Jeep Cherokee - The Original 4x4

Jeep Cherokee

The English language is a terribly complex thing, an intricate system of symbols and signs and inferences and nuances. Peculiarity and irregularity are its only consistent features and it is fraught with pitfalls and traps that are all too easy to fall into; yet it is nevertheless governed by a fairly comprehensive set of grammatical rules. However as native English speakers we have a tendency to pay little attention or sometimes wholly disregard some of the basics. So much so in fact that we've had to event new words just to describe our own poor use of other words!

It would appear this has little or in fact nothing to do with the new Jeep Cherokee, and actually, I'll admit the link is a little tenuous, but please, if you would bear with me for just a little longer I'll explain fully.

Certain words enter common usage accidentally and incorrectly: I'm sure we're all familiar with being asked to 'do the hoovering', and it's fairly widely known that the correct way to ask the same question is actually 'would you mind vacuuming'. Hoover, you see is a brand name, whereas vacuum cleaner is the generic name of the domestic appliance that we all know and loathe (truth be told, I find hoovering - I mean vacuuming - quite therapeutic!). Hoover is not just used as the name for the item though, it has become both noun and a verb (the hoover/to hoover).

We must ask ourselves not just how but also why the word hoover has so successfully and completely established itself in our lexicon, and it's really quite simple. Hoover pioneered the vacuum cleaner, and its quality and brand image was so strong that it earned inclusion into our daily speech.

I expect by now you've guess where I'm going with this...

Jeep, like Hoover, Microchip, Sellotape, Walkman, etc. has long been a Proprietary Eponym (told you we had words about words!) in the UK. Jeep, similar to Land Rover, has established itself as a word and as a brand interchangeable with the terms '4x4' or 'off-roader'. Jeep is the original off-road and sports-utility vehicle; time and time again the brand sets the highest precedents and causes rivals to scramble to try (and often fail) to imitate it.

One of the latest vehicles to be released by the marque is the Cherokee. I'll spare you an exhaustive exposition on the origins and implications of the name, suffice to say, the '09 Jeep Cherokee maintains the lofty pedigree founded by its forebears.

Last year the Cherokee benefited from a complete redesign and this year's car has revised a small number of suspension and braking components to better compliment the handling of the vehicle. Not having had the opportunity to drive an '08 model, It's impossible for me to judge how far the latest adjustments have affected the driving experience, but I can tell you that apart from the height of the driving position and wonderful increased visibility that comes with that, on the road the Cherokee behaves very much like a well mannered estate. The 3.7l V6 is gutsy and certainly has the pace to eat up motorway miles with ease. The Jeep comes swathed in up-to-the-minute technology with rain-sensing wipers, satellite radio, a Bluetooth hands free system and the MyGig entertainment centre - complete with 30GB hard drive!

I wonder how long it is before car reviewers spend more time writing about processor speeds and RAM memory than top speeds and engine capacities...