The Cherokee has been one of Jeep’s most successful models and was their breakaway from the pigeon hole they found themselves in with the very popular Jeep Wrangler.
The Cherokee has always offered the rugged durability that you want in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, yet was on the vanguard of comfort and special features that helped propel the popularity of the SUV industry.
This means that today, there are a staggering number of people who drive some trim level of the Jeep Cherokee as their “Daily Driver” car.
While it certainly does a great job of handling tough road conditions with comfort, it is also capable of doing much more.
With all its horsepower and four-wheel drive capability, can a Jeep Cherokee to a camper trailer?
A Jeep Cherokee can absolutely tow a camper, though the trim level can dramatically influence what type and size of camper. Most of the standard to mid-range trim models of the Jeep Cherokee have a towing capacity rated at 3,500-pounds. This is enough to pull most teardrop trailers, micro campers, and popup campers and a handful of small travel trailers weigh between 2,800 to 5,000 pounds.
If you were to make the heavy investment in the Trackhawk or the SRT then you could enjoy a maximum towing capacity of up to 7,200-pounds.
Whereas the High Altitude and the impressive Trailhawk boast a maximum towing capacity of up to 6,200, with a less hefty price tag.
So, this is exactly the sort of topic that needs a little bit closer of a look, to help find the best campers that can be towed by different trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee.
This starts with looking at the towing capacity of the different trim levels.
What Is The Towing Capacity Of The Jeep Cherokee Base Trim Level?
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The base trim levels like the Laredo, the Summit and the Altitude all have a maximum towing capacity of 3,500-pounds or less.
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The higher trim levels, like the TrailHawk and the High Altitude can tow up to 6,200-pounds.
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At the top of the range the TrackHawk and SRT can pull a camper weighing up to 7,200-pounds.
When you take a closer look at some of the different trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee. Each has its own tweaks and little special features that speak to various niche needs.
Sometimes this is as simple as leather upholstery and an upgraded sound system. Though these features don’t have anything to do with the Jeep Cherokee’s towing capacity.
When we just look at it from the perspective of the Jeep Cherokee’s ability to tow a camper, you will see a fair amount of disparity between the lower base trim levels and the higher trim levels.
| Jeep Cherokee Trim Level | Maximum Towing Capacity |
|---|---|
| Jeep CherokeeTrackHawk | 7,200 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee SRT | 7,200 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee High Altitude | 6,200 lbs. |
| Jeep CherokeeTrailHawk | 6,200 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Summit | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Overland | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Limited X | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Altitude | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Limited | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Upland | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Laredo E | 3,500 lbs. |
| Jeep Cherokee Laredo | 3,500 lbs. |
What Types of Camper Can the Jeep Cherokee Tow?
As you can see, this is a relatively rich field, and we can only review the tip of the iceberg when it comes to types of campers and travel trailers that a Jeep Cherokee can tow. All of course being relative to the trim level.
At the top of the range, the Jeep Cherokee TrackHawk and SRT can tow some small, lightweight travel trailers.
Just a step down and the Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk and High Altitude trim levels can tow some small travel trailers, but tend to range more for teardrop campers and expandable campers.
The rest of the base range including the Jeep Cherokee Laredo, the Laredo E, the Limited, and similar trim levels, only have a maximum towing capacity of up to 3,500-pounds.
This limits them to being able to tow micro campers, popup campers, and a few lightweight teardrop campers.
How Much Can You Safely Tow With The Jeep Cherokee?
The prevailing wisdom with any tow vehicle is that you shouldn’t tow more than 80 to 85% of the maximum towing capacity.
This is especially true if you will encounter strong headwinds, rough terrain, or steep inclines on your way from Point A to Point B.
For the Laredo and the other base trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee, this translates into a towing capacity of right around 2,800-pounds.
For the High Altitude and the Trailhawk with a towing capacity of 6,200-pounds, this translates into a maximum towing capacity of right around 5,000-pounds.
For the top two trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee the TrackHawk and the SRT with a 7,200-pound maximum towing capacity, this translates into around a 5,800-pound maximum towing capacity.
Do All Trim Levels Of The Jeep Cherokee Come With A Tow Package Installed?
Jeep Cherokees from 2019 and newer come with a trailer hitch or tow bar installed on them. This is enough to pull a lightweight camper or an equipment trailer.
Though if you want to push the upper limits of the towing capacity with one of the higher trim levels, then you might want to talk to a dealership about having the Jeep Tow Package installed.
This includes features like electronic brake assist wiring as well as a transmission radiator.
Does The Jeep Cherokee Come With 4 Wheel Drive?
Almost every trim level of the Jeep Cherokee comes with standard front-wheel drive and offers four-wheel drive as an option.
The lone exception being theTrailhawk, which comes with standard four-wheel drive.
Though when it comes to towing you only really need a four-wheel drive if you will be towing on loose surfaces, or for times when you might need to pull your camper out of a tight spot or up a steep, loose surface incline.
6 Camper Trailers You Can Tow With A Jeep Cherokee
Given the disparity between the different trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee, we didn’t feel it was fair to limit the choices to just what the base package can tow.
So, we took the extra time to filter them out by the towing capacities of the various trim levels.
This gives you a broader field to choose from, which might matter more if you already own or are thinking about investing in the Jeep High Altitude, the Trailhawk, the Trackhawk,or the SRT.
Here’s a quick roundup of 5 camper trailers that can be towed with a Jeep Cherokee.
1. The 2019 Lance TT 1685 Travel Trailer
The 2019 Lance – TT 1685 tips the scales with a dry weight of 3,980-pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating of 5,500-pounds.
This puts it in range for the Trackhawk and the SRT, as well as the TrailHawk and the High Altitude.
Though it is still out of range for the Jeep Laredo and the other Jeep base trim levels.
What you get for the money is a travel trailer that can be towed by a Jeep that offers a fair amount of living and sleeping space.
The slide-out section is built into a U-shaped dinette and the front houses a full-size bed, which do add a little bit to the dry weight of the2019 Lance – TT 1685.
When you consider the sleeping space, the plumbing, and water storage tanks there is a lot to like about this Jeep-towable camper.
The2019 Lance – TT 1685 might be the best travel trailer a Jeep can tow for a small family.
2. The 2020 Jayco Jay FeatherX23B
The 2020 Jayco – Jay Feather X23B was originally designed to be lightweight enough to be towed by a mid-size or light-duty pickup truck.
This gives it a dry weight of 4,380-pounds and a gross vehicle weight rating of just 5,500 pounds. This is just within range of the Trackhawk and the SRT.
Though when fully loaded it’s probably too much for the Trailhawk and the High Altitude to safely tow at highway speeds.
It’s certainly beyond the limits of what the Jeep Laredo and base trim levels can tow competently.
The 2020 Jayco – Jay Feather X23B is a great Jeep-Towable travel trailer for families that need a lot of sleeping space, but still want to travel relatively light.
In many ways,it’s a hybrid travel trailer that borrows from the popup camper concept with an expanding canvas tent sleeping space in the front and rear.
There’s also a dinette area and a sofa that serve as viable sleeping spaces.
3. 2020 Dutchmen Aspen Trail 1950BH Travel Trailer
The 2020 Dutchmen – Aspen Trail 1950BH is a rather large travel trailer with a lightweight design that can be towed by the four highest trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee.
Though if you don’t have a TrailHawk, High Altitude, SRT, or the TrackHawk level of the Jeep Cherokee, then this 23-foot travel trailer is going to be too heavy to safely pull at highway speeds. Even with the tanks empty and the stored gear kept the bare minimum.
With the 2020 Dutchmen – Aspen Trail 1950BH, you get an impressive amount of sleeping space.
This includes a double over a bunk bed, as well as a queen bed, and even a spacious dinette that converts into a comfortable bed.
