Diesel Grand Cheerokee tow's 6200 great mileage.
03-07-2013, 08:38 AM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Diesel Grand Cheerokee tow's 6200 great mileage.
March 7, 2013 at 1:00 am
Doug Guthrie
Jeep's Grand Cherokee adds fuel-efficient diesel, luxury ride to '14 model
Doug Guthrie
0 Comments
The new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee redefines the premium SUV, delivering consumers an unprecedented combination of best-in-class fuel economy and driving range, available clean-diesel technology, a choice of leading power train options, benchmark capability, premium on-road driving dynamics, and a host of advanced user-friendly technology and safety features. (Chrysler)
1 / 18
Austin, Texas
Jeep's 2014 Grand Cherokee keeps all of the brand's legendary off-road capability while moving upscale and adding a fuel efficient diesel engine.
Already the most comfortable Jeep, new more plush interiors, increased technology, an adjustable air-ride suspension and other options found in luxury cars have Grand Cherokee staking claim to being a premium vehicle ready to compete with the sport utilities of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover.
Its new Italian-sourced 240-horsepower, 3.0-liter diesel V-6 cylinder engine can travel more than 730 miles on a tank of fuel with best-in-class economy of 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg highway. It joins a strong and quiet standard 290-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 cylinder gasoline engine that claims 17 mpg city and 25 on the highway, and can tow up to 6,200 pounds. Every Grand Cherokee also comes with a new fuel saving eight-speed automatic transmission.
The diesel isn't noisy or smoky. It clatters like a sewing machine, but far more quietly than diesels of yore. It pulls hard and smoothly when you step on the accelerator. It produces more torque than the optional 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter, Hemi V-8. The diesel also equals the far less fuel efficient Hemi's towing capacity of 7,200 pounds.
I drove gasoline- and diesel-powered Limited, Overland and new top level Summit models on and off-road. The 2 1/2 ton Jeep is comfortable and secure on highways and winding roads. It had the footing of a mountain goat climbing rocky off-road trails.
A new electronic hill ascent system joins Jeep's dependable hill descent device that automatically controls speed and traction. It feels as though the Jeep is being pulled up a steep hill or lowered on a very strong rope. I had my doubts when I pointed a Grand Cherokee up a five-story rock face that loomed like a wall on what I was told was a 50-degree angle. It was even more impressive when I drove back down, hanging suspended in my seat and shoulder belt.
For those who prefer an SUV that tears up asphalt, a limited run of about 4,000 high performance Grand Cherokees will be built in Detroit by Chrysler's in-house tuner brand, SRT. It features more sinister black chrome exterior looks and some serious suspension and engine upgrades, including a 470-horsepower, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8.
Fast but noisy
I drove a Grand Cherokee SRT with lots of carbon fiber interior trim, extremely supportive bolstered sports seats and a very fat steering wheel up to 127 mph in the rain at the Circuit of the Americas Formula One race course. The tall SUV cornered like a giant sports car. And the engine made a glorious sound.
The more practical diesel engine is an expensive addition — $4,500 when added to the Limited, Overland and Summit models. It costs $5,000 when added to the Summit with four-wheel drive. The diesel isn't available on the base-level Laredo.
The new Grand Cherokee goes on sale this month, but the diesel engine won't be available until mid-year.
There are a lot of SUVs of similar size, but few that offer Grand Cherokee's wide variety of models. BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Porsche Cayenne come closest with diesel, gasoline V-6 and powerful V-8 models — but for tens of thousands of dollars more. Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-5, and Volkswagen Touareg can be purchased for less or about the same price, but they don't offer the variety of power plants and off-road capability. A base-level Laredo starts at under $30,000. An SRT starts at almost $64,000.
Noise from the Grand Cherokee's tires is an issue inside the cabin. And the rumble only gets worse in the upgraded models that have 20-inch wheels instead of the quieter standard 18-inch wheels. Sound canceling audio, common in luxury and premium brands, isn't available in the Grand Cherokee.
Plush inside
Inside, optional schemes and premium leathers get more colors from nature, including some interesting uses of copper. The console-mounted electronic gear selector for the new eight-speed transmission that I complained about last month in my review of the 2013 Dodge Charger Sport already has received evolutionary upgrades. It is less delicate with more pronounced feel for gear selections. I was no longer frustrated by shifting past Reverse into Park or into Drive.
