Jeep Cherokee 2014 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Ford, Mazda, BMW, Kia, Audi, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini affected.

There's nothing limited about the Cherokee diesel's equipment level.Just a week after the launch of a diesel as the top-end Mazda3 model, Jeep has followed suit with an oilburning Cherokee.At first glance the Cherokee Limited diesel's $49,000 list price is $5000 more expensive than the similarly equipped 3.2-litre V6 petrol model.Unlike the petrol, though, the 2.0-litre diesel is matched with Jeep's dual-range four-wheel drive setup, dubbed Active Drive II, to improve its off-road ability.On the tarmac it disengages the rear axle - a trick Jeep says is unique in the mid-sized SUV segment - to improve fuel efficiency.The top-selling mid-sized SUVs can't match either feature yet are similarly priced, with the Mazda CX-5 Akera diesel $49,240 and Toyota's RAV4 Cruiser $50,790.The high equipment levels - and at this price they'd want to be handsome - include an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with satnav and reversing camera display, nine-speaker Alpine audio, 18-inch alloys, heated front seats and a configurable seven-inch display in the instrument cluster.Options include adaptive cruise control, lane-departure and blind-spot monitoring, semiautomatic parking and cross-traffic detection when reversing.The diesel's outputs are 125kW/350Nm. The Cherokee has a class-leading braked towing capacity of 2393kg, 190kg up on petrol models. It is also a clear winner in the fuel consumption stakes, partly by virtue of being the first Cherokee to use engine stop- start, matched to the nine- speed automatic transmission. This feature will appear later this year on 2015 model year V6 petrol models.The diesel officially uses 5.8L/100km, streets ahead of the 8.3L for the 2.4-litre petrol four fitted to the front-drive Cherokee Sport and 10.0L for the 4WD petrol V6.Jeep Australia spokesman Andrew Chesterton says the diesel will be exclusive to the top-spec model for the foreseeable future. 'There's a lot of interest in a diesel Cherokee," Chesterton says. The diesel is on sale now.

New range-topping diesel Cherokee improves torque, efficiency and packs dual-range 4WD.

Jeep launches campaign to put 10 buyers into new Cherokee at stunning discount.Fancy being able to tell your friends you 'Bought a Jeep' for just $10,000 drive-away? Ten Australians will be able to do that with a campaign that will put a $39,000 Cherokee Longitude in their driveway with onroad costs of around $5000 also covered.The campaign centres on a virtual 'remote dealership' and will run on an Apple and Android smartphone app, which you have to download and register on by July 10. Registering gives you a countdown on the app, and when it reaches zero, the location and phone number of 'The World' Most Remote Jeep Dealership' - and its distance from you -- will be revealed.The first 10 people who call the dealership, commit to buying and can be there on Saturday July 26 will get the 10 Jeep Cherokees. If you whack down your money, but don't make it to the venue on the day, you'll be fully refunded.There's no clue yet about where the mystery pop-up dealership is located, but the red dirt of the images suggest it's in the Simpson, Great Sandy or one of the other deserts that together cover more than a million square kilometres in Australia's heart and western coast.That's probably the perfect setting for a Jeep, which is still the byword for offroading. "The all-new Jeep Cherokee is at home in the city but, unlike some of its rivals, it's equally at home somewhere far remote – which is where we're opening a dealership for a day," Fiat Chrysler Australia's senior advertising manager Ashlin Moore says.The group's president and CEO Veronica Johns believes the campaign is unique and the first of its kind in any country. "The World's Most Remote Dealership brings the Jeep ‘Don't Hold Back' attitude to life with a unique offer," Johns says. "We believe this is a ‘World-First' and a campaign only Jeep could pull-off."For more information, head to http://life.jeep.com.au/articles/news/jeep-remote-dealership

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

The Easter safari in the US, now in its 48th year, attracts thousands of off-road enthusiasts looking to enjoy a week of serious off-roading on some of the country’s most renowned trails.One of the better looking concepts is the Jeep Cherokee Dakar, described as the most extreme Cherokee ever. The satin silver finish contrasts with prototype flame red graphics that encircle the window and wrap around the black hood graphic.The Trailhawk 17-inch polished satin clear coat wheels feature two large flamered pockets, with the Cherokee nameplate also changed to a flame red hue. Front-end features are enhanced by two prototype Flame Red inserts on the traditional Jeep seven-slot grille, as well as through a prototype lower fascia trim.Cherokee Dakar is fortified for off-road action, equipped with Jeep Performance Parts rock rails, an oil pan skid plate, front suspension skid plate, two-piece fuel tank and underbody skid plates.A lift kit boosts the rough-and-ready looks and additional suspension modifications help make it the most extreme Cherokee yet. Prototype wider fender flares with riveted bolts give a tougher appearance and also accommodate the wider track and larger 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tyres.A prototype rear fascia allows for an even more aggressive departure angle and enhances the higher ride height. Cherokee Dakar’s crawl ratio is 48:1, with estimated approach and departureangles of 32 and 39 degrees respectively.Prototype Katzkin leather black seats with Machined Gunmetal inserts are heightened with Header Red stitching, which is also found on the steering wheel, armrest and gear shift boot. A flame red insert accents the entertainment centre.Parts sourced from the Mopar catalogue include all-weather floor mats, bright door-sill guards with the Cherokee logo, a cargo tray for storage, and the JCMS (Jeep Cargo Management System) with the Trailhawk bag. It also features the prototype Moab off-road bag.

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Transformers Super Bowl adParamount pictures is using the 2014 Super Bowl to give us our first taste of the upcoming film Transformers: Age of Extinction. The upcoming fourth instalment of the Transformers franchise brings a new cast led by Mark Wahlberg, and new Tranformers too in the form of Dinobots. Seinfeld reunion Super Bowl adWe last saw Jerry Seinfeld during a Super Bowl battling Jay Leno for Honda NSX keys, but now Seinfeld’s web series ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’ is doing well enough to warrant its own Big Game ad. Now into its third season, the Super Bowl ad for the show sees Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander reprising their roles of Jerry and George from Seinfeld’s classic 90s sitcom.Jeep Cherokee Super Bowl adJeep is pretty keen to show off its new Cherokee SUV’s adventure potential, so has created this Big Game ad to tickle at your outdoor heartstrings. Despite its fundamentally road-going Dodge Dart/Alfa Romeo Giulietta-based underpinnings, Jeep’s Super Bowl ad reckons the new Cherokee is the cure for restlessness, and prepared for whatever’s on the other side of the horizon. Bruce Willis Honda Super Bowl adTough guy Willis is doing duty for Honda’s Super Bowl commercial, highlighting that the Japanese carmaker builds more cars with top safety ratings in America than any other brand. To underscore his point, Willis emphasises the importance of the people around you. Friends, family, loved ones, "everyone you care about". They’re not test dummies, he points out. So he wants you to give them a hug. Right now ... go on. Bob Dylan Super Bowl adOf all the superstars that would seem an unlikely bet to ever advertise cars, iconic musician Bob Dylan would be the unlikeliest. And yet here he is for the Chrysler 200 sedan at the 2014 Super Bowl, his gravelly tones singing about how well America builds cars, providing a soundtrack for a cavalcade of glorious stars-and-stripes imagery.Maserati Super Bowl debut Maserati has showcased the launch of the four-door Ghibli sedan with a debut appearance in the world’s biggest advertising slot – the Super Bowl. The footage stars 10-year-old Academy Award-nominated child actress Quvenzhane Wallis from 12 Years A Slave, directed in this piece by David Gordon Green. Ford Super Bowl ad Twice as GoodLongtime stalwart of The Daily Show and Saturday Night Live, comedian Rob Riggle is performing a bit of transformational magic for Ford during the Super Bowl. The key ad showcases the Ford Fusion sedan, claiming to have double the fuel economy of the average vehicle.That's the take-off point to a series of magical morphs that show just having the Fusion in your driveway can do wonders for house and yard -- not to forget your wardrobe and pets. Riggle ultimately upgrades himself to Hollywood heartthrob James Franco, and the whole shebang should help put you in the mood for the Fusion's arrival in Australia next year, badged as the 2015 Mondeo mid-sizer.Jaguar teases first Super Bowl ‘bad boy’ adJaguar's first Super Bowl teaser shows they've got some top-shelf baddies lined up as part of the 'British Villains' theme to sell the F-Type Coupe. First off the leash is screen and theatre legend Ben Kingsley -- with a shelf of Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG awards, but most recently seen as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. VW teases Super Bowl ad with Carmen ElectraVolkswagen hits all the memes in engineering an algorithm for the perfect Game Day commercial. And apparently, the algorithm requires the integration of glamour model/actress Carmen Electra, puppies, babies, some twerking, a Wang Chung soundtrack and ... well, you've probably seen every highlight of every other ad.Danica Patrick gets buff for Super Bowl adIt wouldn't be the Super Bowl without an ad featuring race driver Danica Patrick touting for website hosters GoDaddy -- who also sponsored her Nascar Nationwide Series campaign for JR Motorsports. The Game Day commercial shows a lot of Patrick's body sporting a set of pumped muscles that almost shame the bodybuilders racing her to a tanning salon.Toyota taps Muppets and Terry Crews for Super BowlThe Toyota Highlander -- sold here as the Kluger -- has a strong family focus, and the car giant will underscore that by starring the Muppets in its Super Bowl commercial. The teaser video gives a glimpse, with a supporting role from former footballer and lately actor Terry Crews (The Newsroom and Arrested Development). 2015 Hyundai Genesis Super Bowl adThe 'Dad's Sixth Sense' ad shows the parent rescuing his son from a series of falls and mishaps from infancy onwards -- but then the Genesis' auto braking saving him from a crash when he's distracted by a pretty girl during a driving lesson.Audi unleashes mongrel for Super BowlAudi has created a miniature mongrel with a savage streak for their Super Bowl ad. The footage shows a couple trying to choose between a chihuahua and a doberman as a pet, and deciding to breed them together as a -- wait for it -- doberhuahua.VW channels Victoria’s Secret for Super BowlVolkswagen is aiming to tout durability and reliability in its Super Bowl, which features a father telling his daughter that every time a VW hits 100,000 miles (160,000km) an engineer back in Germany sprouts wings. While the appendages might usually be better worn by the Victoria's Secret 'Angel' models, the addition of the wings offers the opportunity for a few sight gags.Jaguar Super Bowl with Tom HiddlestonIt's good to be bad, Jaguar claims. And the luxury brand is pushing that theme for their Super Bowl ads, featuring a line-up of British villains. We've already seen Ben Kingsley in the main teaser, and now we get Tom Hiddleston in a second spot. Most recently seen playing Loki in the films Thor, The Avengers, and Thor: The Dark World.Jaguar full Super Bowl adContinuing the bad boy theme to showcase the F-Type Coupe, Jaguar has revealed the full 60-second commercial that will screen at the Super Bowl. Shot in a mock thriller style, with moody lighting and all the super-villain props of planes, attractive assistants -- and of course the F-Type -- the ad takes a tongue-in-cheek approach, and comes off being very engaging as a result.Terry Crews disturbs with shirtless Super Bowl teaserGet ready to see a whole lot more of actor Terry Crews than you ever bargained for. The latest teaser for Toyota's Super Bowl ad shows the sports star turned movie star without a shirt and demonstrating muscle control with his pecs in time to the cheesy jingle.Big Bang Theory star in Hyundai Super Bowl adThe theme for the Hyundai Elantra Super Bowl commercial is 'Nice' and actor Johnny Galecki is almost typecast in it, after playing nice guys on both The Big Bang Theory (Leonard) and Roseanne (David). In the footage, Galecki tries to chat up a woman who pulls up beside him in a matching Elantra, pointing out all the nice features of the car -- and getting some nice brush-offs in return.Kia plugs into The Matrix for 2014 Super BowlThe 60-second commercial, scheduled to run during the 2014 Super Bowl prime advertising slot, will see Fishburne as Morpheus offering the 'red vs blue' choice. In the movie it was red and blue pills, one of which would let you stumble on in an illusory world while the other would awaken you to reality. For the Super Bowl ad, promoting the Kia K900 flagship launching in overseas markets, Morpheus offers people the chance to choose either a red or blue key.Toyota full Super Bowl adToyota is aiming for catchy family fun with its 60-second Super Bowl, in which actor Terry Crews is piloting his new Highlander -- sold here as the Kluger -- along a remote highway, when he stops to help out after spotting a broken-down, brightly painted bus. Within seconds, his SUV is crammed with Muppets: Animal stuffing his drum kit into the cargo area and Dr Teeth hijacking the driver's seat to steer off into a series of adventures, all singing an annoyingly catchy jingle perfectly designed to stick itself limpet-like to the viewer's brain.Chevrolet Super Bowl ad is all bullIn the ad, titled Romance, we get to meet "a man ... a man and his truck ... and a very eligible bachelor" who just happens to be a prize bull. It goes on in the vein of "bated breath and lonely hearts" -- you get the picture -- as the driver hauls his new bull through the US landscape with Hot Chocolate's 'You Sexy Thing' in the background.The ad that shocked the Super BowlCreated for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) as part of its Zero Fatalities campaign, The Twist starts off with an image of a young boy curled up in a car seat, and a voiceover that starts off "Sam looks like he's sleeping..." but as the camera zooms out we see that he's been killed in a car crash, not by the crash itself but by being unbuckled and flying into the back of the seat in front of him. M&M's Super Bowl adConfectionary brand M&M’s has also delivered a Super Bowl treat this week, with a new ad for the colourful button-shaped candies. Yellow – the peanut M&M character – is unknowingly taken captive by Russian underworld types, in the boot of an oh-so Russian baddie black S-Class Mercedes-Benz. 

