At the Truck Rodeo it was made clear: we Texans sure love Jeeps, too.

Jeep’s reputation for producing legendary off-roaders made life difficult for my 2014 Compass tester. It didn’t get the same treatment as my previous review vehicles from other manufacturers. It was a Jeep — and a “Trail Rated” one at that.

Does the new Cherokee do any justice to the previous generation?

If you’ve been curious about what it’s like to cruise around in the new Jeep Cherokee for more than just a few minutes on a test drive, good news! I’ll be getting the keys to a 2014 Latitude 4X4 model next Wednesday, Sept. 3.

In no particular order, here are our top-five picks from the 34-Inch Club.

When the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee was designed, Jeep drivetrain engineers knew that Jeep customers expect their vehicles to be capable and come with a true low-range. Not only did they do that, but this FWD-based drivetrain architecture features a true locking rear, a true low-range gear ratio, and the trail performance expected out of a Jeep product.

Looking for your next suspension lift for your JK Wrangler and want to fit 35-inch tires? Check out ICON Vehicle Dynamics 4.5-Inch lift systems.