2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt 8 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jeep leads list of 25 most patriotic brands

It's not unusual to feel extra patriotic this time of year, what with the Fourth of July being today and all. As if to celebrate, New York-based research firm Brand Keys conducted a study among 4,500 consumers about what brands they find to be the most patriotic. According to the Detroit Free Press, Jeep took top honors in this study, besting other American stalwart brands including Coca-Cola, Levi's and Hershey's.
Interestingly, the only other automotive brand to make the list was Ford, in the 16th spot (motorcycle fans take note - Harley-Davidson claimed the No. 13 slot). This means consumers found Jeep to be more patriotic than any of the brands in the General Motors portfolio, including Chevrolet, which has long used American themes in its advertising over the decades.
According to Brand Keys, Jeep came in "with a score of 98 out of 100 on a scale representing consumers' emotional engagement expectations," the Detroit Free Press reports. Be sure to read the report to scan the entire Top 25 list for yourself.

NHTSA investigating 2015 Jeep Cherokee after new owner's total-loss fire [w/video]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a Preliminary Evaluation into the 2015 model year Jeep Cherokee after a single example caught on fire in California. This investigation will decide the cause, scope and frequency of this possible problem and will decide whether a recall is necessary for 50,415 potentially affected examples. According to Automotive News, the Cherokee's owner only purchased the CUV about two days before the fire, and it had been driven less than 100 miles. The new buyer reported parking the Jeep, and noticed a smell like smoke. Shortly after, the vehicle was consumed in flames. There were no injuries, but much of the incident was captured on video. NHTSA is also trying to decide whether another report is related. In this case, a driver noticed smoke under the hood of a 2015 Cherokee with just 45 miles on it, while driving at 60 miles per hour. According to the complaint to the agency, "the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired," but FCA was notified. Read below NHTSA's announcement of the Preliminary Evaluation. CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8 INVESTIGATION Subject : Engine compartment fire Date Investigation Opened: JAN 13, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15003 Component(s): ENGINE Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) JEEP CHEROKEE 2015 Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received one complaint (VOQ) of engine compartment fire in model year (MY) 2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles alleging a severe engine compartment fire incident resulting in a total vehicle loss (VOQ # 10672201). The consumer alleges that the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames approximately 20 feet high within seconds of parking the vehicle. The complaint alleged white smoke coming from under the hood immediately after parking the vehicle and while the ignition is off. In addition, ODI has identified field report data submitted as part of Early Warning Reporting that relate to the alleged defect. A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the cause, scope and frequency of the alleged defect. The following VOQ numbers are associated with the issues discussed in this opening resume: 10670034, 10672201.

Jeep teases pair of Moab concepts early

With the 47th annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari coming up at the end of this month, Jeep is preparing to roll out six new off-road-ready concept vehicles. The first two being teased are the Jeep Grand Cherokee "Trailhawk II" concept and the Jeep Wrangler "Slim," and while we have no information on either, we at least get an idea of what they'll look like.
We can't tell why this Wrangler is called Slim, but it has a nice black-and-red paint scheme with a serious off-roading front bumper and five-spoke beadlock wheels. There's even less we can figure out about the Grand Cherokee's Trailhawk II concept except that it appears to be painted up in the same Crusher Orange paint job as the recently introduced SRT Viper TA. We'll likely more of these as well as peeks at the other Moab concepts as we get closet to this year's Moab Easter Jeep Safari, which will be held March 23 through 31.