Jeep Cherokee discontinued after 49 years, successor in the works.

The Jeep Cherokee has been discontinued after 49 years in production, leaving a void in the ultra-competitive midsize SUV segment. The Cherokee served as the template for the modern unibody SUV and helped popularize a body style that is now a bestseller around the world. Jeep claims it won't be abandoning the segment, but it's unclear whether its next midsize SUV will bear the Cherokee label or when it might arrive. The Grand Cherokee, with its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, carries on the name but it's unclear whether it too may be on the chopping block in a few years.