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2017 Jeep Model Year Preview and Updates

This will be a huge year for Jeep, with the introduction of an all-new compact Compass crossover - pictured above - taking place in November, 2016 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and the pending introduction of an all-new Wrangler later in the calendar year. Not all Jeep products are Trail Rated, but those models will get the most marketing attention. CHEROKEE: Jeep's midsize crossover receives a mild refresh as it makes its way from assembly in Toledo, Ohio to a retooled plant in Belvidere, Illinois. Most of the Jeep feature updates are directed to the Cherokee Trailhawk, which receives heated/ventilated front seats covered in Nappa leather, a power eight-way driver's seat, Keyless Entry 'n Go and remote start. An upscale Overland trim adds a Heavy Duty Protection Group and Trailer Tow Prep packages. COMPASS: This all-new 'global' compact SUV will be built and sold around the world. Sitting atop FCA's 'small wide 4X4 platform' (like the newish Renegade), the Compass offers a more substantial presence than the smaller Renegade, while promising to be more maneuverable and responsive – at least with comparable four-cylinder power – than the larger Cherokee. Expect the 2018 Compass to arrive in Jeep showrooms by midyear. GRAND CHEROKEE: The Trailhawk, with up to eleven inches of ground clearance, best-in-class towing and a crawl ratio of 44.1:1, is revived, three new exterior colors are added, and the front fascia on all '17 Grand Cherokees is tweaked. For those wishing to reach the Summit, Jeep's Grand(est) Cherokee offers an upgraded interior, 'high' style. PATRIOT: At the tail end of its product cycle, the Patriot is unchanged. Of continued interest to Jeep enthusiasts is its genuine off-road credibility, propelled by the Patriot's Freedom Drive II off-road package. This includes a second-generation CVT2L (CVT transmission with low range), skid plates and a more offroad-centric wheel/tire combination. RENEGADE: If you're a traditional Jeep enthusiast you'll wonder why anyone would consider a Renegade. And if you're a new Jeep enthusiast you'll wonder why anyone would disregard this popular Jeep introduction. Still new to the showroom, in 2017 Jeep introduces two new trims: the offroad-oriented Deserthawk and attitude-oriented Altitude.

2019 Jeep Renegade Limited and Trailhawk revealed with updated styling

A few weeks back, we got our first glimpse of the refreshed 2019 Jeep Renegade. The Italian-built compact crossover is currently the smallest model in Jeep's lineup. Details were scarce, but we now have some new info on the European-spec model as well as a whole batch of photos of both the Renegade Limited and Renegade Trailhawk. Visually, both the Limited and Trailhawk models get revised front fascias with dark LED and Xenon lighting that mimics the new Jeep Wrangler JL. The Limited's bumper includes more body-color panels with new turn signals, fog lights and a lower air intake. Outside of the new lighting, the only real change to the front of the Trailhawk is the lack of a bright red front tow hook. In the rear, both models get new taillights, though the bumpers appear to be the same. The Renegade Limited now comes with 19-inch wheels. The Renegade now has new gasoline and diesel engines, though it's unclear which — if any — will make it to the U.S. market. There's a 1.0-liter turbo inline-three that makes 120 horsepower, a 1.3-liter turbo inline-four that makes either 150 or 180 horsepower. That makes it as powerful as the 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four that's currently available. The 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbo diesel engines — not available in the U.S. — both get updated European emissions equipment. There are three transmissions: a six-speed manual, a six-speed dry dual-clutch and a nine-speed auto. The Renegade is still available with both front- and four-wheel drive. There are two four-wheel drive systems, with one slightly more sophisticated system reserved for the Trailhawk. Other carryovers include the removable My Sky roof panels and most of the interior. The Renegade also gets the latest version of FCA's UConnect infotainment system that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Pricing hasn't been announced, but look for U.S.-specific details sometime later this summer. Related Video:

May 2016: FCA wins, Ford and GM stumble on weak car volumes

The May 2016 sales numbers are in, and it looks as though FCA is getting some vindication for boldly cancelling two slow-selling car models. Meanwhile, Ford saw overall sales dip and GM's May volume took a big dive versus the same month in 2015. While Marchionne's decision to axe the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart has drawn criticism as being short-sighted, it's working for FCA so far. Although the Dart and 200 aren't out of production yet and no capacity has been shifted to crossover or trucks, May's numbers show that the emphasis on Jeep and Ram models makes sense right now. FCA's US sales rose 1 percent last month compared to May 2015, putting the year-to-date total at 955,186 vehicles, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Standouts included the Jeep Renegade, Compass, and Patriot, and the Fiat 500X. Ram pickup sales were down 3 percent. And your fun fact is that Alfa Romeo sales were up precisely 10 percent, for a total of 44 4Cs sold versus 40 in the same month last year. At FoMoCo, the Ford brand took a hit to the tune of 6.4 percent from May 2015 to 2016, registering 226,190 sales last month. Lincoln showed improvement on its modest numbers, going from 9,174 to 9,807, a 6.9 percent increase. Overall, Ford was down 5.9 percent for the month to 235,997; despite the slump, year-to-date total Ford sales are up 4.2 percent to 1,112,939. Strong sellers included Escape, Expedition, F-Series, and Transit - big stuff. Most small and/or efficient models (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max) saw sales slides. Fusion sales were also down, likely due to effects of model changeover to the freshened 2017 model. Ford has promised four new crossovers and SUVs by 2020 and if things keep trending this way the company will be able to sell them, but things could change in the next four years. GM saw the worst of it for domestic brands. Retail and fleet sales were down for each of the four divisions, with the May 2016 total dropping 18 percent to 240,450 vehicles. GM's year-to-date sales are down 5.0 percent in 2016 to 1,183,705. Both the Sierra and Silverado were down significantly, and the majority of Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac nameplates saw sales decreases, with both small cars and larger utilities included. Not even big stuff could help GM this month, it seems. We'll have more on the rest of the industry's May sales as those figures trickle in.