There’s little doubt the XJ-chassis Jeep Cherokee is a modern classic. The styling, the drivetrain, and the low cost of maintenance have collectively made it a home run with enthusiasts all day long. Strangely, though, the prices have been somewhat restrained, likely owing to the fact that they made a lot of these and no one has been actively selling low mileage, preserved examples to any consistent degree. I suspect we might see that begin to change, especially as beautiful, slightly modified examples like this 2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited listed here on eBay come to market with low miles and tasteful upgrades.

In the Porsche world, there’s been some obsession over the 964-chassis cars converted by Singer, which these days, trade hands in the millions of dollars and if you don’t buy one second-hand, be prepared to sit on a waiting list for a build for years. Singer has shown that when you push the quality meter to the point that the Mercury blows through the glass, people will pay obscene amounts of money. No one’s been able to touch Singer because the quality is simply that good. When I see builds like this, I can see how there’s still plenty of room in the market for someone to find another class of vehicle that people love to collect and attempt to build to the same level of quality. The question is, will anyone pay for it?

The Cherokee gets pretty close, in my opinion, to the level I’m talking about. No, it’s not covered in custom leather and high-grade stitching, nor does it have any slick retro touches done up to look modern. There are no jewel-encrusted time pieces, either, but let’s face it – someone buying the nicest Cherokee they can get their hands on likely still intends to use the truck, to some extent, as originally intended. The Cherokee was always a very utilitarian machine, and the only version it makes sense to doll up to a high degree is a 1991-1996 Limited model that has loads of leather and other touches on the outside that convey some sense of upper-crustiness. The seller has chosen to focus on making smart cosmetic improvements, like repainting the bumper caps and flares, and spending several days performing paint correction.

The upgrades list is significant, but done in a way that it’s not terribly obvious beyond the lift kit and larger tires. The truck also benefits from loads of preventative maintenance, and I’m guessing the seller has roughly $20,000 in parts and labor invested in this truck. The low mileage certainly helps to minimize the hours spent making the truck as good as it can be, and the eBay listing provides a deep dive on all the work performed. Not surprisingly, the reserve remains unmet at the current bid price of just over $20,000, so if you want to get your hands one what looks like one of the best and lowest-mileage XJs on the market right now, be prepared to spend.