Michael Manley, CEO of the Jeep brand, told me that the total redesign of the Grand Cherokee two years ago changed opinions about the quality of the vehicle.
He said the much requested addition of diesel power will dramatically boost long-term value when you trade one in. Manley said adoption of diesel in the U.S. for its efficiency and longevity is "only a matter of time." He expects 10-15 percent of all Grand Cherokees this year will be ordered with the diesel engine.
Jeep has created space to push Grand Cherokee toward luxury with its recent announcement to introduce a smaller and more affordable Jeep Cherokee. The front- and four-wheel-drive SUV will be built on the same compact architecture as the new Dodge Dart. Jeep built a popular and rugged Cherokee from 1984 to 2001.
Jeep Liberty, which will be discontinued, replaced Cherokee in the U.S., but was always sold overseas as a Cherokee.
Photos of the new Cherokee indicate it will look very much like big brother Grand Cherokee, except with more sinister looking slit-like headlights.
How far we've come from the days when Jeep loyalists rebelled against the rectangular headlights of the 1987 Wrangler that replaced the civilian "CJ" version of the Jeep born in World War II. Traditional round headlamps eventually were restored and are still a Wrangler hallmark. It's clear now that anything goes with the rest of the Jeep line — anything but that grille with seven vertical slots.
dguthrie@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2548
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Price: $29,790 to $63,990 (includes $995 delivery charge)
Type: Four-door, five-passenger, sport utility vehicle with rear- or all-wheel drive
Engines: 3.0-liter diesel V-6 cylinder; 3.6-liter gasoline V-6 cylinder, 5.7-liter gasoline Hemi V-8 cylinder, 6.4-liter premium fuel SRT V-8 cylinder
Power: 240 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque from diesel; 290 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque from gasoline V-6; 360 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque from 5.7-liter Hemi V-8; 470 horsepower, 465 pound-feet of torque from SRT performance V-8
Transmissions: Eight-speed automatic
EPA gas mileagewith rear wheel drive: 22 mpg city / 30 mpg highway with diesel engine; 17 mpg city / 25 mpg highway with gasoline V-6; 14 mpg city / 22 mpg highway in 5.7-liter V-8
EPA gas mileage with all wheel drive: 21 mpg city / 28 mpg highway with diesel engine; 17 mpg city / 24 mpg highway with gasoline V-6; 14 mpg city / 20 mpg highway in 5.7-liter V-8; 13 mpg city / 19 mpg highway with SRT
Report Card
Overall: HHH1/2
Interior: This isn’t your grandfather’s Jeep. It can get very plush in a Grand Cherokee
Exterior: Few changes from 2012 except new headlamps, taillights and sporty rear spoiler standard on all models
Performance: A broad range of capabilities from comfortable to rock-crawling tough, from economy hauler to track day terror
Pros: Jeep can build this attractive SUV to suit your need
Cons: Luxury image is damaged by excessive tire noise in the cabin
Grading Scale: HHHHExcellent HHHGood HHFair HPoor
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2MrPuKC14
Doug Guthrie
Jeep's Grand Cherokee adds fuel-efficient diesel, luxury ride to '14 model
Doug Guthrie
0 Comments
The new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee redefines the premium SUV, delivering consumers an unprecedented combination of best-in-class fuel economy and driving range, available clean-diesel technology, a choice of leading power train options, benchmark capability, premium on-road driving dynamics, and a host of advanced user-friendly technology and safety features. (Chrysler)
1 / 18
Austin, Texas
Jeep's 2014 Grand Cherokee keeps all of the brand's legendary off-road capability while moving upscale and adding a fuel efficient diesel engine.
Already the most comfortable Jeep, new more plush interiors, increased technology, an adjustable air-ride suspension and other options found in luxury cars have Grand Cherokee staking claim to being a premium vehicle ready to compete with the sport utilities of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover.
Its new Italian-sourced 240-horsepower, 3.0-liter diesel V-6 cylinder engine can travel more than 730 miles on a tank of fuel with best-in-class economy of 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg highway. It joins a strong and quiet standard 290-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 cylinder gasoline engine that claims 17 mpg city and 25 on the highway, and can tow up to 6,200 pounds. Every Grand Cherokee also comes with a new fuel saving eight-speed automatic transmission.
