• The 1977 Jeep Cherokee was a full-sized SUV in its day, but could still handle mountain roads.mountain jeep road image by Mike & Valerie Miller from Fotolia.com
  
  Jeep has used the name Cherokee on a few of its models. In 1977 it was a sporty package for the Wagoneer, which was a truck-based, four-door wagon with four-wheel drive. The Cherokee package on the Wagoneer was a two-door when it debuted in 1973, and in 1977 became a four-door featuring four-wheel drive with an automatic transmission available.
  
  

Engines

• Several configurations of engines and transmissions were available for the 1977 Jeep Cherokee. The six-cylinder engine had 258 cubic inches that put out 110 horsepower. It was available with a three-speed manual transmission, a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic.
  
  The 360-cubic-inch engine that put out 360 horsepower was the most popular and had the most options. There was a two- or four-barrel carburetor on this V-8 engine. The two-barrel had 130 horsepower and the four-barrel had 170.
  
  The largest engine was the 401-cubic-inch V-8 that put out 195 horsepower. Three-speed manual or automatic transmissions were available.
  
  All of these vehicles had full-time or part-time four-wheel drive.
  
  

Dimensions

• The dimensions were essentially the same for all models of this off-road sports utility vehicle. The Jeep Cherokee was 183 inches long, 75.6 inches wide and 67 inches tall. The vehicle weighed between 4,065 pounds and 4,414 pounds. What made it unique was that it was a large vehicle, but still an off-road car that could go anywhere.
  
  The Cherokee ran on regular gas and had a 21.9-gallon tank and got between eight and 10 miles to the gallon. All of the vehicles had a wheel base of 118 inches and a turning circle of 37.7 feet. The vehicle sold very well until the oil crisis of 1979.
  
  Suspension included stock leaf springs in the front and rear, and coil springs on the front. The vehicle ran on 7-inch by 15-inch wheels with 215/70R15 tires.
  
  

Equipment and Performance

• The Jeep Cherokee sold at a base price of $10,500. Standard features were radial tires, air-conditioning, tilt steering wheel and cruise control. Also standard was an AM/FM stereo and a choice between a CB radio and a tape player.
  
  Power windows, locks and seats were also available as options. Bucket seats were standard, and leather trim on the dashboard was also standard. Exterior packages included optional wood trim, wood grain roof rack, and aluminum wheels.
  
  As a large off-road vehicle, the Cherokee was not known for acceleration or speed. It had a top-end speed between 100 and 117 miles per hour. The six-cylinder would get to 60 miles per hour in 19 seconds, while the eight-cylinder with the four-barrel carburetor could get there in 14.2 seconds.