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All models / All cars / Family & large SUVs / Jeep Cherokee

Jeep Cherokee

All generations and engines together · 5,618 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 61k

Reliability verdict
DBy age
DBy miles

Graded against its peers

Worse than most SUVs, by age and by mileage. Watch suspension and emissions/leaks. A used buy worth some caution. Check the MOT history for repeating suspension advisories before you go.

First-time failure at age 7
20.2%
Across 445 tests. The average for SUVs is 16.4%.
First-time failure at 50-60k miles
19.5%
Across 584 tests. The average for SUVs is 15.1%.
Rank in its class
33 of 38
1 = lowest failure rate among the 38 SUVs we can rank.
Typical mileage at age 7
61k miles
How far the average car has gone by seven years old. Low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

Generation

Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

ZF nine-speed auto: hesitant, harsh, or dies in traffic

Confirmed pattern

Cherokee KL diesel automatics (170-200PS, from 2015) use the ZF 9-speed, and it was troublesome from launch: rough or delayed shifts, and cars dropping into neutral or losing drive unexpectedly. A 'snap ring' defect inside the unit was bad enough that Chrysler issued a recall and pushed out several transmission software updates trying to calm it down. Worst reported around 30-40k miles; a full rebuild or replacement runs well into four figures.

Reported 30-40k miles · repair often £2,000+ · sources: Wikipedia (ZF/NHTSA recall record), carcomplaints.com

Front-end vibration and steering wander

Partly in the MOT data

Owners report a shudder or shake through the steering at motorway speed, sometimes with a whine or clunk when turning, usually blamed on worn tie rod ends or steering linkage. This lines up with the measured MOT data for the class, where suspension-related failures are the standout signature fault; the folklore version buyers describe (steering shake, front-end clunk) is the driveable symptom of the same wear the test picks up later. Not usually terminal, but tyres and track rod ends wear faster than a typical family SUV.

Reported from 40k miles · sources: carcomplaints.com (2014 and 2015 model-year steering complaints)

Electrical gremlins: flat batteries and warning lights

Emerging

A recurring but scattered complaint: a car that won't crank after standing for a few days, random dash warning lights, or an electronic parking brake that misbehaves. The Cherokee KL's electrical architecture is shared with Fiat Group models of the era, which reviewers have flagged as a weak point rather than a Jeep-specific design. No pattern strong enough for a manufacturer campaign has been reported, and a diagnosis can take a few visits before it's found. Budget £100-300 for a battery/module check, more if a control module needs replacing.

Reported at various ages · sources: carcomplaints.com, Auto Express reliability review

Uconnect infotainment feels dated and maps can't be updated

Disputed

The Uconnect touchscreen was praised as slick when new but owners and reviewers now call it dated next to a phone's mapping, and some cars have been found with sat-nav map data that's years out of date and won't take an update. It's more a nuisance than a money pit, and opinions differ on how much it matters if you'll just use CarPlay/Android Auto instead. Worth checking before you rely on the built-in nav for a car you're about to buy.

Affects used examples generally · sources: Honest John owner review

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this model Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 21.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%
LeaksRuns high on this model Look at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 7.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%
Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this model With a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 4.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%
Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this model Turn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 2.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%
Dampers Look for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 1.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 27.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%
Pads and discsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 23.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%
Windscreen and wipers Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Take it for a proper motorway run and let go of the wheel briefly on a smooth, straight stretch (safely). Any shake or wander points to worn tie rods or steering/suspension components.
Drive it through the full gear range, including a few stop-start moves and a kickdown. Hesitation, a harsh clunk into gear, or a flare in revs suggests the 9-speed auto is already struggling.
Check the service history for any transmission software update or recall work. No record of it means the car may still be on the original faulty calibration.
Leave the car sitting for the viewing, then try a cold start at the end. Slow cranking or dash lights flickering hints at the battery/electrical gremlins some owners report.
Try updating or checking the date on the sat-nav map data. If it won't update, budget for using your phone instead rather than relying on the built-in system.
Check for consistent MOT advisories on suspension components year after year. Repeated suspension advisories back up the pattern found in the wider data for this class.
Ask when the transmission fluid was last changed on automatic cars. The ZF 9-speed is sensitive to fluid condition; a car with no record is a bigger risk.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Jeep CherokeeClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 3,148 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
24.0%class 6.8%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
9.5%class 2.4%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
8.6%class 0.9%
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
Fail
6.8%class 1.0%
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
Fail
3.8%class 0.9%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
1.6%class 2.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
31.6%class 22.9%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
23.8%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
11.2%class 8.7%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
9.8%class 12.7%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
3.0%class 2.2%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
2.9%class 2.3%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
2.6%class 3.4%
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
Minor
2.3%class 2.0%

Others in its class

Same segment (Family & large SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

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