Jeep is pretty keen to show off its new Cherokee SUV’s adventure potential, so has created this Big Game ad to tickle at your outdoor heartstrings.Despite its fundamentally road-going Dodge Dart/Alfa Romeo Giulietta-based underpinnings, Jeep’s Super Bowl ad reckons the new Cherokee is the cure for restlessness, and prepared for whatever’s on the other side of the horizon.“Restlessness is the feeling you get when you deny your curiosity too long. Keep going, keep running to new horizons, act on your instincts and passions, find what else is out there and dare to follow your restless heart,” the ad says.Restless is also how many will feel after clapping eyes on the new Cherokee’s triple-stacked front lighting, but its new nine-speed auto is nothing to sneeze at. Watch the desktop version of Jeep's Super Bowl ad here. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

The US car industry has come full circle and returns to old-fashioned horsepower at this year's Detroit motor show, with large pick-ups and "America's Ferrari" set to steal the limelight from imported exotica.Centre of attention at the show, which opened overnight Australian time, is Ford's new F Series truck, which has for decades held the title as the planet's favourite vehicle and makes a watershed move to aluminium construction.The bold decision, aimed at cutting fuel consumption, takes aluminium mainstream and makes Forda pioneer in volume production using the metal.Demand for pick-ups has rebounded since the global financial crisis and Ford sold more than 760,000 of the outgoing F Series last year, up 18 per cent.It has kept details of the redesign secret and will hope it can upstage its rival from General Motors, the Chevrolet Silverado, tipped to win Truck of the Year.US buyers strongly favour full-size pick-ups but last year GM broke ranks and offered a version of the smaller Colorado, described as "mid-size" in the US. At a preview event for the show, GM unveiled the GMC Canyon, a more upmarket version of the Colorado with a bull nose and acres of chrome.It marked the first appearance for Mary Barra since she was named chief executive - the only woman to lead one of the car giants. "I'm honoured to stand here tonight and humbly lead this team," Ms Barra said. "It's a team of men and women doing unbelievably great work."It comes just weeks after GM shed its "government motors" tag, with Washington selling the last of the shares acquired during the GFC. As well as a truck award, GM is also in the running for Car of the Year with two out of the three finalists -- a Cadillac and its reborn Chevrolet Corvette. The new Corvette has earned a reputation for delivering Italian sportscar performance at a fraction of the price. A track-focused version, called the Z06, will be GM's show star.The Z06 will compete for crowd attention with the Ford Mustang, which makes its first public appearance after private unveilings last month.GM's recovery milestone has a parallel at Chrysler, after Fiat recently acquired complete control.The smallest of the US "Big Three" is now wholly foreign-owned but rebounding thanks to a focus on Americana, with its controversially redesigned Jeep Cherokee SUV winning over sceptics. It too is in the running for Truck of the Year.Unlike the F Series and Corvette, it will be shipped to Australia starting mid-year. Hometown drawcards will force foreign brands backstage despite an impressive line-up.German and Japanese carmakers are also stressing traditional petrol-driven horsepower with an exceptional crop of performance cars. BMW debuts two halo junior executives in the M3 sedan and M4 coupe, which drop V8s in favour of six cylinders but have more power and better efficiency thanks to turbocharging.Lexus has the M4 in its sights with the RC F, a V8 coupe based on its mid-size luxury sedan. Meanwhile, Mercedes rolls out its next generation C-Class and a tuned version of its small off-roader, the GLA 45 AMG; Porsche shows a retro-flavoured 911 Targa sportscar; and Mini a concept that previews the upcoming John Cooper Works go-fast edition.Audi will attract attention for a crossover concept. It is expected to preview its smallest SUV yet, likely to be called Q1. The Detroit show has yet to return to its glory days of over-the-top presentations and for-the-fun-of-it concept cars, but the industry has been bolstered by 15.6 million sales last year and newfound confidence after the economic storm of four years ago.