-speed manual transmission. But that’s not all there is to the MultiJet II in this application, no siree! For customers who want the fuel efficiency of a turbo diesel and the comfort of the nine-speed automatic transmission, there’s another output version of the MultiJet II available.
Even though it’s just as torquey as the Wrangler, the 2.2-liter engine in the Cherokee is down on ponies (195 PS or 192 horsepower). This doesn’t even matter in the long run, not when torque is what you want for on-road acceleration and off-road capability. In this setup, the big brother of the Compass can be had in front- and all-wheel drive. Customers who like to venture off road shouldn’t forget to choose the two-speed power transfer unit from the options list.
Come 2019, the Cherokee will welcome the 2.0-liter Hurricane mild-hybrid turbo, with an estimated output of 270 PS (266 horsepower). In markets outside of Europe (think Russia, the Middle East, and Africa), the compact SUV will be available with the 2.4-liter Tigershark and 3.2-liter Pentastar V6.
Look forward to the 2019 Jeep Cherokee to arrive in European showrooms this month, with the Sport and Trailhawk trim levels to follow next year. In other words, customers who want to buy on the spot have to settle for the Longitude, Limited, or Overland.
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