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2015 Jeep Renegade First Drive [w/video]

Would it surprise you to hear that a strong, vocal and loyal owner base can sometimes be a hindrance to automakers? Of course, no brand would ever admit such a thing. And sure, on the surface, you might think that having people passionately champion a brand would provide nothing but perks. As we've seen over the years, though, there are plenty of times when that's not the case. Jeep has most recently fought this battle following the arrival of the new Cherokee, where two-tracking purists and rock-crawling enthusiasts bemoaned the nameplate's dip into Crossoverdom. Now, with its latest vehicle, the off-road brand is trying to keep this vocal minority happy (or at least quiet) while building a crossover that has general-purpose appeal to consumers in an increasingly crowded and important small CUV market. This balancing act has produced the 2015 Renegade, a vehicle that, following our testing in sunny San Jose, CA, we're quite confident will appeal to both brand loyalists and the uninitiated, alike. Before we dig into the meat of our First Drive, if you're here looking for a review of the Renegade Trailhawk and its off-road abilities, you're out of luck. We did drive it, both on- and off-road, and will be publishing a feature on it in the very near future. But for now, we're focusing on the volume model, the Renegade Latitude. Instead of the off-roader-meets-E.T. appearance of the Cherokee that's polarized so many, Jeep has dipped its brush in the tin marked "Heritage," fitting a simple seven-slat grille, historically appropriate round headlights and square taillights. In between all that, there are flared trapezoidal wheel arches, like you'd get on a classic CJ or MB, tall windows to let in plenty of light and short overhangs. It's not the broader strokes that contribute to the Renegade's adorably busy exterior, so much as the myriad of smaller styling details that visually attach this new model to Jeeps of the past. The hood is long and mostly flat, forcibly recalling the bonnet of the original Willys MBs and Ford GPWs that US troops used to strategize, sermonize and operate on during World War II. But rather than make it flush with the grille, it bleeds over the headlights, like the front of an infantryman's helmet. The X shape found throughout the car is reminiscent of military-style jerry cans, while the mirrors are door-mounted, like Jeeps of old. The roof, meanwhile, can be blacked-out, further linking the Renegade to its big brother, the Wrangler.

500+ hp Stellantis 'Hurricane' I6 previews a world without Hemis

After years of rumored development, Stellantis has revealed its new six-cylinder engine family. The 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged "Hurricane" I6 will offer V8 power, forced induction torque and six-cylinder efficiency in a package designed to fit into any of the company's North American rear-wheel-drive platforms.  What is "V8 power," exactly? Well, in standard output guise, the new I6 cranks out more than 400 horsepower (the specific figure will vary by application) and 450 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output variant is good for more than 500 horses and 475 lb-ft. The final figures will be dependent on the application. We'll save you a little legwork: In current Ram, Jeep and Dodge products, the 5.7-liter Hemi tops out at about 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, give or take, and the 6.4-liter around 485 hp and 475 lb-ft.    This is a clean-sheet design that is only related to the company's turbocharged four-cylinder by some common measurements. The I6 is exclusively direct-injection (no hybrid/port-injection here) and the two I6 variants share 96 common parts, including the block and oil pan design. The differences are found in their internals, intake plumbing, valvetrain components and the turbochargers themselves. Stellantis is not yet ready to share specs or supplier info for the turbos but says announcements will come from its partners soon.  The standard-output I6 has a compression ratio of 10.4:1 and revs to 5,800 rpm. It will run on regular fuel, albeit with reduced performance; 91 octane is recommended for maximum output. The high-output variant has a compression ratio of 9.4:1 and will rev to 6,100 rpm. That one will require premium. The new I6's advantages go beyond basic power output. Every Hemi family engine currently in production is based on an iron block design, so they're heavy. The aluminum-block I6 shaves weight off the total engine package, even if some of that gets added back thanks to the turbos and their associated plumbing. The standard-output I6 weighs 430 pounds, Stellantis engineers told us; the high-output adds just another 11. Fully dressed 5.7-liter V8s are in the 550-560-pound ballpark, and 6.4-liters close in on 600 pounds.  You may be wondering, "Why a clean-sheet gasoline engine now, when the industry is moving toward battery-electrics?" A valid inquiry, and one Stellantis was prepared to address. While the company will be pivoting to electrification over the next decade, it won't be instantaneous.

Best and worst car brands of 2022 according to Consumer Reports

It's that time again, Consumer Reports this morning lifting the curtain on its 2022 Annual Car Brand rankings and its 10 Top Picks in the car, crossover, and truck category. Drumroll, please: This year, Subaru climbs two spots to claim the winner's circle, having come third the last two years. Last year, Mazda climbed three spots from 2020 to take the crown. This year, Mazda slipped to second, BMW taking the last spot on the podium, also a one-spot drop from 2021. Six automakers in the top 10 hailed from Japan, which is one more than last year, and five luxury makers occupied the top 10, which is two more than last year. And South Korean representation didn't crack the top this year, after Hyundai managed tenth last year. The seven makes after BMW are: Honda, Lexus, Audi, Porsche, Mini, Toyota, and Infiniti.  The magazine and testing concern says its Brand Report Card "[reveals] which automakers are producing the most well-performing, safe, and reliable vehicles based on CR’s independent testing and member surveys," and that "Brands that rise to the top tend to have the most consistent performance across their model lineups." The domestics also took steps back among the 32 OEMs ranked on the 2022 card. Chrysler and Buick were the domestic carmakers who made last year's top 10 in eighth and ninth, respectively. This year, Buick dropped to eleventh, Chrysler to thirteenth. Dodge went from fourteenth to sixteenth. CR continues to ding Tesla's yoke steerer, the not-exactly-natural handhold responsible for the electric carmaker going from sixteenth last year to twenty-third this year.