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Making the Compatriot the Jeep we want - and deserve

If you're one of the hottest brands in the world, and you need to replace two vehicles that sell at a rate of nearly 200k a year, what exactly are you going to do? Do you take the safe route and attempt to mirror what has largely kept you a success thus far, or do you improve on the formula, and better sort your lineup? After 10 years with the Jeep Compass and Patriot, it is time for both to hang up their jackets and go in for the long dirt nap. And what a strange 10 years it's been. Born of the age of Diamler-Chrysler, the "Merger of equals," the Compass and Patriot were brought into this world to shore up sales of Jeep worldwide, pull on the heartstrings of former Cherokee owners, and make sure teenage girls had an affordable crossover to buy in just a few years. As much as I like to throw shade at each model on both subjective and objective basis, I truly find the purpose of each vehicle to be relatively endearing. For less than $22,000, you could (that is, if you could find one) walk out of your local Jeep dealer with a 4x4 crossover, with a manual gearbox, decent all-weather performance, and somewhat respectable fuel economy. This of course ignores the fact that they weren't packaged all that well, based on the outrageously terrible Dodge Caliber, and used all those shared bits and bobs with Mitsubishi that should have been shelved by 2010. Yet, the twins lived on, and on, and on. We've heard stories as far back as 2012 that they weren't long for our world, and then we get news that they're making it through 2017. Just in time for the "Compatriot" to arrive. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what Jeep intends to do with the Compatriot. As far as most blogs seem to know, we're getting a Compass and Patriot replacement that is based on the already well-received Renegade. A little bit of a stretch on the chassis will certainly aid in ride quality, and the Grand Cherokee styling cues will give it a much more upscale demeanor. Even the interior has looked very well executed, with a positively huge uConnect screen set in the middle of the dash. Could Jeep actually be trying to take their Compass and Patriot replacement significantly more up the product chain? I certainly hope so. If you pilot your browser over to the Jeep configurators, you might be surprised by how low the base prices are on almost all of their products. Less than $30k for a new Cherokee? A Renegade for just under $18k? What a deal!

Anton Yelchin's family suing FCA over the actor's death

UPDATE: Anton Yelchin received a recall notification for his Grand Cherokee a week after his death, family attorney Gary Dordick told Variety at a press conference. Dordick called FCA's recall "way too little and way too late." The family of actor Anton Yelchin is suing FCA for negligence and product liability, according to Automotive News. Yelchin was killed in June when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled away, pinning him against a brick pillar and a gate. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with 1.1 million other FCA products, is currently under recall for a poorly designed shifter that may lead drivers to believe the car is in park when it isn't. Vehicles affected by the recall are at risk of rolling away. The recall was issued two months before Yelchin's death on June 19. It's believed that this is the first wrongful death lawsuit related to the recall. Although the shifter recall is linked to hundreds of injuries, Yelchin's death is currently the only fatality. There is a class-action lawsuit currently being filed against the automaker. FCA, in a statement to Automotive News, declined to comment and said it had not been served with a lawsuit. The automaker continues to urge drivers to follow the instructions in their owner's manual and become familiar with the instructions that were included with the recall notice. Related Video:

2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk [w/video]

There are two avenues to the world of off-roading. Arguably the more popular is to pick up a second- or third-hand Jeep, Land Rover or pickup truck and go wild with the aftermarket. The opposite approach, though, is to simply buy new, which brings a warranty along with the most up-to-date off-road tech fitted by the factory (despite likely lacking the ultimate capability of an aftermarket-imbued vehicle). That second option has, traditionally, been pricey. Take our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, which rings up at just over $38,000. A Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is going to be an even more expensive proposition, while the undisputed kings of luxury off-road performance from the factory – the Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen – will require ownership of a medium-sized oil well. With all due respect to those who take their Trail-Rated Jeep Patriot models off-road, the all-new Renegade Trailhawk is such an exciting proposition because it brings the cost of a warranty-backed off-roader down significantly, while also delivering a degree of trail-rated performance that should easily fulfill the needs of the average enthusiast. Drive Notes Before we get into what it adds, it's worth noting that the Trailhawk trim does have a small impact on the Renegade's on-road abilities. As we said in our original feature, the TH adds a significant amount of weight to the standard CUV, as it tips the scales at nearly 3,600 pounds. That mass, combined with the slightly higher stance, means the off-road model doesn't handle quite as well as a lesser Jeep. It also doesn't feel as fleet of foot, as it retains the same 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic found throughout the Renegade range. Despite the downers, the Trailhawk trim does bring quite a lot to the Renegade package, most notably in the form of a bespoke version of Jeep's Active Drive all-wheel-drive system. The upgraded system features a dedicated 20:1 crawl ratio while the Selec-Terrain system is home to a new Rock setting. Beyond that, Jeep lifted the Renegade's ride height eight-tenths of an inch, increasing overall ground clearance to 8.7 inches and delivering 8.1 inches of wheel articulation. This is complemented by unique front- and rear-fascias, which up the approach and departure angles to 30.5 and 34.3 degrees, respectively, besting the Cherokee Trailhawk's 29.8 degrees and 32.1 degrees.