It’s similar to Active Drive I, but it also adds a low-range gear, a mechanical locking rear differential, and a Rock mode for bona fide crawling. Standard mechanicals : A 3.2-liter V-6 makes 271 hp and 239 lb-ft of torque and connects with a more durable 9-speed automatic and four-wheel drive.Īdded equipment: Jeep equips the Cherokee Trailhawk with its uprated 9-speed automatic and Active Drive II, which has rear-axle disconnect ability to improve efficiency on the highway. Which of these trim levels are off-roaders or soft-roaders? Which are off-road pretenders and which are off-road intenders worth the upcharge? We’ve tested them all, and here’s what we’ve found.Ģ022 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is one of the more capable Jeeps that is not a Wrangler.Īvailable models: 2022 Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Compass, RenegadeĪdded price: The Cherokee Trailhawk costs $2,650 more at $39,140, including $1,595 destination.Ĭosmetic differences : LED fog lights, black grille surround, black hood decal, black cladding, wider wheel flares, and more black accent bits. Some Jeep Trailhawk crossovers merely look the part. But even that trim has been diluted on some models away from standard four-wheel drive with a 2-speed transfer case and off-road suspension bits. Jeep might have started it with a Trailhawk trim that codified its own Trail Rated designation. The $1,000-$4,000 upcharge for such packages promises owners they can hit the trail without having to skip the on-road comfort of their SUV-crossover- and without having to rough it with a rough-and-tumble Jeep Wrangler. The all-new rugged Rugged SUV could get confusing. It is truly surprising that there is no Rugged trim line. All the badging, lest you forget the upcharge. To distinguish the crossovers that have supplanted cars on American roads, automakers have introduced so-called rugged grades that bundle popular features such as standard all-wheel drive, bigger black wheels, black trim garnishes, roof rails, some exhaust tips, and some cross-stitching on the inside. Yet automakers continue to hark back to those days with trim lines they all call rugged. Now, except for truck-based full-size SUVs, most vehicles in this most popular segment are based on unibody construction. What separates a crossover from an SUV? In the old days, a body-on-frame design along with a 2-speed transfer case for low gearing used to be the litmus test.