Off-Road Prowess in the Cherokee and Outback
If you plan on taking your SUV on any off-road adventures, the 2021 Cherokee and 2021 Outback are some of your best options. The Outback in particular excels at off-roading, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance designed to help this ride sail smoothly over rocks and tree branches.
The Outback is also prepared for jaunts down dirt roads with standard symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD). When needed, this system sends power to the wheels with the best traction to keep you stable on slick surfaces.
The Cherokee also boasts a maximum ground clearance of 8.7 inches. However, when it comes to thrilling treks, this SUV is ready to take you to the next level. As commanding and daring as AWD is, when the road gets particularly challenging, this drivetrain is not the right system for the job.
Rocky, muddy, and sandy trails call for a bolder drivetrain, like 4-wheel drive (4WD). The Cherokee has three systems to offer you…
- Jeep Active Drive I: Includes brake traction control to maintain balanced torque distribution in various weather conditions.
- Jeep Active Drive II: Uses torque management and 4WD Low mode to help you crawl over boulders and steep inclines with ease.
- Trail Rated® Jeep Active Drive Lock: Adds on a locking rear differential for even more capability in severe off-roading conditions.
As you can see, the Cherokee is clearly ready for whatever you throw its way.
Select the Traction You Need
Despite the lack of 4WD systems, the Outback is prepared to give you a boost of traction when needed. Standard X-MODE® optimizes the AWD system when selected to get the most traction on slippery and rough surfaces.
The Cherokee, once again, takes selectable drive modes to the next level. When you opt for 4WD on this SUV, you’ll also be treated to a Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System. This feature comes with four selectable drive modes (Auto, Snow, Sport, and Sand/Mud) that you can choose from to match the specific conditions you’re encountering.
These models will then go to work helping curb traction and drive systems to safely take you through a range of on-road and off-road conditions. Adrenaline-seekers can opt for available Rock mode, which is exclusive to the Trailhawk trim level. This Trail Rated® mode allows you to crawl over rugged and bumpy terrain at a safe speed for an extended period of time.
Unfortunately, the Outback is only available with the singular drive mode, so you would want to avoid extreme off-road trails.