Trailhawk: 2 Years 30k Update
 

Its been two years and 30,000 miles on my 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk. Its made two cross country 8K trips, loaded with camping gear which rode in a hitch carrier & carrier bag. Those trips alone accounted for over half the mileage and the rest in city and state wide trips. The verdict? Not one issue at all!. Only normal maintenance, oil, tire rotations etc. Mileage was amazing though with the V6, with 27.7 mpg on the first cross country trip and 27.5 on the second. I never expected this would have been happy in the low 20's lugging all our gear. A big and very pleasant surprise! I do wish the fuel tank and was a bit bigger but not an issue.

Trips were from Florida to the southern Rockies of New Mexico, then north through the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, east to Minnesota then south back to Florida. Along the way several National parks and wildlife reserves. Encountered early snowstorms along the way from Yellowstone, Glacier and in the upper midwest with almost a foot of snow in late October & early November. We tent camped both trips and the treat of the day was climbing into the Jeep with heated steering wheel and seats! Not much use most of the time in Florida but, oh yes! when you wake up in 24º weather from a tent... @ 68y/o my wife and I still enjoy tent camping and hope to continue camping for many years to come. Every trip becomes an adventure.

In Florida my wife & I often visit State & National forests which have hundreds of miles of logging roads. A perfect place to get away form everyone, bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the wilderness.

Stock tires have held-up very well with a least half, perhaps more of the tread remaining. Foot deep soft sand in our Florida trails is easily handled by the Jeep, and without any slippage or struggle! Amazing 4x4 system and I've owned them all.

This winter we will tour the Appalachians from North Carolina to Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most scenic roads in the country if not the world imo. Hopefully it will be open as mountainous snow drifts close the road down at times. Amazing place and of course anther great place to take the Jeep.

If you own a Jeep get out there and use it!

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...f1ffb8ebcd.jpg

Northern Minnesota back country

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...31a41f896d.jpg

Late October snow Northern Mn.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...09caea1e12.jpg

Another late October snow Northern Mn.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...6cfcb477a4.jpg

Florida swamp

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...1df324aad6.jpg

North Florida logging roads

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...3449bae7dd.jpg

North Florida logging roads

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...832023ad56.jpg

Tetons

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...535c9e30d3.jpg

Looks like you've had a blast and have some amazing pictures! Keep on jeepin on!

glad to see someone actually using their trailhawk! I think allot of the issues people had with them were due to not actually using them the way they were intended

I plant to wear mine out!
 

Hi thanks,
Yes I do use it and plan to wear it out if thats possible. I'm definitely not preserving it for the next buyer. I've owned virtually every type of 4x4 made in the past 50 years and this trail hawk is the best balance of off Road & Street. Stiff enough to handle rough terrain or urban potholes ( OMG! Drove in DC and roads had deeper potholes than in the mountains!) and enough interior finesse to rival any luxury SUV'S. The fuel milage has been amazing! with and average of about 27.5 mpg on two 8K trips, loaded and with at least 200# in the carrier, how much better can it get!
gator

4x4 can certainly freeze-up when not used
 

4x4 systems have to be used to engage freely so when you need it it works. Major mistake for many that don't use it, then when needing it and it won't engage. Electric engagement systems work very well nowadays but they can freeze up. On all my 4x4 trucks I always made sure to have front locking hubs. That way you could always engage the front manually. That is not an option on these SUV Jeeps.
Thanks-Gator

Great post. Love the Jeep.

That's great stuff! I'm in the same boat.....almost. 2 yrs, a lot of travel camping with a Tdub slung off the back.
Now, I say almost because on my first trip south from here to Moab I got just south of S L City when a nice granite bolder came bounding down the hill in front of me, bounced up and came down just in time to disappear under the car with a bumpity bump bump.
Spit it out the back in three pieces and took out the rear diff. Cracked it wide open.
Needless to say my brand new 2016 was insured to the nines with that extra road star stuff and all, including motels, truck rental , meals was covered. With the diff replaced I headed back home and had the rest of the damage assessed. Scraped up belly pan, gouged front and rear cross support members, caved in exhaust pipe and muffler. All were replaced after the 500 deductible. And not a thing since on many camping trips. Good, solid car.

Great pics and travel tales. Looking forward to seeing more.