IndyStar.com's view

There are big doings involving the Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee for the 1997 model year.

Chrysler Corp.’s Jeep-Eagle Division has done a makeover on the Cherokee and made two-wheel drive available for Grand Cherokees equipped with a 5.2-liter (318-cubic-inch) V-8 engine.

Previously, all Grands equipped with the V-8 came with Chrysler’s Quadra-Trac four-wheel drive system.

The Cherokee had been getting a little long in the tooth, since its basic design dates back to 1984. So, for 1997, the model is being given a more contemporary look and feel. Production is scheduled to begin in the fall at a Toledo, Ohio, plant, with prices to be announced at that time.

The line includes the SE, Sport, and Country models. The SE and Sport are available in either two-door or four-door body styles. The Country comes only as a four-door.

A major part of the makeover concentrates on interior changes plus engineering updates to reduce noise and vibration.

The exterior retains its classic lines, but incorporates more rounded edges. The changes are subtle, and consist of new body side mouldings for the Sport and Country. The grille and headlight bezels have been changed, and bumper guards blend into the body structure.

Production of the Grand Cherokee is in Detroit, Mich., with the model receiving refinements to go along with the V-8’s rear-drive option.

The Grand’s refinements will include an available 10-way power driver and passenger seat. There also are power recliners and lumbar supports, heated driver and passenger seats and the Jeep Memory System for the mirror and radio settings.

In the Cherokee, rear-seat heating ducts have been redesigned to improve air-flow efficiency. There is an upgraded entry-level radio cassette unit. And the steering column has been redesigned in an effort to foil vehicle theft.

A primary upgrade on the Cherokee is an all-new instrument panel that incorporates a passenger-side air bag. The cockpit area still retains the classic layout of a center console, albeit a new one, that houses the transmission shift levers, cup holders and rear-seat air vents. Stereo and climate controls occupy the center of the dashboard.

The Grand Cherokee makes a contribution to the Cherokee’s style of seating, with wide seat bolsters standard on the Sport model and optional on the SE. A second contribution is an optional overhead console with trip computer that is similar to the unit in the Grand.

Modifications for the cabin area include new door panels and arm rests and lighted switches for the power windows and mirrors.

The powertrain is pretty much a holdover from 1996, with a 2.5-liter (151-cubic-inch) four-cylinder engine still being offered as standard for the SE. On balance, I’d say this package is more for a commuter vehicle than one used for heavy hauling.

You need the 4.0- liter in-line six for that, as the in-line four is rated at 125-horsepower and 150 foot-pounds of torque. The six is rated at 190-horsepower and 2 25 foot-pounds of torque, which gives the engine enough strength to get in and dig.

It would appear that engineering has been playing around a bit with the cams or compression with the 4.0-liter, as the Grand Cherokee’s six is off just a bit from the numbers posted for the Cherokee’s six.

The specification sheets call for 185-horsepower and 220 foot-pounds of torque, but there’s a differential of 5-horsepower and 5 foot-pounds of torque in the Grand’s motor.