The original poster is considering the new grand cherokee which is not comparable to the old XJ cherokees.

The GC is much nicer on the road than the X. it's a well engineered uniboy with ifs. I have had one sliding in the rain (on purpose) and you can put the wheels right where you want them. it handles better than pony cars of 10 years ago.

the X is quite civilized too and the stability contol is good to have as a failsafe. The X chassis seems more rugged and probably less prone to squeeks down the road IMO. If you are unbiased, it's a tough choice since DC has been known to heavily discount these trucks down to xterra discounted prices as well. You can also get a 4.7l v8.