Shipping Starts on Delayed 2014 Jeep Cherokee

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — The 2014 Jeep Cherokee is on its way to dealerships, according to Automotive News, but Chrysler refuses to comment on the major milestone for the often-delayed vehicle.

"We are not commenting," said Jodi Tinson, a Chrysler spokeswoman, in a Monday phone conversation with Edmunds.

Automotive News released a photo of a car hauler transporting Cherokees from Chrysler's Toledo North assembly plant to a testing facility.

"After many weeks of delay, sources said Jeep expects to begin delivering Cherokees over the next 10 days," the publication said.

The highly anticipated Cherokee is a replacement for the Jeep Liberty and marks the first time a Jeep-brand vehicle will be based on a Fiat platform. The debut of the Cherokee is the most important vehicle launch for Chrysler this year.

Chrysler recently delayed the Cherokee's media drive program, saying it was working to "improve powertrain calibration" in the new SUV. At the time, the automaker promised that the vehicles would be in showrooms in September.

Automotive News said the delay was due to the installation of new software to smooth out the way the engine, nine-speed transmission and innovative disconnecting drivetrain interact. Chrysler is test-driving each Cherokee before it is released for delivery.

The 2014 Cherokee will be equipped with either a re-engineered 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine or the first use of Chrysler Group's new 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 engine. The Cherokee gets a segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission to better compete against the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Mitsubishi Outlander, among others.

Chrysler invested $500 million in the Toledo plant to build the Cherokee.

Edmunds says: Chrysler wants a flawless launch of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Is it finally here?