1995 Jeep Cherokee | Retro Review 

the REAL jeep cherokee

You know you’ve created an icon when everyone respects your product regardless of their brand loyalty.

As the 1990s wore on, most people probably saw the aging Jeep Cherokee as a dated but more economically priced SUV. Little did they know how popular it would become in the 2000s - the vehicle itself with its iconic styling and the legendary 4.0 inline 6 cylinder engine. I love the sound those engines make!

Probably the best and longest lasting SUV made!

A friend still has his from 1995. 290,000 and still going. Inline 6 won’t die.

"Classic" is the best way to describe the XJ Jeep Cherokee. It's still one of the greatest SUV's of all time.

"8.9 seconds 0-60" *goes lightspeed down the straightaway*

That Jeep is probably still on the road.

They need to bring this design back with Jeep’s new tech

The real REAL Jeep Cherokee and I still see these on the road today.

I loved my '94 Cherokee Sport 4x4, 4.0L automatic. 443K trouble-free miles before I had to deadline it due to rust in the rear part of the chassis. I don't think I'll ever have another vehicle that could pile the miles on without much of a hiccup like that Jeep could.

I bought a 1993 2-door 5spd 4.0 4x4 two years ago and it has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Everything is easy to work on, readily available, and cheap. It drives astonishingly well for a slightly lifted 28 year old SUV, it really does handle great

I have a 1995 XJ! Almost 300,000 miles and going strong

I see them all over, they never die and people rarely sell them

Bought my wife a 1997 Sport in 1999. She loves it still. 240,000 miles and still running strong. We live in NC no rust. Original paint still shiny. We take it to the beach all the time. The new 4x4's are huge compared to the little XJ but it never gets stuck. It pulls thru the soft sand with ease. My favorite thing is it's turning radius. Just amazing. Only drawback is gas mileage. On the highway 18 to 19 and combined milage 14. Yep 14mpg. Thanks to RU-vid videos on how to repair it I am able to do alot of the work. Bleepinjeep has been fantastic for me.

I love watching these retro reviews to see what people thought of this thing when it was new compared to how people view it now

Expect the value of these to start going up. Especially the low mileage all original ones

Love these classics! Long live the inline 6!

I consider my self lucky to own one

I want one of these so bad but sadly, I can't find a stock one. They're all modified like crazy nowadays.

The Jeep they just kinda forgot to stop building. "And probably should've kept building." That and the 1st gen Wrangler.

I've owned a 97, 98 and currently daily drive a factory stock 01 with 247k miles on the clock. Please please please JEEP bring the XJ back. It would dominate the prancing horse.

They should start making these again. Same shape. Same engine. Same everything. My 1996 Cherokee was my first new car. It was bulletproof

212k miles later, I still have my 92 Cherokee Limited, and it´s still going strong, unlike those "Jeeps" made by Fiat, which in only 5 years start coming apart!!!

0:13 John: Sport utility vehicles are very popular these days. True statement even today.

My now wife had a 1995 Cherokee when we met. It had the 4.0 inline 6. I think it had close to 300,000 miles when we sold it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was still going. I feel like the “real” Jeep died when they got rid of the straight 6. I read somewhere the 2000-2001 redesign of the Cherokee was voted the worst redesign of all time

These are now becoming collector's items and good ones command good money.

The one thing you cannot see in this video, is the incredible balanced interior design. An absolute achievement. Same with the bigger brother Grand Cherokee of the same years, same for the Caravan. If you even find these cars in a collection, just get inside the cabin, you will understand what I mean. The cabin has perfect lines, geometry, overall dimensions and shape. I'm not talking about the dashboard, I'm talking about all the geometry of the cabin, including shape of the windows, window frames, pillars and so on, to the smallest angle in a corner. It is design perfection like I've never seen before and after in a car. Even the Honda from same time, also incredibly balanced interior design, still not as perfect as the Jeep. And I'm not a Jeep fan, only paying respect to real design achievement. The designers who made those cars deserve a statue in the museum of car history.

I owned a 1997 and a 2001. Mine were bone stock but still lots of fun off road and great daily drivers. It's no wonder the XJ is a legend.

I had one of these, but never drove it. I regret that. The deal was, my dad wanted one of my cars, but didn't have enough cash, so he offered to trade his Cherokee. I thought, "heck yeah," and proceeded to not drive it and then sell it to my buddy's cousin. He wrecked it within a month, totaled it bad; hit a tree head-on, destroyed the engine on impact. I mean, I drove it when I was a teenager, but not when I actually had it in my name. Thing was awesome, fast on the street, capable on the trails. I'll never forget how that 4.0 could scream.

