Jeep Previews 2014 Cherokee With Radical Design

 

Okay, so we took some liberties with the dictionary definition of “polarize,” but that’s exactly what the design of Jeep’s all-new Cherokee has done. It’s, um, different. To be honest, it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen from Jeep, a brand that’s styling evolves only slightly faster than Porsche (a company that’s been building the same car since the Renaissance).

 

The twin grilles, with the traditional seven-slat up top and the gaping maw along the bottom is just odd. It looks like a meth-addled piranha. One of the more interesting styling cues we see is the way the top half of the upper grille curves along with the hood, giving the Cherokee a sleeker, more aerodynamic look than previous Jeeps. That part we like.

 

The headlights, thin, tiny slashes, wouldn’t look out of place on a Ford Fusion. They’re complemented by a larger pair of squarish lights, although we can’t be sure if these are actual headlights as well, or the world’s beefiest set of fog lights. It’ll surely give the Cherokee an interesting look at night, and we’re curious to see just how potent those upper lights are (or whether they’re just accent lights).

 

Although we only have a few shots, the greenhouse is curvier than past Jeeps, doing away with the squared off cabin of the Liberty (which the Cherokee is replacing). There are still some chiseled features, such as the wheel wells.

 

While we’re sure purists are going to mutiny over what Jeep “has done” to the Cherokee name, we see it as a necessary evil. Land Rover did something similar with the Evoque, a vehicle that was a huge departure from the traditional Range Rover. After a short time on sale, it’s one of the brand’s best selling vehicles, and has already influenced the styling of the flagship Range Rover. Given some time to mature, we can see the Cherokee doing something similar.

 

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee will make its official debut at the 2013 New York Auto Show.