2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport on 2040-cars

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Lexus gets top brand marks from Consumer Reports; Ford, Jeep hit hard

Consumer Reports has released its 2014 Car Brand Report Cards, with Lexus again reigning at the top and doing so with the same industry-topping score of 79 that it registered in last year's Report Cards. This year, the institute credited its lineup for being "usually quiet, comfortable, and fuel-efficient," noting it's the only brand on the list "to achieve an excellent average overall reliability score." The Car Brand Report Cars list is meant to rank the best all-around vehicles based on CR testing and reliability results tallied by subscribers it surveyed. Each brand included must have sufficient test and reliability data for at least three models, a standard which left out 11 marques including Fiat, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.
This 2014 Brand Report Cars edition is the first of a new format in which sub-brands have been broken out from their parent brands, with Acura using this year to move up the leaderboard into second place with a score of 75 for its "reliable, well-finished and somewhat sporty models." The top three was rounded out by Audi, climbing from eighth to third by scoring a 74 for "well-crafted interiors, nice handling and good gas mileage." Audi scored highest in the road-test portion, its improved reliability aiding its rise. The top nine was completed by Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz.
Ford and Jeep weighed in at the other end of the rankings, Jeep taking the lowest overall score in the road tests and hampered by "a mix of spotty reliability." Ford was sunk by reliability issues with its MyFord Touch infotainment system which consumers found troublesome enough to negate its cars earning "solid test scores" for being "very nice to drive." Perhaps the rumored switch from Microsoft to Blackberry's QNX for the next generation SYNC will help them out. Cadillac's score also took a hit for infotainment reasons after it was the leading US brand last year, the CUE system in the XTS dragging Cadillac to the bottom of all General Motors brands.

Freak accident during Jeep demonstration turns fatal

A 20-year-old woman was killed in Edmonton, Canada on Satuday, reports CTV News, in a freak accident resulting from a rollover during a Jeep demonstration. As part of a fundraising enthusiast event called "Jeeps Go Topless," the driver of one Jeep Wrangler drove up and onto the top of the tire of another.
CTV reports that the owner of the topmost Jeep then switched the vehicle off, posed for pictures and then dismounted from his vehicle. His movement off of the Jeep apparently caused it to tip over, crushing a woman who was on top of an adjacent vehicle. Edmonton police are currently investigating more fully what caused the parking lot accident to occur. Scroll below to watch the CTV News video report about this tragic incident.

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.