The diesel isn't noisy or smoky. It clatters like a sewing machine, but far more quietly than diesels of yore. It pulls hard and smoothly when you step on the accelerator. It produces more torque than the optional 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter, Hemi V-8. The diesel also equals the far less fuel efficient Hemi's towing capacity of 7,200 pounds.
I drove gasoline- and diesel-powered Limited, Overland and new top level Summit models on and off-road. The 2 1/2 ton Jeep is comfortable and secure on highways and winding roads. It had the footing of a mountain goat climbing rocky off-road trails.
A new electronic hill ascent system joins Jeep's dependable hill descent device that automatically controls speed and traction. It feels as though the Jeep is being pulled up a steep hill or lowered on a very strong rope. I had my doubts when I pointed a Grand Cherokee up a five-story rock face that loomed like a wall on what I was told was a 50-degree angle. It was even more impressive when I drove back down, hanging suspended in my seat and shoulder belt.
For those who prefer an SUV that tears up asphalt, a limited run of about 4,000 high performance Grand Cherokees will be built in Detroit by Chrysler's in-house tuner brand, SRT. It features more sinister black chrome exterior looks and some serious suspension and engine upgrades, including a 470-horsepower, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8.
Fast but noisy
I drove a Grand Cherokee SRT with lots of carbon fiber interior trim, extremely supportive bolstered sports seats and a very fat steering wheel up to 127 mph in the rain at the Circuit of the Americas Formula One race course. The tall SUV cornered like a giant sports car. And the engine made a glorious sound.
The more practical diesel engine is an expensive addition — $4,500 when added to the Limited, Overland and Summit models. It costs $5,000 when added to the Summit with four-wheel drive. The diesel isn't available on the base-level Laredo.
The new Grand Cherokee goes on sale this month, but the diesel engine won't be available until mid-year.
There are a lot of SUVs of similar size, but few that offer Grand Cherokee's wide variety of models. BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Porsche Cayenne come closest with diesel, gasoline V-6 and powerful V-8 models — but for tens of thousands of dollars more. Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-5, and Volkswagen Touareg can be purchased for less or about the same price, but they don't offer the variety of power plants and off-road capability. A base-level Laredo starts at under $30,000. An SRT starts at almost $64,000.
Noise from the Grand Cherokee's tires is an issue inside the cabin. And the rumble only gets worse in the upgraded models that have 20-inch wheels instead of the quieter standard 18-inch wheels. Sound canceling audio, common in luxury and premium brands, isn't available in the Grand Cherokee.
Plush inside
Inside, optional schemes and premium leathers get more colors from nature, including some interesting uses of copper. The console-mounted electronic gear selector for the new eight-speed transmission that I complained about last month in my review of the 2013 Dodge Charger Sport already has received evolutionary upgrades. It is less delicate with more pronounced feel for gear selections. I was no longer frustrated by shifting past Reverse into Park or into Drive.
Michael Manley, CEO of the Jeep brand, told me that the total redesign of the Grand Cherokee two years ago changed opinions about the quality of the vehicle.
He said the much requested addition of diesel power will dramatically boost long-term value when you trade one in. Manley said adoption of diesel in the U.S. for its efficiency and longevity is "only a matter of time." He expects 10-15 percent of all Grand Cherokees this year will be ordered with the diesel engine.
Jeep has created space to push Grand Cherokee toward luxury with its recent announcement to introduce a smaller and more affordable Jeep Cherokee. The front- and four-wheel-drive SUV will be built on the same compact architecture as the new Dodge Dart. Jeep built a popular and rugged Cherokee from 1984 to 2001.
Jeep Liberty, which will be discontinued, replaced Cherokee in the U.S., but was always sold overseas as a Cherokee.
Photos of the new Cherokee indicate it will look very much like big brother Grand Cherokee, except with more sinister looking slit-like headlights.