The fresh and wastewater storage tanks on the 2020 Dutchmen – Aspen Trail 1950BH are a little on the small side.
Especially if you are going to be traveling with the whole family, or your kids want to bring a friend along for the weekend.
Though this helps keep the gross vehicle weight rating down, to keep it in range for the Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk and High Altitude.
So, it’s best to limit the 2020 Dutchmen – Aspen Trail 1950BH to RV parks and campgrounds with easy access to fresh water and dump facilities.
4. 2021 Forest River R-PodRP-171
Forest River is one of the RV industry’s leaders, as they make it a point to offer a wide range of RVs to meet just about any need or interest.
The 2021 Forest River – R-Pod RP-171 does a great job of catering to travelers who have a robust mid-size SUV like the Jeep Cherokee.
With a dry weight of 2,714-pounds, it is just within range for all the Jeep Cherokees trim levels to tow.
Though if you are using the Laredo or one of the other base trim levels with the 3,200-pound maximum towing capacity, you should try your hardest to tow it empty.
What you get with the 2021 Forest River – R-Pod RP-171 is a compact, yet comfortable small travel trailer with a queen bed in the rear and a spacious dinette in the front.
The dinette converts to a comfortable double bed at night. While it will sleep four on paper, three is a more real-world figure.
5. 2020 Somerset Utah Popup Expandable Trailer
The 2020 Somerset – Utah is a well-appointed popup camper or “Expandable Trailer.” It only has a dry weight of just over 2,700-pounds, which makes it towable by all trim levels of the Jeep Cherokee.
The compact “Popup Camper” shape also gives it a lower profile for less wind resistance.
This translates into fewer problems with side winds as well as a reduced risk of dangerous trailer sway problems.
Though if you are towing it with the Laredo or one of the other base models with the 3,500-pound maximum towing capacity, then you will want to tow it unloaded, as the gross vehicle weight rating of the 2020 Somerset – Utahis right at 3,500-pounds. This could make it difficult to tow at highway speeds or up an incline.
6. 2021 Forest River Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB Travel Trailer
With a dry weight of 2,608-pounds and a hitch weight of 347-pounds the 2021 Forest River – Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB is a lightweight travel trailer that can be towed by every trim level of the Jeep Cherokee.
Just be mindful that its copious amounts of storage space and 1,266-pound payload capacity are easily tempting to overpack it.
If you do happen to max out everything the 2021 Forest River – Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB can hold, you could accidentally go over the maximum towing capacity of the Jeep Cherokee’s base trim levels.
When you take a closer look at the 2021 Forest River – Flagstaff E-Pro E15TB you will find a compact, lightweight travel trailer that is meant to hold two people.
It’s a great Jeep-towable travel trailer for a couple who takes to the call of the open road. The rear dinette area can convert into a pair of twin beds or into a king-size bed.
This is a lot of sleeping space for a camper this light and makes it a viable option to be towed by the Jeep base trim levels like the Jeep Cherokee Laredo E or the Limited X.
Conclusion
The Jeep Cherokee has been one of the most popular SUVs for decades. With so many of them on the road, it’s only natural that there would be droves of people who are thinking about multi-tasking one as a tow vehicle for a lightweight RV.
Of course, the trim level of the Jeep Cherokee is a major factor that will influence what type and weight of camper it can tow.
If you have a Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk, the SRT, the TrailHawk, or the High Altitude, then the 2019 Lance – TT 1685 Travel Trailer or the 2020 Dutchmen – Aspen Trail 1950BH Travel Trailer might be the best campers you can tow.
If you have the Laredo or one of the other base trim levels, then you might want to shift your focus to the 2021 Forest River – R-Pod RP-171 or the 2020 Somerset – Utah Popup Expandable Trailer.
Both are light enough to be towed by the Jeep Laredo and have the features you need to support a family on an RV adventure.
Whatever trim level you have or are thinking about buying, chances are the best camper you can tow with a Jeep Cherokee is somewhere on this list.
