The Jeep Cherokee KL, which first made its debut at
the 2013 New York Auto Show, is about to go under the knife. The mid-size SUV
has been spied making rounds with seemingly no intentions of masking its
redesigned headlamps, perhaps for obvious reasons. It bears a closer resemblance to the second-generation
Compass and fourth-generation Grand Cherokee.
The big news here is the possible addition
of a new turbocharged engine. According to a report by the Truth About Cars,
documents circulating within the automaker have revealed that a new 2.0
four-cylinder turbo, which made its debut in the all-new Wrangler, will make an
appearance once again, confirming earlier speculations of the engine
introduction.
The four-pot mill features an eTorque mild hybrid
system, pushing out 270 hp and 400 Nm of torque. It’s unclear if this engine
will find its way outside of the North American market, seeing that the
offering in the Wrangler is currently exclusive to the West. Maybe time will
tell.
The same report states that the 2.0 litre turbo will
be a range-topping offering if the line-up is to be based solely on engine
output. Existing mills start from the base 2.4 litre Tigershark MultiAir 2
four-cylinder unit developing 174 hp and 229 Nm of torque. There’s also the
larger 271 hp 3.2 litre Pentastar V6, but the new turbo lump packs 76 Nm more
twisting force than the six-pot mill.
In the US, all three engines will be offered
concurrently, although details of its drivetrain remains undisclosed. The
outgoing Cherokee gets a nine-speed automatic transmission as standard and
either Jeep Active Drive I permanent all-wheel drive or an Active Drive Lock
system with rear-axle disconnect.
Cr : Paultan