The Jeep Cherokee is one of the most famous and iconic SUVs anywhere in the world today.
It has been around since 1974 and has continued in production almost continuously, with some interruption and name changing in the 2000s, since its first release.
They are known for their uncompromising comfort and capability.
This article answers the question “Which Jeep Cherokee Is The Fastest?”…
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Which Jeep Cherokee Is The Fastest?
The fastest Jeep Cherokee is the 2019 Cherokee (KL) fifth-generation model loaded with the 3.2 L Pentastar V6 engine. This may come as no surprise to many. This Jeep Cherokee boasts a top speed of 128 MPH and can get from 0 to 60mph in just 8.1 seconds.
With 268 horsepower, this Jeep Cherokee was also the most powerful of any of the many engines used in Jeep Cherokees in many years of production.
Which Jeep Cherokee Has The Most Horsepower?
The Jeep Cherokee with the most horsepower is the 2019 Cherokee with the 3.2 L V6 Pentastar engine.
This Jeep can output 268 HP and is even more powerful than the fourth-generation 3.7 L V6 which only managed 207 HP.
Which Cherokee Has Turbo?
Every generation from the second generation of Jeep Cherokee has offered at least one turbo model.
In the second generation, it was the turbodiesel offered in both 2.1 L and 2.5 L displacements.
In the third generation, there was a 2.8 L I4 offered with turbo, also a turbo diesel.
The fourth generation offered a 2.8 L turbo diesel.
The current generation offers a 2.2 L turbo diesel option.
What Are All Available Cherokee Engines?
1st Generation (From 1974 To 1983)
| Fuel | Trims | Engine | Power (HP) | 0-60mph Time (Best) | Top Speed (MPH) |
| Gas/Diesel | Base, wide-track, Chief, Golden Eagle | 4.2L I6; 5.9L V8 2-barrel; 5.9L V8 4-barrel; 6.6L V8 | 190-220 |
2nd Generation (From 1984 To 2001)
| Fuel | Trims | Engine | Power (HP) | 0-60mph Time (Best) | Top Speed (MPH) |
| Gas/Diesel | Base, Limited, TD, Sport, Wagoneer, Country, Pioneer, | 2.5L AMC 150; 2.8L V6; 2.1L Turbo Diesel; 4.0L AMC 242; 2.5L Turbo Diesel VM 425 | 85-224 | 10.1 sec. | 112mph |
3rd Generation (From 2002 To 2007)
| Fuel | Trims | Engine | Power (HP) | 0-60mph Time (Best) | Top Speed (MPH) |
| Gas, Diesel | Sport, Renegade, Limited, CRD | 2.4L PowerTech I4; 2.5L VM Motori R 425 I4; 2.8L VM Motori R 428 I4 (turbodiesel); 3.7 PowerTech V6 | 140-207 | 12.6 sec. | 104-112 |
4th Generation (From 2008 To 2011)
| Fuel | Trims | Engine | Power (HP) | 0-60mph Time (Best) | Top Speed (MPH) |
| Gas/Diesel | Sport, Limited, Renegade, Arctic, Latitude, 70th Anniv., Jet Edition | 2.8L VM Motori 428 I4 (turbodiesel); 3.7L PowerTech V6 | 140-207 | 12.6 | 104-112 |
5th Generation (From 2013 To Present)
| Fuel | Trims | Engine | Power (HP) | 0-60mph Time (Best) | Top Speed (MPH) |
| Gas/Diesel | Sport, Latitude, Trailhawk, Limited, Altitude, Overland, 80th Anniv. | 2.0L Multijet II I4 (diesel); 2.2L Multijet I4 (turbodiesel); 2.0L Tigershark I4; 2.0L GME T4 Hurricane I4; 2.4L Tigershark I4; 3.2L Pentastar V6 | 138-268 | 8.1 sec. | 116-128 |
Jeep Cherokee Top Speed: All Years!
The Jeep Cherokees have grown in trim level, engine power, and speed variations over the years.
After many years with top speeds not exceeding 112mph, the current generation finally broke the mold and offered models that could reach higher than 125mph.
