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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.

Ghosn orders Nissan USA to double sales by 2017

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has just one teensy-weensy request for its United States arm: Double your sales by 2017.
"China was not our biggest, I would say, disappointment. It was mainly the United States. We were expecting a strong year in the United States. It didn't happen," Ghosn said, speaking at a conference after announcing Nissan's 2012 fiscal results, Automotive News reports. Because of this, Ghosn has ordered his US executives to iron out the problems that affected new vehicle launches and to strengthen the company's dealer network.
In 2012, Nissan's US sales rose to 1.1 million units - a five-percent increase, and a record, at that. But the company's overall market share fell from 8.2 percent to 7.7 percent, putting the company further away from its goal of having a 10-percent stake overall.

Nissan Gripz Concept foreshadows Z's dark future

Crossover buyers, your love of lifted hatchbacks might be ruining one of the purest sports cars on the planet, the Nissan Z. The Gripz concept you see here foretells a future in which our beloved Z car takes the shape of a functional, high-riding crossover. Sigh. Now, to be perfectly fair, we aren't opposed to the way this new concept car looks. It's a muscular design, with its prominent V Motion grille and sharp body lines. We particularly like the way the A-pillar bleeds into the doors and dash; it's a cool touch. Nissan claims this look was inspired by racing bicycles and desert rally cars, which sounds good. We won't agree with the company's assertion that it pays homage to the 240Z that won the Safari Rally, which Nissan has the gall to call "one of [its] first 'crossovers.'" A 240Z is not a crossover, just like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru STI, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Polo, or any other rally car is not a crossover. In terms of praise, we do appreciate the Gripz's trio of doors, which is certainly more sporting than a conventional five-door layout. That's not the only good news, either. This concept is actually shorter and wider than the current 370Z, and by several inches in both cases. It is, however, seven inches taller than the low-slung two-seater, which makes this a net loss. Under hood, there's not some barking, turbocharged version of the current 370Z's 3.7-liter V6, but a version of the Leaf EV's electric motor. It's paired up with a gas-powered engine that "is used to power the electric motor," making it sound like this is more of a Chevrolet Volt-style hybrid than a Toyota Prius. Of course, there's no mention whether the Gripz has plug-in capability. We'll admit, our disdain for this vehicle may be premature. Nissan has not given any indication that the 370Z will be discontinued – it was recently updated, and a Nismo-based roadster concept was shown earlier this year – or that the Z family will transition to a CUV platform. But, the language used throughout the press release below, not to mention the name and references to the original Z is rather worrying. It's certainly not the relationship to the 240Z we were hoping for when we posted this report back in June. Check out the PR, as well as the official gallery from Nissan, both of which can be found down below. Up top, you can see our live images from the floor of the Frankfurt Motor Show.