New Cherokee Sport.. Should I get one.?

[Brucensal]

Hi there,

I am very new to the whole thought of buying a jeep. I was considering a Holden Captiva LX but for the same money I can get a Cherokee Sport.

The main difference i can see is the Cherokee seems to be a real 4wd as apposed to an AWD.

Ok KJ etc means nothing to me. My first thought of a jeep was on my way to work this morning.

I have a few questions to start with.

* Petrol or Diesel model.??
* Can they have a dual battery system installed i want to do more camping and put a fridge in the back.
* We will be towing a camper trailer when we do go away or a heavy ski boat. Will this be a problem for it.?
* How bad are they really on fuel?
* How big is the boot section will it hold a large camping fridge like a Waeco 80ltr?

Thanks

[mkh]

Best thing you can do is goto a dealer and check one out. The new (current) KK Cherokee is quite a bit bigger in the back than the superceded KJ. But whether or not its big enough for all your gear only you can decide.

If you're planning on towing then the diesels are awesome. The petrol's aren't too bad on fuel but you'll find (as with any 4wd) once it has to work hard (either towing or off road) the petrol's get ridiculous while the diesels don't increase too much. There's not a lot of room in the engine bay for a second battery. I believe there's another thread here where someone had an install done but could be a bit pricey. Might be better off getting something like an external power pack or ARB Thumper or similar which you can stick in the back.

[carvesdodo]

Welcome aboard Brucensal,

Hope you find all the answers you're looking for .....

Carves

[glend]

I regularly tow a 2000kg boat and have done a 6000km trip with my camper trailer. I have a diesel and it is a fantastic tow vehicle: good fuel economy compared to alternatives; and it is a very capable 4wd vehicle when setup correctly. The KJ model (up through 2007) was rated to tow 2800kg, I believe the new KK model is rated lower about 2200kg (but not sure why as the engine is the same - must have something to do with the hitch mount and chassis dynamics). Personally I would not be seen driving a Captiva.

[Aaronsjeep]

get a jeep. plus a real 4wd.. captiva great on fuel, but no more capable than a barina

[Pipeliner]

If you plan to do a lot of towing, then the diesel is definitely the way to go. The variable geometry turbo on the current engines makes a very responsive motor with almost unnoticable turbo lag, so it is an excellent everyday driver.

I normally reckon to get around 13L/100km when towing, compared to around 10 for normal driving - but I do like towing at 110kph on the freeways!

[Tasar]

Have a look at the patriot diesel if comparing to the captiva as well - very good value vehicle - doesn't have low range