Writing for Barn Finds, I’m given the opportunity to learn more about cars and trucks that have heretofore blended into the background of my life, and one of them is pictured above. The Jeep is comparatively newer than the collectible cars I tend to ogle, and the Cherokee was around for a long stretch – 1984 through 2001. That’s a big chunk of my formative years, and therefore they became a common sight on the roadways of my youth. This one is worth a closer look because of its condition; with a rust-free 93,000 miles on the clock, it’s an artifact of the final year of Cherokee XJ production. Offered for sale on eBay in Maryland with no reserve, the high bid is currently $6,300 after some spirited bidding, and I think this one might have some legs.

The XJ is an example of a car you don’t know you miss until it’s gone. It’s wildly practical, and its styling is among the best examples of utilitarianism done correctly. It’s a box, but it’s an attractive box, sort of like Giugiaro’s original Volkswagen Golf. It’s very, very easy to get a box wrong, surprisingly. Look at all the utility vehicles on the road that are completely forgettable; the Cherokee is not. Whether it’s the seven-slot grille or the perfect proportions, the Cherokee is surreptitiously attractive.

Our featured Cherokee was built in the last model year of production, and it’s hard to believe that this nearly-25-year-old SUV, based on a 45-odd-year-old design, is nearing the age requirement for collector plates. There’s no doubt that this would be a practical daily driver in any weather conditions. The dashboard is nearly as functional looking as the exterior, and the leather seats (heated, by the way) aren’t holding up too badly either, are they? And who else is looking at that cassette tape player and wondering what box in the basement holds your collection?

Under the hood is perhaps the Jeepiest of Jeep engines, the four-liter inline six, which produced 190 horsepower for 2001. I remember riding in a classmate’s parents’ XJ with the “High Output” 4.0, and it was surprisingly brisk for an SUV, as brisk as another classmate’s mid-’80s model with the GM 2.8 was lethargic.

Perhaps the best news about this Cherokee is that it’s completely rust free, and there are a boatload of pictures on eBay. This may not be the nicest Cherokee in the world, but it’s darn nice and I can imagine that bidding will really pick up on Sunday evening when the auction ends. It’s fun to learn new things, and I’ve learned that I’ve ignored these landmark SUVs for too long, but I think others have picked up on them, and it might take a bit of coin to take this one home.