1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Refreshed Jeep Cherokee gets more conservative styling

When the Jeep Cherokee hit the market a few years ago, it created a bit of controversy within the Jeep community. The two biggest issues were the styling and the fact that the former rough-and-tumble Cherokee was now a soft, car-based crossover. While there isn't much that can be done about the latter, it looks like Jeep is planning to address the Cherokee's love-it-or-hate-it looks. These spy shots, in typical fashion, don't reveal as much as we would like. The Cherokee here has a good amount of camouflage covering the front and rear fascias, the two areas that generated controversy. It looks like the headlights have moved up and sit alongside the bumper, not below it. The seven-slot grille remains, but there would likely be fires in Toledo if that disappeared. The rear has been changed as well, and it looks like there is a body-width trim piece similar to that on the Grand Cherokee. When the refreshed Cherokee debuts, the Jeep lineup will be murkier than ever. More conservative styling would make it look like a baby Grand Cherokee, but that's exactly what the all-new Compass looks like. It seems the pair might step on each other's toes, but Jeep must hope it's better than going to another manufacturer. Look for a full reveal this fall. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jeep Cherokee spy shots View 15 Photos Image Credit: Spied Bilde Design/Style Spy Photos Jeep Crossover SUV

Updated 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee ace same controversial moose test it failed in 2012 [w/video]

Some background: one of the more scandalous international incidents of he-said/he-said from 2012 was when Swedish magazine Teknikens Varld put the Jeep Grand Cherokee through its "moose (or elk) test" and reported that the SUV nearly rolled over. That lead to a whole lot of accusations and rebuttals: more than one website and Chrysler's own blog reported that the Jeep was overloaded; Chrysler said Teknikens printed the magazine then let Chrysler respond, Teknikens answered all of the charges in a lengthy post and said Chrysler was given a chance to comment before it went to print; when Chrysler sent investigators to oversee the test and the Jeep didn't go up on two wheels as it did in the first test, furthermore all four wheels stayed on the ground when Auto Motor und Sport tested a Grand Cherokee in the same way.
Teknikens then re-ran the test with a new vehicle and said it's been doing this test since the 1970s, uses the loading information that Chrysler provides to the Swedish motor authority and the previous Grand Cherokee passed with no problem. In the second test, the Jeep failed again, then it gave Chrysler engineers access to the car's electronics and ran the test again. In that second round the Grand Cherokee didn't repeat the lurid two-wheel action, but in eleven runs it blew out front left tire seven times. Chrysler still objects to the results of all of those tests and maintains that vehicle was safe.
The 2014 Grand Cherokee was given its shot at the gauntlet in the latest round of moose tests, and Teknikens Varld reports that it passed without any problem at all, its stability control working perfectly, controlling motion at low speeds and all the way up to 44.1 miles per hour. You can watch the video of the new test and read the press release from the magazine on the updated Grand Cherokee below.

100,000 Jeep Cherokee models subject to further 9-speed recalibration

It seems that the software problems with the nine-speed automatic gearbox in the Jeep Cherokee continue to mount. The programming already caused multiple development delays and even postponed the Cherokee's market launch by roughly two months. Now, Jeep has issued another recalibration to hopefully assuage unhappy drivers.
According to Automotive News, this reflash for the allegedly jerky transmission covers over 100,000 Cherokees built before May 5, but it's not technically a recall. If owners are having problems and complain to the dealer, they get the new software. Otherwise, they continue with the current version. New vehicles on dealer lots also receive the latest revision to the programming. It takes only around five minutes to install, but technicians need to take the Cherokee on a test drive to adapt the gearbox to the changes.
The Cherokee's transmission software has been problematic practically since the beginning. The Jeep plant in Toledo, OH, briefly idled its second-shift workers last year to take care of the issue. Since the launch issues for the crossover, demand has been strong. Jeep added another 1,000 temporary workers to the Toledo factory to keep up, and sales were on par with the Wrangler in just its first two months.