Jeep Cherokee now on sale – UK Jeep sales set to double

The new Jeep Cherokee (above) is now on sale in the UK

Jeep may have the sort of SUV, off-road credibility as Land Rover, but they’ve failed miserably to make the most of that in recent years, particularly on this side of the Pond. But things are changing for Jeep, and the arrival of the new Jeep Cherokee – with it’s contentious, but individual, looks – promises to give Jeep a real shot in the arm in its quest to rebuild sales in the UK.

With a choice of two diesel engines – 140 hp and 170 hp versions of the 2.0 litre diesel – a choice of four trim levels - Longitude, Longitude+, Limited and Trailhawk – and a 3.2 litre petrol engine for the hardcore Trailhawk version (available from the end of 2014), Jeep has a strong offering.

And that strong offering will make a real difference to Jeep sales in the UK, which hit a nadir back in 2012 when half the Jeep dealer network in the UK wanted out because they couldn’t make money from the second-rate Jeep offerings.

But the arrival of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee started to turn things around with a focus on ‘Affordable Luxury’, and sales in 2014 are already up 70 per cent, the dealer network is growing (Jeep now has 72 UK dealers) and sales are expected to reach 4,000 this year – up from 2200 in 2013 – with sales of the new Cherokee taking a 40 per cent share.

That should grow further still when the new Jeep Renegade arrives in 2015 to take on cars like the MINI Countryman and Nissan Juke – based on the underpinnings of the Fiat 500X and built in Italy – but with Jeep clothes and proper off-road pretensions.

It’s all looking far more promising for Jeep.

By Cars UK