It's bold and sporty, exuding an air of the rugged outdoors.

Face facts, appearances and impressions sell products. In the world of corporate brands and identities, being seen with the right logo, colours or name features high in many consumers minds when making purchases. Seen as a sign of wealth and success, being seen with a certain brand can speak volumes about your lifestyle, choices and indeed, your personality.

It's no different with car purchases. Your executive German marques are prime suspects here, but the same bodes for your SUVs and 4x4s. Want to be seen as being outdoorsy and active? Buy a particular brand SUV and the world out there will believe that your weekends consist of wielding axes and wrestling grizzly bears – even if it isn't true.

The Jeep brand is one such brand where sales are largely swayed by the perception of the brand. As a whole, the brand is associated with the rugged outdoors and off-road trails. It's a desirable image for many, especially in South Africa with our vast expanses of bush and wilderness.

The Jeep Cherokee range is now in its fifth incarnation and the latest (KL-model) is the first to be built on the Fiat Crossover platform. It offers three different model trims that span a wide budget range, starting at R512 990 for the 2.4-litre Longitude model and topping out with the R654 990 Trailhawk with its 3.2-litre Pentastar V6.

The Cherokee Longitude

The Jeep Cherokee Longitude is your gateway into the Cherokee range. While the Renegade, Patriot and most Wranglers will come in cheaper, the Cherokee offers substantial space and convenience, despite being officially listed as a Mid Size Crossover. It lacks a few of the higher end creature comforts and conveniences offered in the higher models, but does present you with the same exterior styling that is quite unique and eye-catching.

The sharp, angled DRLs are without a doubt its signature feature, complemented by the rolled over grill bars – a first for the Cherokee. Where previous models all had upright grills and rounded off headlights, the KL model is now more aggressively styled.

Clean lines at the rear keep the Cherokee classy and contemporary, with little chance of the lines dating in a hurry. LED taillights mimic the lines of the DRLs while the tidy lines of the tailgate are devoid of any garish handles and trims, with only the badges making an appearance.

Drivetrain

The Longitude is powered by the Fiat derived 2.4-litre DOHC VVT petrol motor, that develops 129kW and 229Nm of torque. While seemingly delivering the goods on paper, we found the motor to labour a little under the weight of the Cherokee's chassis. While torquey enough for the daily grind and general traffic situations, the Cherokee Longitude seemed to struggle a little with spirited driving and overtaking manoeuvres. This may not be the engine's fault though.

As a 2-wheel drive, the Longitude model is fitted with the ZF derived 9-speed gearbox. It's a difficult gearbox to like sadly, as the vast number of gears means that the smallest change in throttle inputs sees the gearbox hunting for a suitable gear and the revs spiking and dipping. Despite the 9 gears, you will only even be able to get the gearbox into 8th... or at least I was unable to under a variety of circumstances.

Interior

The interior is where the Jeep Cherokee Longitude manages to claw back a few brownie points with a few clever layout cues and high comfort levels. The center fascia features an 8.4-inch high-res screen for the Jeep Uconnect system, bundled with voice activated navigation and multimedia input for several devices.

There's more than ample storage in the interior with cubbys in the dashboard and under the front passenger seat. The rear seats offer a 60/40 split, further enhancing interior space and loading versatility.

The driving position is unconventional, but you soon find a setting that sees you sitting comfortably with a comprehensive view of the road. Most controls fall easily to hand and driving the seemingly larger-than-life Jeep is no more difficult than weaving about in a hatchback.

Conclusion

Jeep's baby Cherokee may seem a little pricey and it's not without fault sadly, but what it does offer is a comfortable, capable drive for those that only want to appear to subscribe to the outdoor, off road lifestyle, but only really ever run the kids to the school and back or the daily commute to the office.

A 2.4-litre Longitude trim Jeep Cherokee will set you back R512 990 and is sold with a 3-year / 100 000km warranty including a free Roadside Assistance Program.