2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo on 2040-cars

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2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is coming, and it's trivia time | Autoblog Podcast #629

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. The big news this week is the new Mustang Mach 1 that Ford teased as a new track toy. John has been driving a Subaru Outback alongside their long-term Forester. Byron has been enjoying a Jeep Gladiator. Greg has been piloting a Toyota Corolla Hatchback as well as a new Highlander.  Greg tries to stump the other editors with some automotive trivia — see if you can answer (no cheating) in the comments section below. Then they talk about car movies they've been watching during quarantine and their favorite orphan car brands. Finally, they help a listener in The Netherlands pick a new electric crossover. Got any automotive trivia questions you want to hear on the podcast? Some (in)famous figure in the industry, a random fact about a car or a brand, racing history ... it can be straightforward or totally off-the-wall. Send those — along with your Spend My Money requests — to Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #629 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is coming Cars we're drivingSubaru Outback vs. Forester Jeep Gladiator Toyota Corolla Hatchback Toyota Highlander Automotive trivia Side topic: remember this guy? Best car movies for quarantine Best orphan brands Spend My Money: EV crossovers Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Buying Guide | Popular SUV questions and answers

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is several SUVs rolled into one. When equipped with the standard 3.6-liter V6, the Grand Cherokee is a refined and well-mannered sport-utility that delivers a comfortable ride, a handsome cabin, along with Jeep's legendary off-road prowess. At other end of the spectrum is the Trackhawk, a Grand Cherokee with the heart of a 707-horsepower muscle car. Powered by the same supercharged V8 found in the ferociously quick Dodge Challenger Hellcat, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is one of the fastest and wildest SUVs of all time. Between these extremes there are plenty of other options, including two somewhat less powerful (but still potent) choices of V8. An available air suspension not only helps to make the ride smoother, it can significantly raise the ride height for any rock-crawling moments you encounter. Here you'll find all the information needed to make an educated buying decision if you're considering a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, including safety and reliability ratings, engine specs, horsepower, fuel economy ratings and pricing. We'll also summarize what Autoblog's professional auto reviewers think of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Is the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Safe? The Jeep Grand Cherokee scores four out of a possible five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's overall crash-test rating system. The Grand Cherokee was tested in both rear- and all-wheel drive format. The two Grand Cherokee models tested earned four-star ratings in frontal impact tests, and five stars in NHTSA's side impact tests. The only difference between the two is regarding their resistance to rollover, with the rear-wheel drive Grand Cherokee scoring a three-star rating, versus four stars in the all-wheel drive model. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which provides ratings for new vehicles based on its own comprehensive crash tests, found room for improvement when it comes to the Grand Cherokee's performance in its crash test regime. While it earned top marks in some categories – such as side impact crash tests, and front crash avoidance (when fitted with optional safety equipment) – the Grand Cherokee registered a "Marginal" and "Poor" rating for its performance in the Small Overlap Front test. This simulates a vehicle hitting a static object, such as a utility pole, with only a fraction of its front end.

Feds chastise Marchionne over Jeep recall, only 13% repaired so far

Following the significant outcry surrounding the General Motors and Takata airbag safety crises this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seems to be taking a much more aggressive role in pushing owners to repair their recalled vehicles. In the agency's latest move, it's urging Jeep drivers to get their models fixed. Acting NHTSA administrator David Friedman even sent a letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne pressing him to get more of the SUVs fixed. The problem goes back to the recall of the 2002-2007 Liberty and 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee because of the possibility for the fuel tank to rupture in some rear crashes. The campaign affected over 1.5 million vehicles, but Chrysler initially refused NHTSA's request for a repair campaign. The automaker eventually came up with a fix that involved adding a trailer hitch to provide extra protection to the tank. The feds believe the danger "will be reduced by the remedy now offered by Chrysler," according to the statement. However, this latest push comes out of NHTSA's concern that only three percent of the affected vehicles are repaired, although Chrysler maintains some 13.4 percent have actually been fixed. The agency is asking the automaker to reach out to owners "proactively," and get them to bring the Jeeps in dealers. According to the the feds' statement, the company "has nearly 400,000 parts available" to perform the fixes, and it's still producing more. Friedman's letter to Marchionne goes even further, alleging NHTSA has received reports that dealers are turning customers away who request the recall. He asks the CEO to prove within 15 days that these claims are false. "Given the low rates of repair that Chrysler has reported more than a year after the recall, significantly more aggressive steps are required," says a portion of the note. According to The Detroit News, Chrysler has subsequently promised to speed up the recall work, vowing that all dealers will have at least 12 repair kits in stock by Monday. Further, it has announced plans to ramp up its notification campaign with Facebook ads and public service announcements. Scroll down to read NHTSA's full statement on the matter, and Friedman's letter to Marchionne can be read in PDF format, here.