2012 Jeep Wrangler on 2040-cars

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2020 Land Rover Defender vs. 2020 Jeep Wrangler: How they compare on paper

For ages, the Jeep Wrangler has had the serious off-road SUV market in America all to itself, especially when it comes to two-door variants. But competition is coming, and the first on its way is the 2020 Land Rover Defender, which was just revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Each packages retro looks and impressive off-road capability, but does one have an advantage? We decided to take a look into each SUV's specifications and compare them on their engines, drivetrains, interior space and towing among other things, to see how they stack up. Since both SUVs are offered in two-door and four-door versions, we've made sure to feature both versions. You can find all the vital stats in the chart below, followed by more in-depth analysis. Engines and drivetrains The Land Rover is the clear high-performance option of these two SUVs. Its base turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, offered only in the four-door Defender 110, is more powerful than either of the gas engines offered on the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler's four-cylinder matches it on torque, at least. The optional turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six in the Defender makes over 100 more horsepower and pound-feet of torque than either Jeep gas engine. But if you're looking for diesel propulsion, along with its associated torque and fuel economy, the Wrangler will be your only option. Final specs haven't been released, but in the Ram 1500, the same engine makes 260 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy hasn't been announced for the Land Rover or the diesel Wrangler. But if fuel economy is a concern, the four-cylinder Wrangler is the most frugal of the SUVs we have numbers on. As for transmissions, the Wrangler is your only choice if you have to have a manual. It's available on both the two-door and four-door models, but only with the V6 engine. If you don't mind an automatic transmission, both SUVs come with variations on the ZF eight-speed auto. Getting the power to the wheels is another area where these two SUVs diverge. The Jeep is very traditional with a standard selectable four-wheel-drive system with two-wheel drive, and low- and high-range four-wheel drive modes. On the Sahara, there's an available full-time four-wheel drive mode, but the other modes are still available. On the Land Rover, you get full-time four-wheel drive, the same kind used on the Land Rover Range Rover.

SUV lifts you up where you belong and leapfrogs traffic jams

So, you're at a dead stop, stuck in traffic, when it pulls up behind you. It appears to be a garden-variety Jeep Grand Cherokee. That is, until its undercarriage lifts the Jeep 9 feet into the air, and the whole rig straddles you and the cars ahead of you in a bid for open road. The car is called the Hum Rider, and no, you can't buy one at the Jeep store. It's a one-off publicity stunt intended to promote Verizon Telematic's Hum platform, which plugs into a car's OBD port and for $10 a month provides vehicle diagnostics, roadside assistance, location tracking, and speed and geo-fencing alerts. (Not sure if Hum tracks vertical leaps.) Verizon enlisted viral marketing agency Thinkmodo to promote the Hum, and this idea was head and shoulders above the rest. "We saw this one [and said], 'Wow, that is crazy,' said Jay Jaffin, Verizon's VP of marketing. "We loved the idea." Thinkmodo co-founder James Percelay told Mashable that they wanted to represent the upgrade Hum brings to cars. So the car goes up. Get it? Here's the star of this story: Hum Rider's designer, Scott Beverly, has done visual effects for Hollywood in The Dark Knight, Inception and Interstellar. He works for A2Zf, a Lancaster, Calif., design and engineering firm that keeps the world filled with Batmobiles, Red Bull Can Cars and beautifully designed VWs and Audis. A2Zf has also worked with NASA on X-planes and with Northrup on the B2 bomber, so compared to those projects, a car-straddling car is hardly a stretch. So what does it take to make a car do this? How about: Over 300 feet of hydraulic lines that operate everything - the lift mechanism, steering, braking and power to the drivetrain. A gas-powered Honda generator under the hood that powers hydraulic pumps pushing out 900 pounds of pressure. A lot of mechanical structure. Hum Rider weighs 8,500 pounds, almost double a standard Grand Cherokee. Heavy-duty truck tires to support all that weight. Four undercarriage cameras that allow the driver to see and clear what's beneath him. What did it cost? They're not saying. What would it be worth, the next time you're stuck in traffic? Priceless.

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.