2010 Jeep Wrangler on 2040-cars

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2014 Jeep Patriot and Compass ditch CVT for six-speed auto

It was reported in Automotive News a few months ago, but a new report on Allpar.com adds some details to news that the 2014 Jeep Compass and Patriot will get a six-speed automatic to replace the CVTs they currently use. According to a tip provided to Allpar, the 2014 models will begin production in March and be on sale sometime in the summer. The Jatco-sourced CVT in use until now - Jatco is owned by Nissan and Mitsubishi - has been often criticized, and many won't be sad to see it go.
The incoming six-speed automatic is said to be an all-wheel-drive cog-swapper that's the work of Hyundai and Magna and has been paired with the DynaMax AWD system used in the Hyundai ix35 and Kia Sportage. It won't be the only Chrysler product using a transmission with ties to Hyundai: the six-speed automatic in the Dodge Dart comes from Powertech, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai. With the Patriot and Compass said to be driving down the trail for the last time this year, it will be a short run for the new tranny and the rumored addition of a backup camera and power rear liftgate on the Compass.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Buying Guide | Answers to your SUV questions

There are few truly one-of-a-kind vehicles, but the Jeep Wrangler remains one of them. Available in traditional two-door form, or as the four-door Unlimited model, this proudly square-shaped SUV traces its origins back to the battlefields of World War II. While its shape seemingly hasn't changed much over the years, the 2018 Wrangler has been completely redesigned inside and out. A 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and all-wheel drive are standard across the extensive Wrangler lineup, including rock-crawling versions like the highly regarded Rubicon model. While it doesn't have any direct rivals, some buyers might prefer an SUV with more refined ride and handling characteristics. The Wrangler's solid front and rear axles' primary purpose is off-road adventure, not on-road comfort, no matter how much it's been improved over its predecessor. Here you'll find all the information needed to make an educated buying decision if you're considering a 2018 Jeep Wrangler 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 Wrangler. Is the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not given the 2018 Jeep Wrangler an overall safety rating. However, the 2018 Wrangler is listed as scoring three out of five stars in frontal crash tests and rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which provides ratings for new vehicles based on its own comprehensive crash tests, did not give the 2017 model year (previous generation) Wrangler, the last one fully-tested, a recommended rating. The 2017 Wrangler scored a "marginal" rating for driver side safety in the small overlap frontal crash test (a passenger side rating was not recorded). Side impact performance came in at a "poor" rating, as did overall headlight performance. One bright spot in an otherwise dismal safety score was the Wrangler's "good" rating in the moderate overlap front crash test. Ratings may differ for Wrangler models from other model years, so be sure to visit the https://www.nhtsa.gov/ NHTSA and http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratingsIIHS websites to review ratings on the specific vehicle you're researching. At the time of this writing, the 2018 Wrangler is subject to one ongoing recall involving 106 vehicles.

EV cost burden pushing automakers to their limits, says Stellantis' CEO Tavares

DETROIT — Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said external pressure on automakers to quickly shift to electric vehicles potentially threatens jobs and vehicle quality as producers struggle with EVs' higher costs. Governments and investors want car manufacturers to speed up the transition to electric vehicles, but the costs are "beyond the limits" of what the auto industry can sustain, Tavares said in an interview at the Reuters Next conference released Wednesday. "What has been decided is to impose on the automotive industry electrification that brings 50% additional costs against a conventional vehicle," he said. "There is no way we can transfer 50% of additional costs to the final consumer because most parts of the middle class will not be able to pay." Automakers could charge higher prices and sell fewer cars, or accept lower profit margins, Tavares said. Those paths both lead to cutbacks. Union leaders in Europe and North America have warned tens of thousands of jobs could be lost. Automakers need time for testing and ensuring that new technology will work, Tavares said. Pushing to speed that process up "is just going to be counter productive. It will lead to quality problems. It will lead to all sorts of problems," he said. Tavares said Stellantis is aiming to avoid cuts by boosting productivity at a pace far faster than industry norm. "Over the next five years we have to digest 10% productivity a year ... in an industry which is used to delivering 2 to 3% productivity" improvement, he said. "The future will tell us who is going to be able to digest this, and who will fail," Tavares said. "We are putting the industry on the limits." Electric vehicle costs are expected to fall, and analysts project that battery electric vehicles and combustion vehicles could reach cost parity during the second half of this decade. Like other automakers that earn profits from combustion vehicles, Stellantis is under pressure from both establishment automakers such as GM, Ford, VW and Hyundai, as well as start-ups such as Tesla and Rivian. The latter electric vehicle companies are far smaller in terms of vehicle sales and employment. But investors have given Tesla and Rivian higher market valuations than the owner of the highly profitable Jeep and Ram brands. That investor pressure is compounded by government policies aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union, California and other jurisdictions have set goals to end sales of combustion vehicles by 2035.