▁choices ▁included ▁a ▁four - speed ▁automatic ▁transmission ▁( ear ly ▁production ▁Z Js ▁used ▁the ▁A W 4 ▁– ▁the ▁A 5 0 0 SE ▁( l ater ▁ 4 2 RE ) ▁replaced ▁the ▁A W 4 ▁during ▁the ▁latter ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁model ▁year ) ▁or ▁an ▁A is in ▁A X 1 5 ▁manual ▁transmission . ▁Low ▁demand ▁for ▁the ▁manual ▁transmission ▁resulted ▁in ▁its ▁dis continu ation ▁after ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁but ▁European - market ▁Z Js ▁retained ▁it ▁when ▁couple d ▁to ▁the ▁dies el ▁engine ▁( which ▁was ▁un available ▁in ▁North ▁America ). ▁The ▁drive ▁train ▁choices ▁included ▁ ▁rear - w heel ▁drive ▁or ▁four - w heel - drive . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁the ▁engine ▁dropped ▁ 5 ▁horse power ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 ▁due ▁to ▁new ▁E PA ▁reg ulations ▁im posed ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁model ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁model ▁year , ▁a ▁variant ▁of ▁the ▁top - level ▁Grand ▁Ch ero kee ▁Limited , ▁the ▁" 5 . 9 ▁Limited " ▁was ▁introduced . ▁Je ep ▁ad s ▁claimed ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁" world ' s ▁fast est ▁sport ▁utility ▁vehicle ", ▁verified ▁by ▁third - party ▁testing . ▁The ▁primary ▁improvements ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 . 9 ▁Limited ▁version ▁included ▁a ▁ 2 4 5 - hor se