{"id":15496,"date":"2015-06-03T07:51:09","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T14:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=15496"},"modified":"2017-08-01T14:29:52","modified_gmt":"2017-08-01T21:29:52","slug":"luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/","title":{"rendered":"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/category\/junkyard-blog\/\" target=\"_blank\">Junkyard Blog<\/a>: Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15497\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6461\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,752\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432318800&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461-300x188.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461-1024x642.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-15497\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461-1024x642.jpg\" alt=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" width=\"638\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461-1024x642.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Choosing\u00a0the right vehicle for a road trip is often the difference between creating good memories and being tortured for hours on end. Having vowed to never make driving feel like hard work, I acquired\u00a0a 2015 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeep.com\/en\/cherokee\/#model=trailhawk&amp;color=anvil&amp;category=standard\" target=\"_blank\">Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk<\/a> for my Memorial Day\u00a0weekend getaway to San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15498\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6237\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,751\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432213946&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;22&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.001&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237-300x188.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237-1024x641.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-15498\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237-1024x641.jpg\" alt=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" width=\"638\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237-1024x641.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6237.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I chose the Trailhawk trim because it\u2019s the most capable and well-equipped version of the Cherokee, with Jeep\u2019s Active Drive Lock 4&#215;4 system and locking rear axle. It\u2019s the best of both worlds, combining luxury amenities, like heated leather seats and an automatic rear gate, with off-road capabilities to create the ultimate grand touring adventure vehicle. The Trailhawk can handle the toughest off-road courses while keeping its passengers comfortable and safe on the inside.<\/p>\n<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\\\/\"}' id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-15496 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6227\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6227-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15499\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6227\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6227.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,857\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432213876&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;22&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6227-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6227-1024x731.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6229\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6229-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15500\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6229\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6229.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432213893&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.001&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6229-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6229-1024x733.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6259\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6259-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15501\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6259\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6259.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432214319&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6259-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6259-1024x733.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The exterior styling isn\u2019t for everyone, especially die-hard Jeep Wrangler fans, but I think the design is modern, sleek and has the right blend of civility and aggressiveness. Its overall size allows for comfortable rear seating and plenty of cargo room, even more so when\u00a0all of the seats are folded flat. As a midsize SUV, it\u2019s suitable for small neighborhood streets and tight parking structures, all of which we have plenty of in Los Angeles and San Francisco.<\/p>\n<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.racingjunk.com\\\/news\\\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\\\/\"}' id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-15496 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6276\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6276-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15505\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6276\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6276.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432214845&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;22&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6276-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6276-1024x733.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6271\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6271-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15504\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6271\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6271.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,858\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432214525&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;30&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6271-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6271-1024x732.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6244\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6244-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Luxury and Adventure Come Together in the 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-attachment-id=\"15503\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6244\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6244.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.3&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432214007&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;48&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6244-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6244-1024x733.jpg\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>This Trailhawk definitely looks like it means business with its red tow hooks, 1-inch lifted suspension and skid plates, but everyone always asks, \u201ccan it actually go off-road?\u201d The answer is a resounding \u201cyes!\u201d Last year, I took this exact vehicle on a challenging dirt trail during the Motor Press Guild\u2019s annual track day\u2014the route is still saved in the navigation system\u2014and it performed flawlessly.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zy9f_7524_s?rel=0\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The route from Los Angeles to San Francisco is all too familiar, but this time around, it was the most relaxed I\u2019ve been behind the wheel. Not even traffic on the world\u2019s busiest freeway could phase me thanks to Adaptive Cruise Control, which can be activated at any speed. I rested my feet on the floorboards and let the Cherokee modulate speed, bringing itself to a complete stop when necessary.<\/p>\n<p>A Lane Departure Warning system also aides in making long drives easy as the vehicle steers itself back to the center when it senses you\u2019re about to drift into the next lane. It\u2019s an inadvertent reminder to use your turn signal too because the wheel will fight you if you try to change lanes without signaling first.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15507\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6249\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,857\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432214132&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249-1024x731.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-15507\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249-1024x731.jpg\" alt=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" width=\"638\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6249.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With all of these safety\u00a0features active, I could almost kick back and just be a passenger. Of course, I still had to steer and keep a lookout for any hazards, but I imagine the experience in a self-driving car isn\u2019t too much different from this.<\/p>\n<p>For an SUV equipped with off-road suspension and all-terrain tires, the ride quality is extremely smooth and quiet. It rivals many of today\u2019s luxury vehicles in terms of comfort and performance. The Cherokee handles\u00a0like a regular sedan despite its SUV-class height and weight.<\/p>\n<p>The 3.2-liter V6 and 9-speed automatic transmission made passing on the highway quick and easy. Downshifts came a bit slower than I would\u2019ve preferred, but it\u2019s understandable since the transmission has been programmed to prioritize comfort over quickness. I\u2019ll gladly forgive the lack of aggression in exchange for its smooth, CVT-like operation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15508\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6421\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432316266&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421-1024x733.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-15508\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421-1024x733.jpg\" alt=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" width=\"638\" height=\"457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421-1024x733.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6421.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The tight and hilly street of San Francisco allowed the Cherokee to show off its many other convenience and safety features like Hill Start Assist, Cross Path Detection and the fuel-saving start\/stop system which automatically shuts off the engine at long stops. Park Assist makes worrying about parallel parking on a steep incline a thing of the past. The Cherokee scans for a suitable space, asks you to take your hands off the wheel and proceeds to perfectly place itself into the spot, inches from the curb. This came in really handy when I wasn\u2019t sure if the car could fit into a space.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15510\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15510\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15510\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6396\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432315856&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A view of San Francisco from Twin Peaks.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396-300x180.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396-1024x614.jpg\" class=\"size-large wp-image-15510\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"A view of San Francisco from Twin Peaks.\" width=\"638\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6396.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15510\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of San Francisco from Twin Peaks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of the main reasons for having a\u00a0Jeep is to get away from the city, so my friends and I made it a point to spend more time in places where things are made by nature, not man.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15511\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15511\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15511\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6490\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,798\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432319292&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490-1024x681.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-15511 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" width=\"638\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6490.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15511\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Overlooking Half Moon Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15512\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15512\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15512\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6580\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,798\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432570116&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;55&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Muir Woods National Monument\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Hiking in Muir Woods National Monument.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580-1024x681.jpg\" class=\"size-large wp-image-15512\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"Hiking in Muir Woods National Monument.\" width=\"638\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6580.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15512\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hiking in Muir Woods National Monument.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15513\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15513\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15513\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/luxury-and-adventure-come-together-in-the-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk\/dsc_6621\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,859\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1432649563&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;A popular gathering point along scenic Skyline Blvd.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621-300x215.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621-1024x733.jpg\" class=\"size-large wp-image-15513\" src=\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621-1024x733.jpg\" alt=\"A popular gathering point along scenic Skyline Blvd.\" width=\"638\" height=\"457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621-1024x733.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6621.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15513\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A popular gathering point along scenic Skyline Blvd.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After returning home, I found myself telling just as many\u00a0stories about the Cherokee&#8217;s abilities as\u00a0our adventures on the trip itself.\u00a0 I&#8217;m thankful that our grand touring adventure vehicle had become part of our experience and not just a means to an end. Here&#8217;s hoping that my future road trips can be just as perfect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Choosing the right vehicle for a road trip is the difference between creating good memories and being tortured for hours on end.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3464,3470,5470,6],"tags":[2789,2794,2793,1214,2791,28,1284,2792,2790],"class_list":["post-15496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-junkyard-blog","category-news","category-off-road","category-product-reviews","tag-2015-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk","tag-4x4","tag-half-moon-bay","tag-junkyard-blog","tag-muir-woods-national-monument","tag-off-road","tag-san-francisco","tag-skyline-blvd","tag-twin-peaks"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/DSC_6461.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p42YSK-41W","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15496"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15496\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15571,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15496\/revisions\/15571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}