By moving the Grand Cherokee upscale in price and content, and paring the Cherokee lineup to the basic essentials, Chrysler effectively doubled their SUV sales in the mid-90s. As popular as the original Cherokee was, by 1996 it was beginning to appear a bit geriatric. A makeover was planned, and undertaken for the 1997 model year. From the outside, you'd be hard-pressed to discern the difference between the new model and the old one. Look closely, and you'll see freshened front styling and a new rear hatch.
Taillights are also new, employing a tri-color lens good for both the United States and Europe.
Bodyside moldings are revised, and the Sport gets a monochromatic paint scheme rather than the two-tone treatment on last year's model. Inside, a new dashboard greets passengers. Of all the changes made to the 1997 Cherokee, this is the most significant, because the old dash design was an angular affair with haphazardly placed controls and ineffective air vents. The new design houses dual airbags, which can be a merit or demerit depending on your opinion of these supplemental restraint devices. Other modifications include the deletion of the front quarter vent windows and the addition of optional heated exterior mirrors.