By Antti Kautonen
Last Truck Thursday, I featured a very beaten and used Mercedes-Benz Geländerwagen. It had also been lifted, and it looked like it could make short work of quite a bit of sticks. This Thursday, I’m posting a final-year XJ Cherokee I saw last week in my town, and it too features larger rubber than stock, riding somewhat higher as well.
It’s not showroom fresh by any means, but compared to the Mercedes it’s barely used. Take a look.
I really do like the XJ Cherokee, and the maroon paint even suits it well. The truck is a 2001 model, and it’s a facelift one as well.
Right now, the toughest conditions the Cherokee would have to battle would be sandstorms, as all the sand and pebble on the ground comes from the melted snow dunes that were present just a while ago. Generally our roads are sanded to the extreme when it’s really slippery, and then it just stays there.
And yeah, it’s even the 4.0 litre instead of a weedier four. Try not to look at my hipsterish laptop bag reflecting on the paint. Look at the tow bar instead.
[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
Hey.. a car I actually own. Pretty much the exact same. Good find!
Finnish rednecks? Seriously, I dig the Euro taillights and repeater lamps on the fenders, and it's got one of those cute trailer hitches with the mini ball.
I see lifted trucks reasonably often around here, usually older Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, Jimnys or Land Cruisers. Always dirty, sometimes with steel girders for bumpers.
Did you catch which transmission it has? I would bet there was a better take rate on the manuals over in Europe. (Those came with the same engine/transmission combination as my Jeep, and they're super rare where I am.) If they bothered to lift it and stick the bigger tires on, they almost certainly put fun gears in.
Awesome truck. Good find.
Auto, this time around. Thanks for the compliments!
This gives me sellers' remorse as I unloaded mine a few years bag for a ridiculously low sum. Now that I have kids on the verge of driving, this looks like the ideal starter vehicle.
This has made me think… the Cherokee has to be one of the last ordinary First World passenger vehicles to use sealed-beam headlamps, no? The only others I can think of are work vans – Astro/Safari, fleet-spec Express/Savana and E-series, and so forth, all of which could be had with composite lamps.
I'd think so, it must be one of the last. It doesn't exactly scream built in 2001. For that, I love it.
Round sealed-beams stuck around for a few more years on the TJ Wrangler and the G-wagen.
Yeah, I forgot about the Wrangler somehow. I'd bet you're correct.
Those look like halogens, like Hella lamps. I remember the Cibie' Bobi lamps, that were hybrid lamps. with a sealed beam housing that had a pocket in the back, where an H4 bulb sat.
To answer your question, yeah, it was probably among the last to use seal beams. Not THE last, though. (Methinks smokyburnout is right regarding the TJ and G-Wagen.)
That said, they are relatively cheap and easy to swap out. With the more modern Chevys my parents drive, you have to usually order the headlights online, pop the hood and then fiddle with the grill trim to get the old light out and the new light in. My Cherokee? Stop at NAPA, ask for a headlight for a Cherokee, four screws on the headlight trim, two (?) screws holding the lamp on, unplug it, plug in new lamp, lamp screws, trim screws, you're done in a couple minutes.
Appropos of nothing, I love those Yokohama Geolander tires. Just look like such serious business.
Those are the M/Ts, and they do look awesome. The A/Ts are high on my list for next set of tires (probably in the next month or so).
Don't even think they sell the Yoko MTs anymore…sadly.
I've never been let down by BFG ATs. Been running those as the standard AT since the mid-90s.
That said, the new Goodyear Duratracs look just about right for an aggressive AT.
Again, based entirely on looks and not objective performance.
I've seen good reviews of the Duratracs.
Is there some difference between the Geolandar M/T and M/T+? Because Tire Rack says they are expecting to get more in stock in my size for the M/T+.
I hate you SOOO MUCH. This reminded me how much I miss my '88 XJ (first car)
*starts scouring kijiji…*
Not bad. It's in better condition than my '00 Sport.
Regarding the engine Antti, the 2001 only had the 4.0L. At least here in the US.
Is it just me or does the passenger side front seem lower than the driver's side? Still, neat truck.