This week we’re taking a look back at the Jeep^® Cherokee XJ.  It launched in 1984 and was produced through 2001 selling over 2.1 million units.  This vehicle was a big seller in the Jeep lineup during that time frame.

Introduced in 1984 and riding on an all-new unibody platform, the Cherokee XJ was an instant hit and was immediately crowned “4X4 of the Year” by three separate publications.  AMC (the parent company at the time) was largely responsible for this success because of their strong belief in the future of SUVs, and their large investment into the development of the XJ.  The end result was simultaneously more manageable, refined and advanced than anything we had produced to date.  It was significantly smaller and lighter than the previous SJ Wagoneer, and offered door configuration and engine options.  In fact, the famous 4.0L Jeep six-cylinder was introduced on this model for several years after its introduction. Other unique features offered were the new Command-Trac^® four-wheel-drive system and Quadra-Link^® suspension.

The Cherokee XJ is definitely one of the most well-known models you’ll find in our ongoing blog series spotlighting 70 years of great Jeep^® 4×4 vehicles. We’re not playing favorites here, just going by the numbers.