Turkey hunting season will be upon us before we know it, and it takes a well-prepared Nimrod to contend with those wily clucks. Promising enclaves defy access to all but the most agile and determined muckrakers, for which a rutted road and soupy bog are but means to an end. Far from adopting a trendy car-like ride, Cherokee revels in an outright truckishness that is solid without being harsh, and rigid without being inflexible. By today's mommy-car standards, Cherokee feels rugged, unrefined. Its seating positions are high, stilty.
Interior space is compact, utilitarian.
All ye who enter this place must forsake kiddy carpooling. Cherokee is not so much an attainable Jeep as it is a Jeep that can attain those nether and nefarious reaches most SUVagabonds don't really care to tread. At its release, Forester gained mileage on its truck-based competition by touting full compliance with the more stringent safety and emissions regulations for cars. This type of system makes the most sense for the mass of buyers who crave relentless traction while rarely straying off-road. Of course, the Forester will track a bona fide trail, and its four-wheel independent suspension affords a supple ride whether terrain is smooth or rough.