2000 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4 Xj Fully Built 4.5" Zone Lift Bfg 33's Wrangler on 2040-cars

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2018 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Drivers' Notes Review | Trying to find its way

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is the smaller sibling to the Cherokee off-roader. They look a lot alike, and generally that seems to be a good thing. We spent some time with it, both in Michigan and the Pacific Northwest. It seemed like the perfect little ute to tackle rain and late snow, as well as the cratered roads surrounding Detroit every spring. Here's what we thought after spending some quality time together: Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The Jeep Compass is one of the coolest compact crossovers you can buy. Jeep has struggled to translate its genetics into smaller models, but they come through in this one. The Trailhawk trim provides plenty of capability. Even if you don't need it on a daily basis, the package adds design flourishes like red tow hooks and a two-tone black roof, which look slick. Our test model's olive green paint also puts off a heritage vibe. I like that. It's subtle, like wearing a watch with a NATO band. The interior looks and feels premium, with leather seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and ambient lighting. Uconnect remains one of my favorite infotainment systems on the market, and its simplicity is an industry benchmark. The inline four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic transmission work well together. In fact, the smooth shifting surprises me, as I've had issues with this gearbox in other Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Overall, I would consider the Compass among the better options for car shoppers. It stands out in a segment that's fairly vanilla, though the less flashy but well-executed Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are formidable. I wouldn't get the Trailhawk trim on a Compass, but it's smart of Jeep to push this kind of off-road capability thoughout its lineup. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: I've recently spent some time in the refreshed Jeep Cherokee, which I found to be a decent crossover, if not class-leading, and it had a distinctly truck-like feel, unlike its competitors. The Compass Trailhawk is just the same, except at about 2/3 scale. The truck-like feel is what really stood out. The seating position is very tall, giving you a good view forward and of the corners of the Compass. Combined with the small size, it makes it very easy to maneuver around town, and likely on tight trails. The ride on this Trailhawk model is a bit stiff over small bumps, but it does soak up the large ones fairly well. This suspension and the raised ride height also make the Compass seem a little tipsy.

FCA applies to trademark 'My Freedom' for subscription service

Almost a year ago to the day, several outlets reported that Fiat Chrysler would trial three car-swapping programs in Boston focused on the Jeep brand. One program covered peer-to-peer Jeep rentals through Turo; another was a three-month subscription service through Avis that allowed Jeep owners to swap for Ram or Dodge vehicles; the third was called "Car Borrowing" and enabled Jeep owners to buy "Jeep Coins" to use on a one-day rental of other Fiat Chrysler products. It's possible FCA is taking last year's lessons to the next phase, CarBuzz having discovered the automaker applied to trademark the term "My Freedom" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The listed purpose of the mark would be "motor vehicle subscription services, namely, providing temporary use of motor vehicles to members for their personal use." Having begun its research using Jeep, it's not clear if a potential My Freedom subscription service would retain the 4x4 SUV focus or include other brands in the fold; with Jeep's martial origins, the brand has made ample use of the Freedom name over the years. There's also a link to new partner Groupe PSA, as the French automaker's mobility division and subscription service is dubbed Free2Move.   Related: Autoblog's guide to car subscription services   FCA made no comment on the filing, but an analyst at AutoForecast Solutions told The Detroit News that the submission "prepares (FCA) for the future," as. "The idea that autonomy would prevent the need for your own vehicle leads perfectly into subscriptions." U.S. brands haven't cracked the subscription nut yet, even with their premium offerings. Ford bought subscription startup Canvas in 2016, then sold it last year to the car-rental app Fair. GM launch Book by Cadillac in 2016, and shut it down for retooling in 2018 before a re-launch scheduled to happen sometime this year. If nothing else, an FCA subscription program with access to the top-end product could give other-brand luxury owners an easy way to pay attention to Maserati and Alfa Romeo. That would be good for everyone. Related Video:    

The Jeep Yuntu is a plug-in hybrid SUV just for China

The Shanghai Auto Show has been host to a heaping helping of hybrids this year, and we have yet one more to share with you. Jeep created this Yuntu SUV Concept, and it features a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Interestingly, Jeep has very little to say about it, and didn't even provide hypothetical performance figure, apparently because it's just a concept. About the only thing Jeep did tell us was that the Yuntu was designed with a focus on Chinese consumers' tastes, also citing that the SUV segment is the fastest growing in the country. While the design may have been targeted at Chinese buyers, we think the Yuntu would find fans in the US, too. It mixes cues from both the Compass and the Renegade. The roof treatment, with a thick, upright, body-colored D-pillar and black roof come right from the Renegade, as does the generally boxy aesthetic. From the Compass comes the slim seven-slot grille and horizontal headlights. The inside has no parallels to the current Jeep line. It's a light, airy place with plenty of pale woods. The dashboard is effectively all screens, and the few buttons and switches present have a unique copper finish. It's far more futuristic and modern than any Jeep on sale right now. As for what this Yuntu means for the Jeep brand, there are a few possibilities. It could simply be a styling exercise that indicates where Jeep is headed in the future. These future design cues could be applied either to China-specific versions of current vehicles, or they could also appear on vehicles in other markets such as the US. It's also entirely possible that this concept is a preview of a new SUV designed just for the Chinese market. Jeep could do this fairly easily and affordably by putting a toned-down version of the Yuntu's design on the Cherokee platform, which is already built by FCA's Chinese partner, GAC. This wouldn't be the first time a car company created an SUV just for the Chinese market, either. Mazda did it with the CX-4, so Jeep certainly could, too. Related Video: