22K-Mile 2001 Jeep Cherokee Is Today's Find on Bring a Trailer
The XJ-generation Jeep Cherokee was a wildly successful pioneer of the modern-day SUV.
Introduced in 1984, the XJ's run extended to the 2001 model year.
The final-year example has ultra-low mileage and an accident-free history.
Since 1974, Jeep has produced three separate generations of the Cherokee, but when the nameplate is mentioned, only one pops into your head. It's the XJ, the second-generation trucks built between 1984 and 2001, considered to be hugely significant in the evolution of the automobile. Featuring unibody construction and true 4x4 capability, it spawned a whole host of copycats from competitors.This last-of-the-breed example up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is a 2001 Cherokee Limited with very low miles, finished in a fetching green. The XJ Cherokee had a squared-off charm that was never matched by the blandly shaped third-generation car. It still looks good today.Being a Limited, this example has all the bells and whistles available at the time. You get heated power seats trimmed in leather, air conditioning, cruise control, and power windows, locks, and mirrors. The original owner also checked the box for the optional fog lights.The 4.0-liter inline-six is a faithful old friend, good for 190 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel-drive transfer case with high and low ranges. The XJ doesn't ride like a Wrangler, but it can climb like one.With just 22K miles on the odometer, this Jeep doesn't appear to have done much traipsing around in the woods. There's a little corrosion to note, but it shows well, and the green-over-tan color combo is a classic.
An XJ Cherokee is not a Range Rover, and people didn't buy these things to barely drive them to and from the country club. An example like this with such low mileage is rare, and a history free from collisions just makes things better. It'd be hard to find a nicer XJ.
No one at the time expected these trucks to be collectible, but given its impact on the industry, the XJ surely is now. It's an icon, the Cherokee that everyone remembers.
The auction ends on April 9.
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