I had an 89 back in high school in the late 90's with the same 4.0L. If I didn't have that jeep, I would have broken any car that was given too me with the way I drove that. It was a tank, went anywhere and handled the abuse. I currently have a newer Grand Cherokee now and even though it's a lot more posh, it hasn't forgotten its roots since I use it on the same hard terrain I used to back in high school to go fishing and hunting. Great vehicles. Thanks for uploading the video and bringing back memories.

Probably the best all around vehicle ever.

I'm so in love in these XJs! 👍 I have two, both with factory turbo diesel engine and 5 speed.

Really wish they didn't stop making these

Ah, the good ol' XJ. Solid reliability from the old trusty 4.0 inline 6, paired with a solid front axle. Still a very capable vehicle all these years. I had many a memory in my beat up 2000 XJ 2 door, off-roading all across Death Valley, Ouray and Moab. Still one of the best off-road vehicles out there and one of the best products to roll out of Detroit.

My daily driver is a completely stock 97 Cherokee with 212k. Absolutely love it.

My wife had a 96 Grand Cherokee with the bullet proof 4 liter straight 6! She loved it. The 4x4 system was great also. Wish the still made these!!!

the best vehicle jeep ever made.

Our family had an 86' Cherokee Laredo in Charcoal grey then had a 96' Cherokee Sport in fire engine red. Both were fantastic vehicles!

Always loved the XJ. My dad had a '97 with a 5-speed and the 4L straight-6 when I was little. It really sucks that they've skyrocketed in price so much in the last few years. I'd always wanted to get one as my first car, but by the time I was in the market for one, they were well out of my range. I always like to tease my dad about his because he sold it in 2006 for $1500 - these days you could easily add another 0 to that price tag, if not more for the 5-speed.

My 95 is running as strong as ever. 256000 miles and climbing.

The beautiful and real jeeps not the over designed ones these days

My neighbor got one in 1984, drove it almost 25 years until he passed away, and loved it the whole time. 4.0l straight 6, 4WD, cloth interior with tachometer, and he had the one with the 5 speed manual transmission

Just picked up a stock 2000 Sport in black with 90k miles. Looking forward to the next 100k

Growing up, two of my friends parents had these. I always found it extremely difficult and awkward climbing in and out of the rear seats. Oh, and the door handles/buttons were awful. But the rear bench seat was like a couch.

I own a 1995 Jeep Cherokee Sport, with over 245K miles on it and still running!

I have a 95 , 5 speed., of course not stock anymore ,it's a lifted beast, runs great and is fun to drive. Had it since new.

I have always been a fan of the Cherokee.

In 1997 I bought a 96 Cherokee, about as basic as they came. Two doors, 4.0, stick, 2wd, AC and that's about it... no console, the instruments consisted of a speedometer and gas gage. I added a console, swapped the IP for one with all the gages and put on fancier wheels off of a Wrangler. It's now about a quarter century and over half a million miles later, I still love driving my Cherokee. I don't drive it every day anymore, but still drive it fairly often, and am planning on taking it on a road trip to the North Carolina Outer Banks in a few months. Best car I've ever had.

Got a '99 with a 5spd. Still going strong.

They are not bad cars but they are delicate in their maintenance and do not demand what they are not made for. I have a 98 2.5TD with 199000kms and it is in perfect condition, so yes, you have to pamper them a lot and they are not made for any owner. Gasoline engines are more resistant but these 2.5 td VM are very very delicate. You have to take care of them.

that 0-60 fly-by was friggin sweet. great 4x4's

Oh wow I thought I saw all these reviews! I've never seen this one. Awesome thanks for the upload 👍

In Europe, it's been also a successfull. For me, the name "Cherokee" for this car is not racist and gives a good image to native american because it is an excellent vehicle. One of the best of the world.

Oldie But A Goodie

Nice looking and very capable at a good price. Only bad thing, I remember seeing in crash testing the front wheels would push into the cabin in a frontal collision. Not the safest vehicles of their time.

My very first vehicle!!

That engine is amazing

2:30 are they trying to imitate that its driving by shaking back and forth? hahah

thai why at 15 i got my cherokee. 3 years later very happy. best 1500 spent ever

I got into an accident ina Cherokee while a student back in 97. Loved the ruggedness and driving pleasure and ofcourse safety of the truck.

