Canada has plenty of cold, unforgiving wilderness, but the country’s certainly been a warm, welcoming place for the 2014 Jeep Cherokee.
After competing for the affections of 80 journalists in last fall’s TestFest, the $33,160 mid-sizer drove off with the “Best New SUV/CUV Under $35,000” award from the Automobile Journalist Association of Canada. It left behind the Buick Encore, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4 AWD Limited and Subaru Forester XT Touring. The Jeep bested its competitors with higher scores in categories such as exterior and interior styling, engine smoothness and refinement, and off-road capability. That last victory should come as no surprise, given the Cherokee offers three four-wheel-drive packages and a “Selec-Terrain system with up to five selectable modes providing the best four-wheel-drive performance for any road or weather condition.”
That’s not all, though.
The new Cherokee went on to defeat the Acura MDX, Kia Sorento and GMC Sierra in the running for Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. Although Jeep’s entry came in last for Occupant Environment, it received top marks in the categories of Environment, Market Significance and Market Appeal.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
