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2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. midsize crossovers and SUVs: How they compare on paper

In a world full of SUVs and crossovers all competing for similar buyers in similar segments, there are still some models that find their own little niches that lack such fevered fighting. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of those vehicles. It's an oddball in the sense that it's a midsize crossover SUV with a unibody chassis and independent suspension, but it still uses rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive systems and has some off-road capability. It's also a midsize crossover, but only offers two rows of seats. Despite the Grand Cherokee's odd nature, we did come up with a few crossovers and a classic SUV that seem to match the Jeep in size and pricing. We looked at the numbers to compare them on paper. You can find the raw data in the chart below and deeper analysis after that. As always, this is just a comparison of specifications and you'll want to check out our driving impressions of each car if you're getting serious about one or all of these vehicles. And if you want to compare any of these against other vehicles, be sure to check out our comparison tool. Engines and Drivetrains When comparing base engines, the Jeep Grand Cherokee's 295-horsepower is the clear power winner, beating the next most powerful 4Runner by 25. But in torque, the 4Runner takes the laurels with 278 pound-feet, narrowly edging out the Edge's (no pun intended) turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder's 275. That four-cylinder in the Edge will also be picking up another 5 horsepower for 2019, but it still won't win this power contest. Both Ford and Jeep also have another advantage in the fact that you don't have to settle for the base powertrain. Ford has two other engine options, a naturally aspirated V6 and a twin-turbocharged V6, the latter of which outguns the Grand Cherokee's gasoline V6 in both power and torque. That engine will also be bumped up to an impressive 335 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. View 20 Photos The Jeep has the most engine options, though, and it's the only to offer V8 and diesel options. On most Grand Cherokees, the options include a 5.7-liter V8, which is only available with 4WD. It makes 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, outperforming even the 2019 Edge's twin-turbo V6. The diesel engine doesn't make much power with just 240, but it makes up for it with torque at 420 pound-feet. And of course there are the SRT and SRT Trackhawk models with even bigger and supercharged V8 engines respectively.

Nissan planning 90-second Super Bowl commercial, plus two debut cameos

The Super Bowl is still a few days away, but the big ads from several automakers for the game are already streaming online. Nissan is bucking the trend, though, and the Japanese brand is only releasing the first 10 seconds of its spot before the actual premiere. Much like one of Toyota's ads, Nissan is choosing to focus on fathers this year. The story of the commercial is about a racecar-driving dad balancing work and life with his new child, but despite the motorsports connection, the teaser shows cars for just a few seconds. Hopefully, setting the commercial to Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle doesn't make the whole thing too maudlin. We'll be seeing even more from Nissan during the Super Bowl than originally thought, as well. The automaker will now be taking 90 seconds of ad time during the game, rather than the original plan for 60 seconds. Perhaps the extension will give the company even more time to show off its two surprise product cameos during the spot. One of them is rumored to be the first official glimpse at the GT-R LM Nismo LMP1 racer. Nissan lengthens Super Bowl commercial to 90 seconds, teases "With Dad" spot with release of brief clip Nissan back as Super Bowl advertiser after nearly two decades Releases first 10 seconds of its ad as a teaser Announces the in-game commercial has been lengthened to 90 seconds Story will depict the struggle of work-life balance facing many American families Iconic song "Cats in the Cradle" by the late Harry Chapin featured Two surprise products to make cameo appearances NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan, which has been teasing its Super Bowl plans through a one-of-a-kind social media campaign using YouTube "content creator" videos and the hashtag #withdad, is giving the first hint of its in-game commercial by releasing a short preview of the spot today. Nissan previously announced it would feature a 60-second spot in the Super Bowl. The company has increased its stake in the game to a 90-second ad, which it says will tell a unique family story while maintaining a strong Nissan brand connection.

2015 Nissan Murano to hit the stage in NY

When the Nissan Murano launched in the early-2000s it was one of the first crossovers to eschew truck-like looks in favor of more sporty styling. For the third generation, Nissan is rumored to be taking the CUV's design even farther with inspiration from the wild Resonance concept that debuted at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. According to Edmunds, Nissan will unveil the next-generation, 2015 Murano and an unnamed concept at the New York Auto Show in April.
The new Murano will go on sale this fall on the same front-wheel drive platform as the Altima, Pathfinder and next-gen Maxima. Its size will be roughly unchanged compared to the current model, and there won't be a seven-seater option. Nissan spokesman Dan Bedore told Edmunds that it already offers "three rows in the Rogue as an option and three rows in the Pathfinder for everything. We don't need another three-row crossover." There will also be a rumored hybrid version using the Pathfinder's supercharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a 22-horsepower electric motor and lithium-ion battery. To disappoint the dozen people who will miss it, the much-maligned Murano CrossCabriolet will not make it to the third generation. Let's all shed a tear.