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2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs Big Three-Row Crossovers | Spec comparison

The three-row 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L is here, entering an ever-growing segment of big crossovers that Jeep has ignored since the Commander of the late 2000s. Of course, the Dodge Durango has basically been a three-row version of the current Grand Cherokee with Dodge styling and a different interior, so it's not like The Corporate Entity Formerly Known as Chrysler has been without a contender in the segment. Jeep is a stronger brand than Dodge, however, and the three-row midsize segment is stronger than those with two rows (there's a vast sales difference between the Chevrolet Traverse and Blazer, as well as the Honda Pilot and Passport). In other words, the Grand Cherokee L could be a very big deal. It is also, quite literally, a very big deal. As you're about to see, it is now the largest three-row crossover, besting the length, wheelbase and height of even the gargantuan Traverse. There's more to the story than that, however, so we put together the below comparison chart to show you how the new Grand Cherokee L lines up on paper versus the biggest three-row crossovers. That includes the 2021 Ford Explorer, 2021 Kia Telluride, 2021 Hyundai Palisade and 2022 Chevrolet Traverse. This group also represents some of the strongest entries in the segment as well as those we feel are most likely to be considered alongside the big Jeep. To that end, we also included the 2021 Lincoln Aviator in the chart since its base price is actually less than what we anticipate the luxurious, range-topping Grand Cherokee L Overland and Summit trim levels to start.  Engines and drivetrains Note the differences in curb weight here. The Grand Cherokee L has the highest base curb weight of the group apart from the high-lux Aviator, yet its 3.6-liter V6 has the least amount of power and torque. Therefore, it'll be surprising if it's not the slowest in the group. There's of course the Hemi V8 available on the top Overland and Summit trim levels, but again, a hefty curb weight works against it. At 5,330 pounds, the lightest V8-powered JGCL weighs 600 pounds more than V6-power Explorer Platinum and ST models. On the other hand, nothing can touch the Hemi Jeep's towing capacity, and only the 400-hp Aviator betters the Jeep's base V6. Its 6,200-pound towing capacity greatly outdoes the 5,000-pound limits of not only the Telluride, Palisade and Traverse, but most others in the segment as well.

2020 Lincoln Navigator cut to three trims, starts at $77,120

Lincoln has reworked the Navigator lineup for 2020, a brand spokesperson telling Cars Direct it wants to make ordering the luxury SUV "even more effortless for clients." That means shedding one of the four current trims, the Select, and rearranging pricing for the three remaining variants. The entry-level Navigator Standard starts at $75,825 before the $1,295 destination charge, the total coming to $77,120. The figure represents a $2,620 increase over the 2019 model year, but as we reported earlier, Lincoln added a number of new features for 2020. Convenience items such as power running boards, heated and cooled front seats, wireless phone charging, and Lincoln's Phone as Key system are standard throughout the range. Every 2020 Navigator will also get the driver safety suite CoPilot360. That technology isn't available on the 2019 Navigator Standard, and requires the $2,640 Technology Package on the Select trim, which is already $4,000 more expensive than the base trim. With the Select gone, the next trim up is Reserve. Lincoln says 90 percent of customers choose the Reserve or Black Label trims, and any buyers planning on the former will think 2020 a good year. The Reserve could only be had as a 4x4 in 2019, but adds a 4x2 powertrain for 2020 and lowers its price. It will start at $82,660 in two-wheel-drive guise, making it $3,830 less than the 2019 model with all-wheel drive. The Reserve 4x4 will cost $85,330, for a discount of $1,170 compared to 2019. The 2020 Navigator Reserve will also add the option of a Monochrome Package, which eliminates chrome on trim like the grille and side vents, making them body color instead. It also paints the mirror caps in the body color and swaps out for 22-inch, 12-spoke black painted wheels. We don't know pricing on that yet, but the package will only be available in Pristine White, Ceramic Pearl (gray), or Infinite Black.   The extended Reserve L in 4x2 form starts at $85,860. Cars Direct didn't break out a price for the Reserve L 4x4, but assuming the $3,200 price difference between the 4x2 models holds, the price would be $88,530. That's the same $1,170 discount as on the non-L Reserve trims.    The top-shelf Black Label sticks to a 4x4-only formula, and goes up by just $375 for both regular and L versions. The regular 2020 Black Label trim will cost $98,065, the Black Label L will cost $101,265.

Lincoln MKC recalled because start button located too close to touchscreen [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker responded to our questions and let us know that the fix for the push-button start on the 2015 MKC has the switch moved to the top of the of the column of gear shift buttons instead of the bottom. Owners should be notified about both campaigns "toward the end of February." After massive campaigns from General Motors and to fix Takata airbag inflators, 2014 will undoubtedly go down as The Year Of The Recall. And with little time to spare, Ford is getting in just under the wire to adding two more to its yearly total. The larger of the campaigns is actually one of the most bizarre campaigns we've heard of all year. Lincoln is recalling 13,574 units of its 2015 MKC compact crossover in North America to move the location of the push-button ignition switch on the dashboard. According to the automaker's announcement: "Due to the switch's close proximity to other controls, occupants are inadvertently shutting off the engine while driving." The button is located near the bottom of the touchscreen, which can apparently make it possible to hit by mistake. Back when Autoblog first drove the new MKC in June, we came away very impressed, but noted: "... we're still not completely sold on the aforementioned pushbutton transmission selector ... it still seems somewhat gimmicky and it can't be operated by feel alone, as you might when shifting a traditional console-mounted lever from Park to Drive." According to Lincoln, there have been no reported accidents or injuries stemming from this button misapplication. Of the affected vehicles, there are 11,144 in the US, 2,033 in Canada and 397 in Mexico. To fix the problem, dealers are moving the button to a different location and reprogramming the powertrain control module. According to Automotive News, models built since September already have a different layout. The change was reportedly done to match the rest of the Lincoln lineup. The second recall covers 12,205 units of the 2014 Ford Escape (2015 model year pictured below) and 2015 Lincoln MKC in North America because of a problem with nickel plating on the fuel pump. The issue can cause the pump to seize, which can cause the crossovers not to start or stall while driving. The automaker is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this fault. Dealers are replacing the fuel deliver module to fix the situation. Of the affected vehicles, there are 9,038 in the US, 3,074 in Canada and 93 in Mexico.