Review
Inspired by customer feedback which suggested a van version of the Cherokee would find a market, the Pioneer is based on the Cherokee 2.5 CRD Sport, and is priced from just £17,503 OTR excluding VAT.
The load bay area is 1.3m long, 1.2m wide and 1m high offering a load area capacity of over one full cubic metre and a payload of 359kg, accessed through the rear side doors, or through the wide-opening tailgate with flip-up glass.
Jeep's Command-Trac part-time four-wheel drive system, complete with low range transfer box offers 10 forward gears and two reverse for the ultimate in off-roading ability.
The 2.5-litre turbodiesel in the Pioneer may not be the most refined unit, but it offers 141bhp and substantial torque of 251lb-ft between just 2,000 and 2,400rpm giving the Pioneer formidable towing ability, and a maximum braked trailer weight of 2,688kg.
You'd expect the Pioneer to be a solid performer off-road, and so it proves.
The quarry gave a demonstration of the car's abilities. Although it wasn't the ultimate test, it seems unlikely that most owners would encounter anything more severe.
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The Jeep took steep inclines on loose shale, crazy-angle traverses and cave-like potholes that revealed amazing axle articulation in its stride.
Granted, our car had chunky Goodrich Mud-Terrain tyres, but these are a stock item on the options list and are recommended for off-roading.
The downside of the tyres' exceptional off-road performance was road noise.
Regular road tyres with merely off-road capability may prove less capable on the rough stuff but would doubtless offer a more acceptable compromise.
With standard specification that includes twin multi-stage front airbags, ABS, air conditioning, remote central locking, electric front windows, headlamp levelling, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, rear wash-wipe, roof rails, tinted glass and a single CD player, the Pioneer wants for little equipment-wise.
It's so well-specced that there are only three options – 16in alloy wheels (£320), metallic silver paint (£210) and a removable steel mesh bulkhead (£200). Additionally, the full range of Jeep's StarTech accessories is available on the Pioneer.
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Jeep is aiming the Pioneer at two customers – the small business which wants a stylish vehicle with the looks of an off-roader, and larger organisations such as service utilities and which need a vehicle with off-road ability.
Jeep's sales aspirations are quite modest in the first year: national corporate sales manager, Mike Arthur, reckons between 300 and 350 units.
However, with 93 dealers, of which 15 are fully-fledged fleet dealers, there's a decent service infrastructure, with dealers supported by Jeep's corporate department.
Jeep's three-year/60,000 mile warranty gives purchasers added peace of mind.
The Cherokee Pioneer's torquey engine, great ground clearance and pukka 4x4 equipment make it a convincing choice for those needing a versatile LCV with a genuine off-road ability.
Model: Cherokee Pioneer
Engine (cc): 2.5 CRD
Max power (bhp/rpm): 141/4,000
Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 251/2,000-2,400
Max payload (kg): 359
Towing capacity (braked,kg): 2,668
Cargo volume (ltrs): 1,954
On sale: Now