How far we've come from the days when Jeep loyalists rebelled against the rectangular headlights of the 1987 Wrangler that replaced the civilian "CJ" version of the Jeep born in World War II. Traditional round headlamps eventually were restored and are still a Wrangler hallmark. It's clear now that anything goes with the rest of the Jeep line — anything but that grille with seven vertical slots.
dguthrie@detroitnews.com
(313) 222-2548
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Price: $29,790 to $63,990 (includes $995 delivery charge)
Type: Four-door, five-passenger, sport utility vehicle with rear- or all-wheel drive
Engines: 3.0-liter diesel V-6 cylinder; 3.6-liter gasoline V-6 cylinder, 5.7-liter gasoline Hemi V-8 cylinder, 6.4-liter premium fuel SRT V-8 cylinder
Power: 240 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque from diesel; 290 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque from gasoline V-6; 360 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque from 5.7-liter Hemi V-8; 470 horsepower, 465 pound-feet of torque from SRT performance V-8
Transmissions: Eight-speed automatic
EPA gas mileagewith rear wheel drive: 22 mpg city / 30 mpg highway with diesel engine; 17 mpg city / 25 mpg highway with gasoline V-6; 14 mpg city / 22 mpg highway in 5.7-liter V-8
EPA gas mileage with all wheel drive: 21 mpg city / 28 mpg highway with diesel engine; 17 mpg city / 24 mpg highway with gasoline V-6; 14 mpg city / 20 mpg highway in 5.7-liter V-8; 13 mpg city / 19 mpg highway with SRT
Report Card
Overall: HHH1/2
Interior: This isn’t your grandfather’s Jeep. It can get very plush in a Grand Cherokee
Exterior: Few changes from 2012 except new headlamps, taillights and sporty rear spoiler standard on all models
Performance: A broad range of capabilities from comfortable to rock-crawling tough, from economy hauler to track day terror
Pros: Jeep can build this attractive SUV to suit your need
Cons: Luxury image is damaged by excessive tire noise in the cabin
Grading Scale: HHHHExcellent HHHGood HHFair HPoor
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2MrPuKC14
03-07-2013, 10:00 AM
#2
Racer
This sounds good 
Wonder what the new "Cherokee" will be like. I have a '98 that gets used as a beater on the farm, and its hard to imagine a better vehicle in the role. The Liberty was not an appropriate replacement, imo. I think that's why the JK Wrangler unlimited came with four doors...
Wonder what the new "Cherokee" will be like. I have a '98 that gets used as a beater on the farm, and its hard to imagine a better vehicle in the role. The Liberty was not an appropriate replacement, imo. I think that's why the JK Wrangler unlimited came with four doors...
03-07-2013, 03:28 PM
#4
Team Owner
Thread Starter
03-07-2013, 10:58 PM
#6
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Jeep is going diesel, courtesy of its Italian parent and partner Fiat.
The best-known American SUV brand will take the wraps off a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.0-liter diesel engine this morning at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The engine is made by VM Motori, an Italian engine manufacturer owned by Fiat.
The Grand Cherokee will get 30 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the new diesel engine, which will be paired with a new eight-speed transmission.
It produces 240 horsepower and a whopping 420 pound-feet of torque, which should attract the attention of off-road enthusiasts who have been clamoring for a diesel option for years.
Adding an Italian-made diesel engine to the American SUV brand underscores the technology Chrysler has gained from its partnership with Fiat as it strives to meet more stringent fuel economy standards by 2016.
The diesel engine will be an option on the Limited, Overland and Summit versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The price has not been announced.
Chrysler's eight-speed transmission also helps to improve the fuel economy of the Grand Cherokee with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine by about 10% compared with the outgoing model. On the highway, the Grand Cherokee with the gasoline V6 engine will now get 25 miles per gallon.
The new Grand Cherokee also is getting new head lamps, tail lamps, a new rear spoiler and tailgate along with a number of interior upgrades.
The investment is expected to bolster Jeep's best-selling model, which also is part of Chrysler's export plans.
The Grand Cherokee's new options come less than three years after Chrysler introduced the current generation of the midsize SUV. It was the first fully redesigned car or truck launched by Chrysler after its 2009 government-backed bankruptcy restructuring.
"It reflects a change in our view of product management," said Mike Manley, Jeep president and CEO. "We used to launch a vehicle and for six years just leave it in the market."
The Grand Cherokee's U.S. sales increased 24.2% in 2012 to 137,613.
Jeep sold 701,626 SUVs globally in 2012 -- its best year ever.
This year, Manley expects Jeep will get some help from upgrades of other models, including a new six-speed transmission for the smaller Compass and Patriot SUVs, as well as a replacement of the Jeep Liberty that will be revealed later this year.
Both the Compass and Patriot will get a new PowerTech automatic transmission that will help those small SUVs get 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
Liberty was introduced in 2002. Its sales have lagged other compact SUVs and crossovers because the Liberty's off-road trail capability hurt its fuel economy.
Liberty sales increased 13.2% to 75,483 last year, but that is far behind the Honda CR-V's 281,652 and Ford Escape's 261,008.
"Liberty was a niche player, for a number of reasons," Manley said. "Customers really wanted better on-the-road driving dynamics ... so we were absent from most of this market."
Jeep is promising that Liberty's replacement, which is expected to be shown in late March at the New York International Auto Show, will have an all-new look and better driving dynamics while retaining some off-road capability.
"What you are going to see is a completely new direction on styling," Manley said.
The best-known American SUV brand will take the wraps off a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.0-liter diesel engine this morning at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The engine is made by VM Motori, an Italian engine manufacturer owned by Fiat.
The Grand Cherokee will get 30 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with the new diesel engine, which will be paired with a new eight-speed transmission.
It produces 240 horsepower and a whopping 420 pound-feet of torque, which should attract the attention of off-road enthusiasts who have been clamoring for a diesel option for years.
Adding an Italian-made diesel engine to the American SUV brand underscores the technology Chrysler has gained from its partnership with Fiat as it strives to meet more stringent fuel economy standards by 2016.
The diesel engine will be an option on the Limited, Overland and Summit versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The price has not been announced.
Chrysler's eight-speed transmission also helps to improve the fuel economy of the Grand Cherokee with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine by about 10% compared with the outgoing model. On the highway, the Grand Cherokee with the gasoline V6 engine will now get 25 miles per gallon.
The new Grand Cherokee also is getting new head lamps, tail lamps, a new rear spoiler and tailgate along with a number of interior upgrades.
The investment is expected to bolster Jeep's best-selling model, which also is part of Chrysler's export plans.
The Grand Cherokee's new options come less than three years after Chrysler introduced the current generation of the midsize SUV. It was the first fully redesigned car or truck launched by Chrysler after its 2009 government-backed bankruptcy restructuring.
"It reflects a change in our view of product management," said Mike Manley, Jeep president and CEO. "We used to launch a vehicle and for six years just leave it in the market."
The Grand Cherokee's U.S. sales increased 24.2% in 2012 to 137,613.
Jeep sold 701,626 SUVs globally in 2012 -- its best year ever.
This year, Manley expects Jeep will get some help from upgrades of other models, including a new six-speed transmission for the smaller Compass and Patriot SUVs, as well as a replacement of the Jeep Liberty that will be revealed later this year.
Both the Compass and Patriot will get a new PowerTech automatic transmission that will help those small SUVs get 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
Liberty was introduced in 2002. Its sales have lagged other compact SUVs and crossovers because the Liberty's off-road trail capability hurt its fuel economy.
Liberty sales increased 13.2% to 75,483 last year, but that is far behind the Honda CR-V's 281,652 and Ford Escape's 261,008.
"Liberty was a niche player, for a number of reasons," Manley said. "Customers really wanted better on-the-road driving dynamics ... so we were absent from most of this market."
Jeep is promising that Liberty's replacement, which is expected to be shown in late March at the New York International Auto Show, will have an all-new look and better driving dynamics while retaining some off-road capability.
"What you are going to see is a completely new direction on styling," Manley said.
03-09-2013, 04:19 AM
#9
Burning Brakes
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Joe
03-09-2013, 08:19 AM
#10
Team Owner
Thread Starter
But who cares. Very impressed by the car, very. I'd track it but it would be all chipped up. 13.00 in 1/4 shocks a lot of other cars. They should turbo it and really put some power down.
Last edited by John Shiels; 03-09-2013 at 08:23 AM.
03-09-2013, 06:21 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
03-09-2013, 09:50 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
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Did I say I did?
It's called looking for the cherry pre-owned low milage one that the first owner takes a hit on!
But, even if one did, the amount of combined luxury/performance/hard parts that SRT models have is actually quite stellar for even that money. In the day and age of $38k loaded Honda Accords its really not that out of line.
It's called looking for the cherry pre-owned low milage one that the first owner takes a hit on!
But, even if one did, the amount of combined luxury/performance/hard parts that SRT models have is actually quite stellar for even that money. In the day and age of $38k loaded Honda Accords its really not that out of line.
Last edited by sleeper02Z06; 03-09-2013 at 09:54 PM.