2014 Jeep Cherokee Officially Unveiled as Liberty Replacement

After numerous leaks of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, and plenty of controversy surrounding its styling, the American automaker has officially unveiled the replacement for the Liberty prior to its 2013 New York Auto Show debut.

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee is built on a modular platform from Alfa Romeo and is the same platform that’s shared with the Dodge Dart. It’ll be available with either a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder with 184 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque, or a 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 with 271 hp and 239 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4-liter gets an estimated 31 mpg on the highway, a more than 45-percent improvement versus the outgoing model. As for the 3.2-liter V6, Jeep simply stated that it’ll deliver fuel economy improvements of 30 percent versus the outgoing V6.

The new Jeep will be available in both front- and all-wheel drive and the powerplants will be mated to a new nine-speed transmission, a first in the segment. Four different models will be available at its launch: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk. The V6-equipped Cherokee will boast best-in-class towing capacity of 4,500 pounds.

As for various improvements on the Cherokee, Jeep boasted about its new independent front and rear suspension, increased torsional stiffness, and an exceptionally quiet cabin. Of course it’ll be the “aerodynamic design cues” that will be at the center of even more controversy, as it has been for the last couple of weeks.

Check back with AutoGuide when the 2014 Jeep Cherokee officially debuts at the 2013 New York Auto Show for live show photos and coverage. For now, enjoy the over 60 photos that Jeep has released.

GALLERY: 2014 Jeep Cherokee

Discuss this story at CherokeeTalk.com