Can a Jeep Cherokee Go Off-Road?

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A Jeep Cherokee is one of the best crossover SUVs that you can have. Although there are a lot of other crossover SUVs on the market, the Jeep Cherokee offers the most bang for your buck, especially if you go for the off-road-oriented beast that is the Trailhawk.

In general, can a Jeep Cherokee go off-road? The simple answer to this question is yes, you can go off road on your Jeep Cherokee, but the extent to which this is true is going to depend on a few different factors:

Drivetrain
Tires
Suspension Setup
Body protection
Lift kit
Aftermarket front and rear bumpers with tire mounts
Lights
Roof Racks

Best Drivetrain Option For Off-Roading

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee comes with FWD as standard, apart from the Trailhawk, which comes with 4 wheel drive as standard. FWD delivers the power to the front wheels, which is okay-ish for off roading.

But if you want a better off-roading experience then the best option is to opt for the 4 wheel drive option. All the trim levels of the Cherokee can be equipped with the 4×4 drivetrain. But you will have to pay extra for the benefit.

Not only will 4×4 help you take your Cherokee off-road, but it can also give you more traction on snow as well. So if you want to take on rougher terrain, then go for the 4×4 option.

Off-Road Tires

17-inch wheels come standard on the Jeep Cherokee, and some higher trim levels can have wheels of up to 19 inches in size, which look great but don’t give much clearance to the wheels during bumps. All in all, they are more suitable for the more luxury side of the spectrum.

Now the Trailhawk, the off-road beast that it is, also comes with 17-inch wheels. So if you don’t have a Trailhawk, then don’t worry, you can still have a good off-road experience. You should simply opt for off-road tires and you’ll be good to go.

But if you want to get more out of your Jeep Cherokee and you aren’t worried about losing your warranty, then raise the suspension and have a set of bigger off-road wheels and tires fitted. With that, you’ll be able to have the most fun off-road sessions you have ever had.

Suspension Lift Kit Setup

If you are a beginner Outlander and want to take your Jeep on an off-road adventure, you should lift your ride by at least 3 inches.

There are many options that you can go with, the simplest being to use an extra set of leaf springs to raise the height and give you more ground clearance. Note that this option can only be used on the older models with leaf spring suspension.

Nowadays, modern models typically have a multilink suspension setup in the back. There are a lot of different suspension setups that you can put on your Jeep Cherokee.

You don’t have to go with the most expensive one to have a better feel; you can simply go for a reasonably priced setup that is not too cheap but not too expensive.

With off-road suspension, you will get a much smoother driving experience compared than you get from the stock suspension. With the Trailhawk, you won’t have to change the suspension as it’s already off-road ready.

Skid Plate For Body Protection

When you are off roading, you need to have body protection. The most important thing that you will need is a skid plate. This will protect all the important stuff under your precious Jeep so you won’t have to worry about it being damaged.

Go for a reasonably priced option and make sure that it’s sturdy. You don’t want to waste your money on a cheap plate that can’t even protect ITSELF from damage.

Aftermarket Front and Rear Bumpers With Tire Mounts

You wouldn’t want to get stuck while off roading without recovery points. Stock bumpers don’t have recovery points, so if you get stuck somewhere out in the wilderness, it would be a nightmare.

Make sure to have aftermarket front and rear bumpers fitted to give you those much-needed recovery points. A trailer hitch can also be a good alternative.

Many aftermarket rear bumpers are available with an attached rear tire mount that will give you the most bang for the buck because you will also want to mount your large tires.

Lights & Roof Racks

If you want to travel during the night, then don’t forget to put on those extra lights so you won’t miss any obstacles on the road.

Roof racks are not really necessary but they can give you a lot of freedom and utility. Whenever you need to travel long roads, you will have plenty of room at your disposal.