Cherokee Nation calls on Jeep to stop using its name

In a written statement responding to an inquiry by Car and Driver, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation is calling on Jeep to stop using the name Cherokee on vehicles.

"I'm sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car," wrote Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., in the statement. "The best way to honor us is to learn about our sovereign government, our role in this country, our history, culture, and language and have meaningful dialogue with federally recognized tribes on cultural appropriateness."

This is the first time the Cherokee Nation has explicitly asked Jeep to stop using the name, having previously not had an official stance. "Cherokee" has been used by Jeep in some form for more than four decades. It's currently used on the Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee, but the latter is about to be split into two models with the introduction of the three-row Grand Cherokee L.