# 7 What’s the diff?
I’m going to guess this is your next question: What’s the difference between the three 4x4 systems? Well, the Active Drive I is not full-time, like with Subaru. It allows the driver to de-couple the rear axle if the electronic sensors deem that road conditions make all-wheel traction unnecessary. Driving in FWD mode allows you to save on fuel use. The system switches back to AWD mode when necessary, without the driver having to activate that.
Active Drive II adds low-speed all-wheel drive, via which you can lock the drive shafts to guarantee all-wheel traction. This is especially useful when you need to get yourself out of a rut or want to tow something. What’s more, the Cherokee’s ground clearance when equipped with this system gains another 2.5 cm (1 in).
Lastly, the Active Drive Lock system has the same features at the Drive II, plus it allows for locking the rear differential, which then sends equal torque to each wheel. This, obviously, is for hard-core off-roaders.
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# 8 An engine trio, hold the fries
Two engines are well-known for their association with the Cherokee: the 271-hp 3.2L V6 (a shrunken variant of the Pentastar 3.6L) and the 184-hp 2.0L 4-cylinder Tigershark. To these FCA decided recently to add a third choice, a 2.0L 4-cylinder good for 270 hp. It’s costlier than the V6 and is similar to the engine found in the Wrangler as well as in Alfa Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio models.
This trio of engines is supported by a 9-speed automatic transmission in service for the company since 2014; considered avant-garde in its heyday, that unit has drawn criticism in more recent times because of its tendency to hesitate at crucial moments.
Meanwhile, know that the base 2.4L engine allows for a towing capacity of only 2,000 lb, while the V6 ensures a much more acceptable 4,500 lb (2,041 kg), or 500 lb more than the turbo engine allows.
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