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2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee In-Car Technology | Jeep®

The winner, rankings in $38,000 Midsize SUV Challenge

What once was a class dominated by truck-based models has given way almost entirely to car-based vehicles, still with the high seating position and styling that helped make SUVs popular, but with better ride and handling, fuel economy and interior space.

The class took a hit when gas prices first reached $4 a gallon, but sales have roared back. Jeep's Grand Cherokee is Chrysler's second-best-selling vehicle this year after the Ram 1500 pickup. Ford's Edge, while not as successful as sister SUVs Explorer and Escape, still outsells Ford's largest and smallest cars, Taurus and Fiesta.

So we decides put them to the test in our latest head-to-head vehicle Challenge. To pick the best of the bunch, here's how the Cars.com-USATODAY-Motorweek $38,000 Midsize SUV Challenge was done.

The contenders: 2013 Ford Edge, 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2014 Kia Sorento, 2013 Nissan Murano, 2013 Toyota Venza.

The expert judges: James R. Healey, auto critic for USA TODAY; Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief for Cars.com; Joe Bruzek, editor and car reviewer for Cars.com; Mike Hanley, editor and car reviewer for Cars.com; Ben Davis, producer for PBS TV's MotorWeek.

The family judges: Brian and Melissa Brown and their two children, our real-world family from suburban Chicago.

Why $38,000?: We set a price cap of $38,000, including destination charges, after taking into account the sales leaders in this space, consulting with J.D. Power and Associates and looking at listing prices on Cars.com. We also told the manufacturers that the cars had to have automatic transmissions and either turbocharged four-cylinder or naturally aspirated V-6 engines, but otherwise they could provide what they thought was their best configuration for the price limit. The cap resulted in a group with a range of features. And three had all-wheel drive, two had front-wheel drive, one had rear-wheel drive. All but one, though, had a V-6 — and Santa Fe Sport's turbo four-cylinder produced V-6-like power numbers.

How the three-day testing was done: A day of driving the entrants on a carefully planned route, rotating drivers and maintaining equal loads, to observe real-world gas mileage, a day in which each expert drove the six entrants alone and back-to-back on the same route and a day for the real-world family of four to go over and drive each entrant with an eye toward which features and attributes would matter most to them in their next vehicle.

Here's how they were scored: The experts' scores combined account for 75% of the total score; the family evaluation is 15% and the fuel-economy ranking is 10%.

And the winner is ...

NO.1: 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
•Points: 777 out of 1,000.
• Price with shipping: $37,585
• Observed gas mileage: No. 6 of the six, 22.7 mpg (EPA city/highway/combined 17/25/20)

• Key features: Refreshed for 2014, rear-wheel drive (only one), IIHS Top Safety Pick, Uconnect multimedia system with smartphone app integration, only one with year-old satellite radio subscription. USB inputs throughout cabin, leather seats, heated front/rear seats, heated steering wheel, rear parking sensors, configurable gauge cluster, power liftgate, fits three child-safety seats in the second row (one of only two).

• What they liked: Interior. "A luxury liner compared to the challengers," said Healey. "Looks, feels, even smells like a luxury car," Bragman said. Powertrain. "When the Eco mode is deactivated," Hanley said, "the V-6 and eight-speed transmission are a well-matched." Visibility. "Commanding view of the road," Bruzek noted. "Nice rear visibility helped out by generous side mirrors," Davis said. Chrysler Uconnect system's ease of use. "Best multimedia system of the bunch," Bragman said. Premium feel. "It's hard to believe something this nice costs the same as the others!" Missy Brown said.

• What they didn't: Eco mode. "Erases the Jeep's fun-to-drive factor," said Healey. