Jeep Grand Cherokee Wins Mid-Cycle Update
The Grand Cherokee is Jeep’s flagship model, a beautiful five-passenger 4×2 or 4×4 crossover SUV. It’s easy to overlook that it’s based on a car chassis, as this model is also designed to handle the dump, though not to the degree of the high-capacity Jeep Wrangler. Medium-duty off-road performance is plenty across the entire 4×4 lineup.
mid-cycle update
The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee represents a mid-cycle product update from the 2011 launch, with a refreshed face and updated taillight treatment. This model will also feature an optional diesel engine, which will set this vehicle apart from its usual competitors.
The new Grand Cherokee made its debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. In addition to its slimmer headlamps and optional corner lighting, this vehicle offers a refreshed liftgate.
Inside, the interior has received several notable upgrades including a new three-spoke steering wheel, an updated instrument cluster, a rearranged center console, and a new gear selector. Safety features have also been enhanced with optional Forward Parking Assist, Forward Collision Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control now available.
Engines and Transmissions
Both of the current gasoline engine options return with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. A 3.6-liter V-6 is standard, and a 5.7-liter “HEMI” V-8 is available as an option. An eight-speed automatic transmission is new to the model lineup.
Perhaps the most notable change for the Grand Cherokee is a third engine option, a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel. This EcoDiesel, a Fiat product, makes 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. It is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. This engine will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and will provide paddle shifters behind the wheel for more active driving.
Jeep changes
The changes to the Jeep Grand Cherokee will buy Chrysler time to develop the next-generation model that goes on sale in 2016. That vehicle is expected to continue to offer the optional diesel engine, but the HEMI may be dropped as they go into effect. stricter federal fuel consumption requirements. The standard gasoline engine can displace a 3.2-liter, supercharged engine that will do the work of a V-8. In addition, a Grand Wagoneer version of the Grand Cherokee, a seven-passenger model with an extended wheelbase and three rows of seats, is expected to debut.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the brand’s best-selling model, with more than 150,000 units sold in the United States in 2012 alone. The Jeep brand continues to enjoy a stronger following globally, as its parent Fiat Group markets Jeep in Europe, China and other places. Fiat is investing billions of dollars in Jeep, perhaps the most important brand in the Chrysler Group fleet.