1995 Jeep Cherokee 5 Spd Stick Southern Vehicle No Rust Low Low Miles 96000 on 2040-cars

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2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition

There will forever be a soft spot in my heart for the Jeep Wrangler. The last one I owned was red, and, as a 1990 model, had the square headlights derided by Jeep enthusiasts who grew up on the Civilian Jeeps that descended from their General Purpose military ancestors. As a teenager, I couldn't have cared less what shape its headlights happened to be - to me, a Jeep Wrangler represented freedom; a carefree do-it-all machine equally at home with the top stowed away in the summer or with the heater on full blast in the snowy clutches of Old Man Winter. In Dr. Seuss parlance, my square-headlighted Sneetch was just as worthy as any round-headlighted Sneetch.
All that said, I'll be the first person to advise against buying a Jeep Wrangler of any sort for owners who don't plan to use it as its makers intend. There's no good reason to punish yourself with a stiff and springy ride, a loud and somewhat drafty (though generally water-resistant) interior or the poor fuel economy expected of a block-shaped vehicle if you don't enjoy its other, more exciting benefits.
Of course, Jeep has done its darndest over the years to make the Wrangler as civilized as possible while keeping it as capable as federal law will allow. The 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab edition is one of Jeep's latest attempts to attract attention from the upper reaches of the active lifestyle set, and I spent a week with one to see what makes the Moab special.

Buyers ditching expensive European sedans to buy expensive American trucks

The New York Times ended the automotive week with a story that adds numbers and context to a range of other stories, from the crossover craze to the increasing median price of a new car to ever more grandiose pickup trucks. The NYT piece reveals that the shift to larger vehicles isn't merely about the average U.S. buyer swapping the midsize sedan for a Ford Edge. Luxury buyers are migrating from plush sedans to plush SUVs and trucks that creep close to six-figure prices, and the Detroit Three are running Treasury presses because of it. From 2013 to 2017, the truck category — everything from pickups to minivans — climbed from 30 percent of the market to 41 percent. In January of this year, trucks claimed 66 percent of new vehicle sales. At the milk-and-honey end of profits, GMC alone accounted for 11.3 percent of all vehicle sales over $60,000, not just trucks. That puts the luxury truck maker behind Mercedes-Benz and Ford, The Blue Oval's feasting on Lariat, King Ranch and Raptor versions of the F-150, which make up more than half of that pickup's sales, putting it ahead of Chevrolet, Porsche and Lexus on the high-dollar sales list. The average transaction price of a GMC in Denali trim last year was $56,000; it's easy to see why, when one dealer told the NYT he just swapped a 2012 BMW 550i for a $71,000 GMC Sierra Denali. That truck starts at $52,900. The NYT started its story with a buyer who took home a Ford Raptor instead of an Audi A6, and optioned that $50,020 Ford Raptor close to $80,000. Over at Lincoln, the new $72,055 Navigator — the one so popular that Ford will increase production — crossed hands for an average sale price of $77,000 in January. And a Jeep dealer told the NYT that the two $93,000 Trackhawks he had on his lot "won't be here more than a few weeks." While trucks head up in sales volume and price, cars are headed so viciously in the opposite direction that "the Detroit Three and even some foreign manufacturers acknowledge they are now losing money on many of the cars they sell." So ... get ready for a lot more crossovers and trucks. Related Video: Find out what vehicle is right for you. Give our Car Finder tool a try.

Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Deserthawk and plug-in models coming soon

BOLOCCO, Italy — Today at FCA's Italian proving ground, Mike Manley rolled out the roadmap for Jeep's next five years. Manley has been in charge of Jeep since 2009 and has helped boost sales to more than 1.5 million units globally thanks to the success of models like the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Wrangler and submodels like the Trailhawk and Trackhawk. Well, there's more on the way, including new sand-prepped Deserthawk models, the return of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates, and electrified versions of every model by 2021. While the plan for these next five years is a little less firm than the last one, it does provide the American automaker with some flexibility and breathing room. If you'll remember, by 2018 we were already supposed to have a new version of the Grand Cherokee as well as the premium Grand Wagoneer. Both of those are still coming, just not as soon as Jeep had hoped. Additionally, by 2022 Jeep plans to roll out two new three-row SUVs, new versions of the Renegade and Cherokee as well as the long-awaited Scrambler pickup. All in, Jeep plans to launch two models per year by 2022. That includes eight plug-in hybrids for the North American market. We saw one of the first Wrangler PHEVs at today's presentation. There are also plans to have a Level 3 autonomous vehicle on the market by 2021. Jeep will double down on its heritage, arguably one of the biggest things the brand has going for it. Its rugged image has helped boost sales in a market already clamoring for utility vehicles. By the end of 2018, FCA expects 1 in every 17 utility vehicles sold worldwide to wear a Jeep badge. The ratio should be even better for 2019. Related Video: