2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee on 2040-cars

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2017 Jeep Cherokee vs. all-new Compass

If Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) can be described as on a roll, it's not by virtue of Fiat or Chrysler. The Fiat brand continues to struggle, with a restricted lineup and fragmented dealer network. The Chrysler brand is reduced to two models: an all-new Pacifica minivan and a 4-door sedan – the 300 – desperately in need of a revamp. And while Dodge is building interest via high-performance, its platforms are dated. The only real excitement is within the Ram and Jeep ranks, where global growth is fueled by cheap gas and a wealth of new intros. The newest Jeep is the Compass, and while classified as a compact, its size, interior room, and powertrain overlap nicely (or confusingly) with its midsize sibling, the Cherokee. And given their close proximity in price – the Trailhawk Compass starts in the high $20,000s while the Cherokee begins in the low $30,000s – they both could easily appear on a buyer's short list. Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: This is an interesting crossover entry on many levels. You could begin with its polarizing sheetmetal. If, as a Jeep loyalist in 2014, you had expected the two-box profile of its wildly successful predecessor, you'd have missed the mark by an off-road mile. With a front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive platform housing a transversely mounted four or (optional) V6, you could store a small refrigerator in the new Cherokee's front overhang. And the previous Cherokee's slab sides and expansive greenhouse have morphed into aggressively sculpted sheetmetal and essentially no greenhouse. Yet we've grown to like it, but only as a jacked-up, big-wheeled Trailhawk. If considering the more street-oriented, front-wheel drive Cherokees, you'd do well to cross-shop. Inside, the Cherokee Trailhawk impresses. Its design and details hit above the competition, and the Cherokee won Ward's Autos 'best interior' at the time of its introduction. The Ward's team gave a shout-out to an interior "roomy, comfortable, and boldly styled with highly sculpted shapes and contrasting colors. Fold-flat rear seats add lots of utility and the Uconnect system is the best in the business." Our take is similar, and while in its fourth model year you could expect a refresh soon (make that very soon), there's little wrong with this introductory baseline. With roughly 25 cubic feet of space behind the second-row seat, you won't be blown away by the Cherokee's cargo capacity.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is pretty much good to go

We've been stalking the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk for months, and now we're getting our best look yet at the devilishly powerful sport utility vehicle. From a distance, the JGC looks almost stately in black. Look closer and you see the SRT badges and the big brakes. Look past the wrappings and you see large air intakes in the lower fascia. All of this reinforces the Trackhawk's performance pedigree, which will be anchored with the 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi Hellcat V8. It's rated at 707 horsepower in the Charger and Challenger Hellcats. The Jeep will use four-wheel drive. These up-close images show off the Trackhawk's simple design. Like the Dodge Hellcats, Jeep appears to be letting the power and capability stand on their own. Previously, we've only seen the Trackhawk from a distance or in blurry video. The Trackhawk's arrival comes as Fiat Chrysler expands Jeep's global presence. The company is increasingly looking to its venerable off-road brand for sales volume, image building, and profits as it re-aligns its car business and looks for potential partners. The Trackhawk looks nearly production ready, and we expect it to go on sale in 2017. Also, don't confuse it with the Trailhawk, which is a trim level you can buy on the 2017 Grand Cherokee. Related Video: Featured Gallery Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spy Shots View 15 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Design/Style Spy Photos Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Performance

What would you drive in 1985?

Bereft of live baseball games to watch, I've turned to the good ship YouTube to watch classic games. While watching the 1985 American League Championship Series last night, several of the broadcast's commercials made its way into the original VHS recording, including those for cars. "Only 8.8% financing on a 1985 Ford Tempo!" What a deal! That got me thinking: what would I drive in 1985?  It sure wouldn't be a Tempo. Or an IROC-Z, for that matter, despite what my Photoshopped 1980s self would indicate in the picture above. I posed this question to my fellow Autobloggists. Only one could actually drive back then, I was only 2 and a few editors weren't even close to being born. Here are our choices, which were simply made with the edict of "Come on, man, be realistic."  West Coast Editor James Riswick: OK, I started this, I'll go first. I like coupes today, so I'm pretty sure I'd drive one back then. I definitely don't see myself driving some badge-engineered GM thing from 1985, and although a Honda Prelude has a certain appeal, I must admit that something European would likely be in order. A BMW maybe? No, I'm too much a contrarian for that. The answer is therefore a 1985 Saab 900 Turbo 3-Door, which is not only a coupe but a hatchback, too. If I could scrounge up enough Reagan-era bucks for the ultra-cool SPG model, that would be rad. The 900 Turbo pictured, which was for auction on Bring a Trailer a few years ago, came with plum-colored Bokhara Red, and you're damn sure I would've had me one of those. Nevermind 1985, I'd probably drive this thing today.   Associate Editor Byron Hurd: I'm going to go with the 1985.5 Ford Mustang SVO, AKA the turbocharged Fox Body that everybody remembers but nobody drives. The mid-year update to the SVO bumped the power up from 175 ponies (yeah, yeah) to 205, making it almost as powerful (on paper, anyway) as the V8-powered GT models offered in the same time frame. I chose this particular car because it's a bit of a time capsule and, simultaneously, a reminder that all things are cyclical. Here we are, 35 years later, and 2.3-liter turbocharged Mustangs are a thing again. Who would have guessed?