The most powerful Jeep Cherokee models are the ones in the fifth generation that are equipped with the 3.2L Pentastar V6 engine.
This engine was doubly impressive because it even outpaces the fourth-generation 3.7L which was built originally to offer the same high-level performance.
The 3.2L Pentastar V6 engine is available in four of the current trims of Jeep Cherokee:
- Latitude
- 80th Anniversary
- Limited
- Trailhawk
The first three generations were unable to break above the 112mph line, mostly because the engines being used weren’t evolving or changing at any great speed.
Only in the fourth and fifth-generation did newer technology start to be integrated.
In many markets, the third generation was actually sold as the Jeep “Liberty” rather than Cherokee, so some don’t even count this generation as “canon.”
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Jeep Wrangler?
The Jeep Wrangler is also a long-standing model with many different model years and variations.
For the most part, early Wrangler models were about the same in top speed as the Jeep Cherokee – 112mph.
The very fastest Jeep Wrangler has reached a speed of 125mph, which means that the Jeep Cherokee is indeed faster than the Jeep Wrangler overall, with a top speed of 128mph.
The fact is, however, that the Wrangler doesn’t need a great deal of speed because it is designed chiefly for off-roading.
This means that the most important commodity for the Wrangler powertrain is torque, not power or speed.
It has to clamber over rocks and get through mud obstacles.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Range Rover Evoque?
Jaguar-Land-Rover’s Range Rover Evoque was quite controversial when it first came out, despite its high celebrity endorsements by the likes of Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls fame.
The design was seen as a big departure from that of the traditional Range Rover concept.
Its top speed was 121mph, which makes it a little behind the newest and most powerful Jeep Cherokee at 128mph.
The Evoque, however, remains more powerful than the majority of Jeep Cherokee generations.
Also, if you upgrade the Range Rover Evoque to the Performance model, it gets a 296hp engine that can top out at 150mph, faster than the fastest Cherokee.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Honda CR-V?
The Honda CR-V is one of the Japanese company’s most successful-ever crossover vehicles and has enjoyed consistently high sales numbers around the world.
The CR-V has a top speed of 121mph, the same as the Range Rover Evoque.
This means it, too, is not as speedy as the fastest Jeep Cherokee, which tops out at 128mph with its 3.2L V6 engine.
The CR-V is thankfully not purchased for its top speed rating, but the fact that it only carries a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine makes its top speed very impressive, all the same.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Mazda CX-5?
The Mazda CX-5 is powered by a 2.5L I4 engine as standard.
The car has been tested on the Autobahn in Germany to a top speed of 124mph, which still falls short of the fastest Jeep Cherokee.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Volvo XC60?
Speed isn’t necessarily what comes to mind when people think of Volvo cars. The XC60 is proving them wrong, however.
The XC60 T5 AWD comes with a 2.0L 16-valve I4 engine outputting 247hp and boasting a maximum speed of 130mph, which does outmatch the fastest Jeep Cherokee.
Volvo is trying to position itself as not just a provider of cars with superlative safety features and strong frames, but not also with athletic capabilities, too.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Kia Niro?
The Kia Niro is powered by a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine that is quite a lot smaller than the larger Sportage and Sorento engines at 2.4L and 2.5L respectively.
The Kia Niro is a great and popular crossover SUV model, but it, unfortunately, is not packing as much of a speedy punch as the Jeep Cherokee.
The top speed of the Kia Niro is rated at 110mph, which is significantly less than the fastest Cherokee (128mph) and even slower than the oldest Jeep Cherokees (112mph).
The Niro isn’t necessarily a car, however, people seek it out for its power and speed level. It remains superior to the Cherokee in terms of reliability overall, and more affordable, too.
Is Jeep Cherokee Faster Than Ford Escape?
The Ford Escape comes with three engine options, 1.5L, 2.0L turbo, and 2.5L. The fastest among these is the 2.0L turbo which offers speed up to 126mph in the Titanium trim.
This is a very close rival to the fastest Jeep Cherokee, but it just edged out of contention by 2mph.
In fairness to the Ford Escape, that is its limited speed, which means that quite possibly if left to a raw power contest the Ford Escape might be able to surpass the Jeep Cherokee in the end.
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