1981 Jeep Cj5 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2014 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

The 2014 North American International Auto Show is right around the corner, which means it's high time we found out which cars and trucks would be finalists for the prestigious North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards.
The finalists - three in cars and three in three trucks/utilities - are dominated by American brands, with two-thirds of the finalists hailing from either General Motors or Chrysler (don't worry Ford, there's always next year), while outliers from Mazda and Acura can be found in each contest. Here now is the list of finalists for the big prizes:
2014 North American Car of the Year:

Gilles defends 2014 Jeep Cherokee design as "very contemporary"

Following the forced-hand introduction of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, there has definitely been a mix of responses revolving around everything from its design to the return of the legendary nameplate. As evidence of this, just check out the 1,000+ comments in our article last week and some of the many opinions that were voiced. Following this not-too-warm reception, Ward's Auto had a chance to talk to Chrysler designer chief - and SRT president - Ralph Gilles, who shed a little more light on the styling direction of the new Cherokee.
Rather than looking to previous models for inspiration, Gilles says that the Cherokee has been designed to be more contemporary, with Mark Allen, head of Jeep design, adding that a main goal was to make sure the design still looks modern five years from now. Interestingly, Gilles does point out that one of the design elements incorporated on the new Cherokee that pays homage to past Jeeps is the sharply downward angle for the leading edge of the beltline, which he notes is meant to mimic the look of the old YJ and TJ Wrangler models fitted with half doors. Of course, the squared-off wheel openings - a signature Jeep cue - are still used.
This is probably a design that will need to be seen on the street in actual daylight to properly assess, but in the meantime, we'll bring you full images and impressions when the Cherokee debuts at next month's New York Auto Show.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

Choose Your Own Adventure... But Choose Wisely
Jeep has got you covered. We can say this without even having to know what it is you want, because there's hardly an option or configuration that you won't find in the 2014 Grand Cherokee. There are three different engines, three different four-wheel-drive systems (plus rear-wheel drive), four different trim levels - not counting SRT - two different suspension setups and five different settings for various off-road terrain conditions. If you happen to check the box for Quadra-Lift, you'll also have five different ride-height settings for the driver-selectable air suspension.
As you might expect with so many customization possibilities, the way a buyer checks the options sheet can have a profound effect on the final product and its capabilities, to say nothing of its price. Nowhere is that more true than with the Grand Cherokee's choice of engines, with the brand-new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 stealing the spotlight from the still excellent gasoline-fueled 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V8 powerplants that carry over from last year. No matter which engine you choose, though, it will be paired up with Jeep's new standard eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. This, ladies and gentlemen, is very good news indeed.