Jeep Cherokee XJ
Ranked 6 of 7 compact SUVs by recommenders
People recommend the XJ for reliability, speed, and resale value even at high mileage. Critics say Jeep's build quality has slipped across its lineup.
People recommend the XJ for reliability, speed, and resale value even at high mileage. Critics say Jeep's build quality has slipped across its lineup.
11 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 6
- criticize it
- 5
- approval share
- 55%
Recommended in 4 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 6 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 1.2 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 4 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Reliable, fast, still good used
“Jeep XJs from the 90s are still great cars to buy”
Comment from 26 Feb 2026 in “Why every automaker is quietly bringing back the inline-six engine” “it was remarkably fast and reliable”
Comment from 26 Feb 2026 in “Why every automaker is quietly bringing back the inline-six engine”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Jeep build quality has slipped
“Jeep's had issues with the Cherokee, Wrangler, Gladiator, and Compass”
Comment from 7 May 2026 in “The Brave Souls Who Bought a Used, 340k-Mile Rental Camper Van” “Jeep is no one's idea of quality in any respect though.”
Comment from 18 Mar 2026 in “Honda is killing its EVs – and any chance of competing in the future” “Jeep has watered down everything they sell so much”
Comment from 20 Oct 2026 in “Subaru is killing off gas cars and will only sell EVs in Europe”
Other compact SUVs people recommend
The four most recommended other compact SUVs, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 | 19 | 16 | 54% | 9 | 5 yrs3 owners | — |
| Honda CR-V | 11 | 2 | 85% | 5 | — | Approved |
| Kia Niro | 11 | 3 | 79% | 5 | — | Approved |
| Toyota RAV4 Prime | 9 | 4 | 69% | 4 | — | — |
| Jeep Cherokee XJThis page | 6 | 5 | 55% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
All 11 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Jeep has watered down everything they sell so much”
“after that Jeep article 10ish years ago”
“Same thing for the back of a jeep cherokee in the late 90s.”
“Jeep's had issues with the Cherokee, Wrangler, Gladiator, and Compass”
“It fills that 'figuring something out' need tech hobbies used to.”
“how the radio always turns on every time you start the car, no matter what you do”
“Jeep is no one's idea of quality in any respect though.”
“it was remarkably fast and reliable”
“Jeep XJs from the 90s are still great cars to buy”
“I had an '89 Cherokee to 235k and sold it for ~60% of my purchse price”
“the XJ Cherokee I drove before I gave up cars”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.