With a belly full of Voodoo Doughnuts, including Double Bubble flavour, fruit loops, coco puffs and good old chocolate, we were ready to go…

Summer, what a wonderful time of year, heading out on the open road with family.

Okay it isn’t all fun and games, especially with 11-year-old and nine-year-old boys bickering in the back seat, but for the most part it can be enjoyable.

For the first time I decided recently to take a road trip to one of my many car-related events. Usually I fly to a vehicle launch but this time I thought I would take some extra time, and the family, on the road from Vancouver to Portland, Oregon. While I attended the 2015 Dodge Challenger event at the Portland International Raceway, my family could take in some of the local sites.

Day One

The plan was to break things up a bit, instead of six solid hours behind the wheel of the 2014Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel.Thanks to theNexus card, crossing the border took all of ten minutes. The next stop was the Boeing plant in Everett Washington. This location was first developed in the 1960 when the world’s first Jumbo Jet was being developed, the iconic 747. I take over 100 flights a year but I’m still impressed with the machines that make it all happen, especially the 747. I wouldn’t visit the factory tour on the weekend again. There is no action, just half-built planes sitting around. I found it all amazing but my two boys – Jack and Charlie – didn’t share my enthusiasm.

Photos of the Museum:

Day Two           

After a night in Redmond, Washington, we continued our trek to Portland, the land of tax-free shopping and the Evergreen Wings and Waves Waterpark. The waterpark just outside of Portland, in McMinnville, has a real 747 on the roof with water slides that exit the fuselage, pass through the roof of the building and splashing into a huge waterpark complex. This, along with promise of Portland’s famous Voodoo Doughnuts, kept everyone on track for the three-hour Jeep ride.

The Grand Cherokee is a fantastic vehicle for an active family of four, there is plenty of room in the back seat I never heard one complaint. My wife loved the solid ride and I kept an eye on the fuel economy. At the end of our run to Portland, the average consumption was 8.0L/100km. pretty nice stuff for a truck with 420 lb.-ft. of torque.

Day Three

This was the day I had to work, poor me trying out the all-new Dodge Challenger Hellcat on the track with all 707hp. It’s a tough gig. While I was shooting for Driving TV, my wife took the Grand Cherokee to the Waterpark for a day. I checked in throughout the day and the comments were universal. “This is the best waterpark ever”!

As I wrapped up the day at the track, I did get a frantic call from my wife. “The Jeep has lost power, I can’t drive over 30 mph, what should I do?” The gang at Chrysler jumped to attention and before I knew it, I was on the road with another Jeep Diesel and being accompanied by two PR reps in a 2015 Challenger. From the track to my stranded family took over an hour, in total they sat at a Shell station for two hours waiting. To pass the time, the kids ate what they wanted from the Shell convenience store and taking “selfies” seemed to do the trick. Once we arrived, we realized a Dodge dealership was literally five minutes up the road!

Day Four

With a belly full of Voodoo Doughnuts, including Double Bubble flavour, fruit loops, coco puffs and good old chocolate, we were ready to go. It took a while for our repaired Jeep to arrive so on we went to sample more tax-free shopping and sample some of Portland’s many food trucks. When the Jeep did arrive, it turns out the Diesel went into “limp-mode” enabling the driver to get to the next dealership. The fix was a simple computer program flash, which took no time at all. Regardless, we were on the road, heading to Seattle for some underground fun.

Day Five

After a great night in Seattle, we woke up to rain, lots of rain, so we went underground to visit the old, hidden city of Seattle. These tours take tourist on a walk through the ruins of Seattle after the massive fire of 1886 and the rebuilding that took place. Seattle is built on top of the old city; there are tunnels and abandoned sections of buildings there to explore. Time to head home. The Grand Cherokee never set another wheel wrong; it was fantastic in the heavy rain and very solid on the highway. After 1,300 plus kilometres behind the wheel, I averaged 8.5L/100km.

Contact: zack [dot] spencer [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

The Lowdownn

Power: 3.0L turbocharged diesel V6 with 420 lb-ft. of torque

Fill-up: 9.8L/7.0L/100km (city/highway)

Sticker price: $58,000-$62,000

The 2014 Cherokee is a thoroughly modern SUV with go-anywhere capability and around-town refinement that needs to be experienced… (more…)

I remember as a kid, wearing my Sunday best and then going out and playing in the mud! With this Jeep, you push a button, hike up the truck, and go have some fun!

The all-new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a luxury sport ute that attracts a lot of attention.

The body styling went through some major changes this year and is very different to the previous version that had more chiseled and square edges. This vehicle is refined and more rounded. If it wasn’t for the traditional Jeep grille you would think this was a Volvo or an Audi.

The first thing you notice is the new LED lighting that wraps around the HID headlamps, it gives it a very sophisticated and contemporary look.

Jeep did not sacrifice its off road capabilities. Options are; Quadra-Trac 1 that features full time on demand four-wheel drive with single speed transfer case and equal torque split (50 front/50 rear) with brake control. Quadra-Trac 11, with a 2 speed transfer case with low range and variable torque distribution that delivers up to a 100 percent front or rear. Quadra-Lift air suspension that lifts four corners of the vehicle to provide the best in class ground clearance of 272 mm that will allow you to negotiate just about any terrain you encounter.

The Summit model has a gorgeous interior, all the bells and whistles. Premium Nappa leather seats with heated/vented 12 way power front seats. The steering wheel is heated and wrapped in leather with sections of wood.

The instrument panel, doors, and centre console are also leather stitched. The Power lift gate that can be controlled via the remote to make life easier loading and unloading cargo. Be careful at night, with the lift gate open it’s hard to see the bottom of the gate and if you’re not careful you will be wearing the lock mechanism as a tattoo on your forehead, don’t ask how I know.

With this model, you get the navigation screen complete with a backup camera. There is also an optional rear seat DVD system.

There is an optional stability control with anti-roll, hill start assist, trailer sway control. Front air bags with reactive head rest restraints, and side curtain airbags. Forward collision warning system detects whether you are approaching another vehicle too rapidly and alerts you to take action. Parkview/ Park-sense Park assist systems that help see what perhaps you would not see when backing up.

Four engine choices here. The first is a 3.0L Ecodiesel V6 that an amazing 420 lb-ft of torque and 240 horsepower. My tester was equipped with the fuel frugal diesel – 9.8 /7.0 L/100 km (city/highway).

The second is a 3.6 L Pentastar VVT V6 that has been on the Ward’s 10 best engine list for three years. It delivers 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.  There is a 5.7L VVT V8 with 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque and delivers a surprisingly 9.9L/100 km on the highway. The last engine choice is the 6.4L HEMI V8 which is available on the SRT model. It delivers 470 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, all these engines come with an 8 speed automatic transmission. Basic warranty coverage is for three years or 60,000 km

I remember as a kid, wearing my Sunday best and then going out and playing in the mud! With this Jeep, you push a button, hike up the truck, and go have some fun!

I was very surprised that it was able to perform off-road given that it has undergone some dramatic changes to the body and the ride comfort, but like all Jeeps it is built to take a punishment.

Sticker price:

Price as tested – $54,395

Laredo – $39,995

Limited – $47,895

Overland – $55,895

Summit – $60,895

SRT – $63,495

Contact: ian [dot] harwood [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

Other than some early production line glitches, the 2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a pretty reliable, fuel efficient modern unit… (more…)

It has been a top performer in both government and independent crash tests… (more…)

The starting price is the best on the market, the technology is second to none, and the ride is smoother and quieter than the competition and the interior class above…

 

 

 

2014 Jeep Cherokee

The Chrysler group is on a tear these days, with month after month of consecutive growth and awards to back it up.

Who would have thought a few short years ago that Chrysler – of the Detroit Three – would be in second place in Canada, just slightly behind Ford and well ahead of General Motors.

This has been achieved by filling a few holes in their full-line offensive. For example, until a year ago, Chrysler didn’t have a compact car, now they do with the Dodge Dart.

Most surprising is that the strong sales have established without have a vehicle to compete in the fastest growing segment, the compact SUV. Now, with the introduction of this all-new Jeep Cherokee, Chrysler has something to take on establish players like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

The new Cherokee has only been for sale for about a month now but sales for the Jeep brand are up more than 34 per cent over last year. In addition, the new Jeep Cherokee just won its category (best new SUV under $35,000) as adjudged by the Automobile Journalist Association of Canada (AJAC).

Looks

Some might not remember the old boxy Cherokee that was sold in the 1990s; it was a very simple design that appealed to diehard Jeep enthusiasts.

This new Cherokee is trying to win over new buyers, not just the Jeep faithful. It might look a bit odd at first but when you are in its presence, the design actually grows on you to a pint that it has a futuristic, very modern twist on an iconic nameplate.

What you don’t see is the Italian Alfa Romeo platform that this Cherokee shares with the Dodge Dart. This provides a solid basis that produces a wonderful on-road experience and ruggedness for off-road duty.

There is a special Trailhawk version of this Cherokee that has been designed specifically for off-road, with higher front and rear bumpers to help it traverse ditches and climb mountains. The more practical base front wheel drive (FWD) model starts at $23,495 and is the lowest priced vehicle in the compact SUV class. The All wheel drive (AWD) model is also a value leader and starts at $25,695.

Inside

There are several things that set this Cherokee apart from the competition and a big difference is the level of interior fit and finish. Many of the vehicles that compete in this class are rather basic inside and come covered in hard plastic and feature simple designs.

The Cherokee is covered in soft-touch materials, comfortable seats and a large touch screen in the centre of the dash for connectivity. The base screen is 5-inches but a larger 8.4-inch screen is available on the $29,995 Limited model. In addition, all models get a second 3.5-inch screen imbedded in the instrument cluster that is fully programmable and provides custom readouts.

The back seat isn’t huge but the seats again are contoured nicely and provide good comfort. They also slide forward to elongate the cargo area if larger objects need to be carried. The rest of the dash has a stylish design that is a good combination of the bigger Grand Cherokee and the functional Dodge Journey.

Sweeping lines and attention to detail make this a class leader in terms of style and design.

Drive

Not content to use existing engines and transmission in this new Cherokee, Chrysler is showcasing brand new technology in this compact SUV, providing good fuel economy and value. All trim levels come standard with a 9-speed automatic transmission. That’s right, nine gears, the very first vehicle on the planet to come with this many cogs. Having a chance to drive it with the base 184hp 2.4L 4-cylinder through the canyons outside of Malibu California, I can report that the transmission is so smooth and refined that the driver forgets there is so much at work. The upside is the Cherokee is capable of 9.6.L/100km in the city and 6.4L on the highway.

The platform is a gem. There is very little road or wind noise, the suspension is very well dampened and the steering feel is better than many in this class.

The 4-cylinder engine is a great choice for commuters and the handling is crisp and sure-footed, more like a sedan than an SUV. The optional V6 engine is the first application of the 3.2L V6 Pentastar engine. The bigger 3.6L is used across the Chrysler family but this newly developed, smaller version is wonderful value as it is only $1,300 more to equip it on any Cherokee, from the least expensive FWD model to the most expensive AWD trim.

For $1,300, you get 271hp and a lot more grunt for passing and highway runs. This would be the choice if you do a lot of highway driving to the cabin or skiing. The downside is the added weight of the V6 makes it less nimble compared to the 4-cylinder but both are excellent choices.

In addition to carving though the mountains, I had a chance to drive over them in the Trailhawk off-road model. This really is the enthusiast version; it had no problem scampering up anything it came across from big boulders, to sand and mud.

A lot of fun, but the reality is that most buyers will opt for the less extreme AWD models that have the ability to change their characteristics depending on which setting the driver chooses from snow, sport, mud/sand and low settings.

Verdict

The starting price is the best on the market, the technology is second to none, and the ride is smoother and quieter than the competition and the interior class above. The styling does take a while to get used to but it does look better in person.

Most people will equip the Cherokee with AWD and the middle North Edition that includes alloy wheels and added interior features for a reasonable $28,695. With the optional V6 engine, the price is $29,995. This is a lot of Jeep for the money and one that is a treat to drive. Now that Chrysler has a competent small SUV in their lineup, their position as the number two seller of vehicles looks strong for a while to come.

Contact: zack [dot] spencer [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca

The Lowdown

Power: 2.4L 4-cylinder with 184hp or 3.2L V6 with 271hp

Fill-up: 9.6L/6.4L/100km (city/highway)

Sticker price: $23,495-$$32,195

Toyota believes their new Corolla can take the overall sales crown away from the Honda Civic.

So many cars to choose from, so few words available in this tight space! (more…)