Good old Cherokees‼️

That tester was an Up Country. So it has the skid plates, tow hooks, Trac-loc, aux. trans cooler, full size matching spare tire, and a bit taller and stiffer suspension with rear anti-sway bar delete. Im not sure which year it was stopped, but the package historically included 3.73 gears vs. 3.55.

I miss my Cherokee every day. I have a Grand Wagoneer now, but it's just not the same, I miss the nimble point and shoot agility of the XJ, and the fuel injected 4.0L would start covered in snow, mud or sand. They don't make them like they used to.

always liked the look of these when they were still making them. Never did get one on my own.

Dang - that's an Upcountry too. Rad.

You know it is so weird 2023 is the first year where I have seen almost no Cherokees driving around. It just shows no mater how awesome a car is they still go away.

Looking forward to seeing this review on the next Retro Review Marathon!

Man I owned a 97 sport, back then! Now I wish I still have it!

Bought my 96 XJ, in 1999. Second owner the first was the US Government. Bought it at auction, red, 2dr 4X4. Interior is a little different since they were made for the government. Close to 1/2 million miles on it now. Engine and Transmission still original. Get offers at least once a month to sell. Drive it everyday and would miss it if I sold it.

Wish they still sold them.

Best SUV ever made - 4.0, actual transfer box, comfy for drives, can go anywhere as its basically a wrangler with a tad shorter wheelbase - solid!

My dad had a cherokee almost exactly like this when I was growing up. A 1995 4 door sport just like this one in the same color too. He finally got rid of it in 2010 for a new Silverado Z71

Any videos like this on the 1994-1995-1996 Dodge Dakota? I think we all need a motor week for the last 1st gen dakotas lol they were the 1st pickup truck to receive driver air bag in 1994! They were the 1st of changing production standards like in 1996 the dakota kept the doors off until it was full assembled whereas before the doors would be on and worked on but the dakota/ram and all were made in same warren Michigan plant back in that time. Dodge dakota needs a motorweek test for the 94-96 models (v8 and 5 speed manual is fast) i have a 1996 Dodge Dakota single cab shortbed 4x4 with 5.2 V8 and NV3500 5 speed manual transmission and it is very fast for its size and its the 1st year OBD2 was implemented so its very straight forward truck but with some cool features of the time

My mom has a RHD '98 postal Cherokee with over 230k miles. Still as reliable and torquey as it was when she bought it 20+ years ago

My 1989 has 240,000 and is still going strong on the original motor. The AMC I6 4.0L (that Chrysler continued to build after the acquisition) is one of the best motors ever made from a reliability stand point. Stupidly simple pushrod design (no overhead cams), no VVT or cylinder deactivation nonsense like a modern engine. Less extra crap less parts to fail.

I have a 1996 Jeep Cherokee & it is the same green as this one lol 170k miles & I’ve had it for a year now

I've been waiting on this one!

I have a 2001 jeep grand cherokee Laredo with the 4.0 straight 6 with 101,000 original miles very good condition inside and out.

I'll take my death wobble and rust over anything built in the last 2 decades lol

I bought a Jeep Cherokee brand new in July 1996. Kept it until 2009 and traded it in for a new Grand Cherokee which I still have.

Currently restoring my 90 Limited XJ

Yes!

I want a stock 4.0L6 all stock so damn bad. Hope one day we have a Updated XJ with a very upgraded 4.0L6..

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I LOVE THEM THEN & I LOVE THEM NOW!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!

LOVE the XJ - It's a tank

Best engine they ever produced

I like these jeeps have 2 sport and one Comanche short4x4 u forgot to say about power transmission comfort which makes it better going up hills

I’ve got an 89 Cherokee,just put a floor in it still runs great

I'm not a Jeep guy much less an offroader but seeing the Cherokee name on a crossover these days makes me uncomfortable. The old legit 4x4s have a purpose and it's disgusting how manufacturers have manipulated the market to the point they're mostly eliminated

Love cherokee XJ

3:48 He's right you know.

I'm surprised that this Jeep Cherokee still has the 85mph speedometer, I thought that was severely outdated by the mid 1990's.

Hard to believe the WRANGLER IS LARGER THAN THIS CHEROKEE NOW .... LOVE U MOTOR WEEK

XJ is dream vehicle!

Wife has the 2019 latitude plus....it feels it will get stuck in a road pothole. Plus cargo space languish compared to the late 90s model.

Geez my dad loves these things

Can’t beat solid axles!!!

Still have my 98 260,000 miles everyday driver

I've have had a '96, a 97', and an 01'; and two of them are still going. And its not the ones you think.