2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara on 2040-cars

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Daily Driver: Long-Term 2014 Jeep Cherokee

As a fan of the boxy Jeep styling of old, I was disappointed when photos first leaked of Jeep's revived Cherokee in early 2013. Then the midsize crossover arrived in Autoblog's longterm garage in May of 2014 and my opinion did a 180. I was prompted to rethink the exterior design of the vehicle after reading our reviewer's interview with head Jeep designer Mark Allen. "The previous, blocky Cherokee was so aerodynamically inefficient, it would be wrong to do it," Allen told Autoblog's Jonathon Ramsey. That made sense. After all, Jeep is a brand associated with the outdoors, so its only natural that they seek to produce efficient, yet capable vehicles. It was then I began reconsidering the sleek lines of the new Cherokee. What once seemed bland and rounded now appeared streamlined and purpose-built. I also give Jeep credit for the slim headlamp silhouette, which look like no other SUV on the market – a far cry from the distinct circular lamps on Wranglers or squared headlights of past XJs. As I drove our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk on a few road trips, my affinity for the vehicle's comfortable interior grew as well. The seats held up to a nine-hour trek to Montreal, and the Chrysler Uconnect system made navigating the roads and the radio a breeze. Above you'll hear my early impressions of the Cherokee, and below you'll find a previous long-term update featuring Autoblog's Steven Ewing and Chris McGraw. UPDATE: The video mistakingly indicates that the Jeep Cherokee features LED headlights. The Jeep Cherokee, in fact, has daytime running lamps with LED accent lighting. 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.

Fiat Chrysler working on an inline-six to replace the Pentastar V6?

Get out your Skeptics Hat for this one and keep it close by. Allpar cites "reliable sources" to write that Fiat Chrysler appears to be working on a new inline-six engine to be slotted into company products around the globe. The purported engine would be based on the 2.0-liter Global Medium Engine inline-four. Allpar first reported on the potential development in February 2017 and has filed a few updates since then, one citing "internal communications referring to a GME T6" — the "T" meaning turbocharged. It's said that some engineers have changed their online resumes to reflect their focus on the new motor. Apparently, FCA tried adding forced induction to the Pentastar V6 but didn't like the results. The new direction then turned toward a "compact straight-six." In at least one guise, the GME I-6 would come in at just under three liters in order to escape taxes on engines 3.0-liters and above in certain European markets; the 2.0-liter four-cylinder has an actual displacement of 1.995 liters. The present V6 Pentastar comes in 3.2-liter and 3.6-liter guises; a turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six should be able to replace both as far as output. Hooking up to the company's eTorque system used on the 3.6-liter Pentastar and 5.7-liter Hemi would make things even more punchy. With the trend in truck engine downsizing, it wouldn't be crazy to see such an engine head straight to Ram. The four-cylinder GME unit serves in the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, and Jeep Cherokee, Wrangler, and Grand Commander. The big Alfa Romeos and full-size Jeep and Ram models shouldn't have any problem with a longer inline engine. Maserati, which doesn't use the Pentastar engine, could be a candidate as well should it choose to step away from its Ferrari-developed engine cred. Speaking of Ferrari, the Italian brand is working up a new V6 based, in its words, on "a very, very particular architecture." It isn't clear where it will go or if one of the other Italian brands will get access to it, but the Allpar piece says the Ferrari V6 will be based on the core GME architecture for Maserati. Chrysler gave up its last inline-six 11 years ago when the 4.0-liter I-6 retired alongside the JK-series Jeep Wrangler. The engine format is back in vogue, and its reincarnations have received good reviews. But inline-sixes are generally longer, hence FCA's focus on a compact unit, and that could limit the purported engine's placement options.