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2015 Jeep Cherokee finds a bit more fuel mileage thanks to stop/start and aero tweaks

Just a year after it burst onto the scene, Jeep has already made a pretty substantial addition to its V6-powered Cherokee, which has proven to be an extremely popular seller so far for the brand, adding a new stop-start system for the midsize, off-road-ready CUV.
The addition of stop-start included a few aerodynamic tweaks to the Cherokee's polarizing body, resulting in a wallet-pleasing increase in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the front-drive, V6-powered Jeep will now return 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, up from 19 city and 28 highway. Four-wheel-drive, V6-powered Cherokees, meanwhile, will now return 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, up from 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg.
With 271 horsepower, 239 pound-feet of torque and these newly enhanced figures, it's refreshing to see a larger, naturally aspirated engine that is still able to take the fight to today's crop of small-displacement, turbocharged four-cylinders.

2018 Jeep Wrangler four-cylinder could be incredibly potent

Update: We hear the 368-hp rating in the NHTSA documents isn't accurate. The story has been modified to reflect that. Update 2: The document has been removed from NHTSA's website. We already knew that the next-generation Jeep Wrangler would offer two engines this time around, a V6 and a new turbocharged four-cylinder. Documentation from FCA to NHTSA that JL Wrangler Forums discovered suggests the V6 will become the entry-level engine with the same 285 horsepower as the current one, while the turbo 2.0-liter inline-four takes the top spot with 368 horsepower. However, we're now hearing that figure isn't accurate. That's an all-around impressive four-cylinder – and obviously likely too good to be true. Besides making about 80 more horsepower than its bigger V6 cousin, it would also be the second most powerful four-cylinder available in the United States. It would only be 7 horsepower shy of the current four-pot power champ, the Mercedes-Benz CLA45, which makes 375 horsepower. It's also 18 horsepower ahead of the next closest engine, the turbo four in the Focus RS that makes 350 horsepower. If you do decide to pick up a 2018 Wrangler with the four-cylinder, you'll have to settle for an automatic transmission. Only the V6 will be available with both an automatic and manual transmission. Both engines should be available at launch, which we expect to come shortly after an expected reveal at the Los Angeles auto show. The FCA documentation also suggests that the four-door model will be the first body style available, with the two-door arriving slightly later. Related Video: Featured Gallery Jeep Wrangler Spy Shots View 28 Photos News Source: JL Wrangler Forums / FCAImage Credit: KGP Photography Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles jeep wrangler unlimited

Jeep 'trailer hitch' recall repair rates lag amidst reports of new death

The problem with exploding fuel tanks in the 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty in some rear collisions continues to be a problem for FCA US, formerly Chrysler. The campaign to fix the utility vehicles was first announced in June 2013 after 51 claimed fatalities, and the fixes reportedly began in January 2014. However, there continue to be new deaths blaming the problem in unrepaired models, according to The Detroit News, citing data from the Center for Auto Safety. The automaker initially refused NHTSA's pressuring to conduct a recall because the models met applicable crash standards when they were manufactured, but eventually, there was a compromise to inspect and fix about 1.56 million Jeeps. With the fuel tank located between the rear axle and bumper, the unusual fix was to install a trailer hitch for extra protection. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration later agreed that the change would provide added safety in lower to medium speed crashes, but not high-speed crashes. The most recent fatality, according to The Detroit News, occurred on a Michigan freeway in November 2014 when a pregnant woman in a 2003 Liberty was rear-ended when traffic slowed. Her Jeep impacted the vehicle in front, rolled over and a fire resulted. The family reportedly plans to file a lawsuit against FCA. At issue has been the rate at which the vehicles are being fixed. In July 2014, the automaker estimated it could have all of the vehicles repaired by March 2015 thanks to additional hitch supplies. But by November, NHTSA claimed that only three percent of the recalled models had been fixed. FCA says it continues to work to notify owners, though. According to Chrysler spokesperson Eric Mayne to Autoblog, "We are processing approximately 1,200 vehicles per day. Every owner who schedules service is receiving service. As of Jan. 8, that total was 193,490." The company has also mailed out over two million notifications to owners, more than the number officially called in. Given the age of these Jeeps, many of them have had multiple owners, and historically, the older a vehicle is, the less likely the recall fixes are to be carried out. FCA is currently creating a video urging people to have the hitch installed to be released soon. News Source: The Detroit News [1], [2]Image Credit: Jeep Recalls Jeep Safety SUV FCA jeep liberty jeep safety