2003 Jeep Liberty Sport Sport Utility 4-door 3.7l on 2040-cars

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2015 Jeep Renegade

It's no secret that the midsize crossover segment is one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds in the automotive industry. Long have vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 duked it out for those ever illusive consumer dollars. For many customers, though, even something like a Nissan Rogue is too big, whether in terms of price, fuel economy or just plain size.
For those customers, a growing market segment seems poised to fulfill their needs. Compact crossovers and tall wagons like the Nissan Juke and Kia Soul offer the high-riding driving experience with all the utility that comes from their two-box layout. It's an underrepresented segment among manufacturers, with big names like Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Honda lacking a true competitor.
To capitalize on this growing class, Chrysler's Jeep brand has readied this: the Renegade. That's right. Not Jeepster - Renegade. This diminutive off-roader, which rides on Fiat Chrysler's new small-wide 4x4 architecture, represents Jeep's first foray into the subcompact CUV segment as we know it, and it's making its official debut this week, on the floor of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Join us as we take a close look at one of Jeep's most important products in some time.

Jeep idles second shift it hired a month ago for 2014 Cherokee

In an unusual move, Chrysler is idling its recently hired second shift of 2014 Jeep Cherokee builders because, Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement, it already has built the "critical number of vehicles we need to stock dealerships once containment is released," Automotive News reports.
After the "critical" 9,430 Cherokees were built, the layoff was enacted so as not to strain the automaker's logistics partners before the Cherokee is actually released. Chrysler says the temporary layoff will last about two weeks, with 500 workers out of work and another 600 reassigned at the Toledo Assembly Complex where the sports utility vehicle was being built. The second-shift workers were hired on August 19.
Chrysler previously insisted that it would release the Cherokee to dealerships by the end of the third quarter, and it initially planned to start selling the SUVs in mid-August. Apparently the Cherokee needed a software fix before hitting showrooms, which is how Chrysler explains why the release schedule is out of whack. We're thinking that this software fix addresses the "powertrain calibration" issue that delayed the first media test drives of the model. According to the Toledo Blade, Chrysler has admitted it is doing "extended quality validation testing" but refused to provide more information.

Daily Driver: Long-Term 2014 Jeep Cherokee

As a fan of the boxy Jeep styling of old, I was disappointed when photos first leaked of Jeep's revived Cherokee in early 2013. Then the midsize crossover arrived in Autoblog's longterm garage in May of 2014 and my opinion did a 180. I was prompted to rethink the exterior design of the vehicle after reading our reviewer's interview with head Jeep designer Mark Allen. "The previous, blocky Cherokee was so aerodynamically inefficient, it would be wrong to do it," Allen told Autoblog's Jonathon Ramsey. That made sense. After all, Jeep is a brand associated with the outdoors, so its only natural that they seek to produce efficient, yet capable vehicles. It was then I began reconsidering the sleek lines of the new Cherokee. What once seemed bland and rounded now appeared streamlined and purpose-built. I also give Jeep credit for the slim headlamp silhouette, which look like no other SUV on the market – a far cry from the distinct circular lamps on Wranglers or squared headlights of past XJs. As I drove our long-term Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk on a few road trips, my affinity for the vehicle's comfortable interior grew as well. The seats held up to a nine-hour trek to Montreal, and the Chrysler Uconnect system made navigating the roads and the radio a breeze. Above you'll hear my early impressions of the Cherokee, and below you'll find a previous long-term update featuring Autoblog's Steven Ewing and Chris McGraw. UPDATE: The video mistakingly indicates that the Jeep Cherokee features LED headlights. The Jeep Cherokee, in fact, has daytime running lamps with LED accent lighting. Related Video: