My jeep is very rare for a manual and it still maintains its integrity, being a very very limited model of the vehicle.
It takes turns and has all the power necessary to perform. 4X4 is crazy, but the back doors would be a little hard to enter if you're a small person.
Actually, if the person is small, they will have an easier time getting into the back of a Jeep. Its the tall people who suffer. I own a Liberty and have this problem. It seems to be common in the Cherokee and the Liberty because they are almost the same. The Wrangler has no back doors, and the Grand Cherokee is longer, therefore they don't have this problem. It doesn't bother me at all. I mean really, how often do you ride in the back of your own car?? I NEVER let anybody drive my Jeep, no matter what. I think it's actually kinda funny listening to my friends cuss and swear and say they will never own a Jeep just b/c of that reason, then when I take them off-roading, they have a completely different attitude towards Jeep and want to run out and buy one that afternoon lol.