Interior pluses include the simple cruise control switches on the steering wheel spokes, the equally simple old-fashioned pull switch for the headlights, the power window and lock controls, and the power mirror adjuster. Better yet, the door-mounted power accessory switch gear is nicely backlit at night, making it easy to find the right button. A new multi-plex wiring system is designed to improve reliability of all these electric accouterments. The turn signal stalk operates solidly, and wiper controls are intuitive. The Infinity speakers in our tester get high marks, and while the soft front chairs don't look or feel particularly supportive on the first try, time behind the wheel reveals that they do a decent job of providing long-term comfort.
Visibility is quite good through the square, nearly vertical side glass and rear window.
And, while we complain about the general ergonomics of the new dashboard, the materials used to construct it are more rich in appearance and feel than those used in the costly Grand Cherokee, with the exception of A-pillar tweeters that look as though they were found in a Cracker Jack box. Getting in and out of the Cherokee gracefully requires practice. The door sills are quite high in relation to the floor, so entering requires a step up, over, and down. Reverse the procedure to exit, but add a move that kicks your left foot into the lower door panel. Getting through the rear portals is worse, with intrusive wheel wells and narrow openings conspiring to make entry and exit absurdly difficult.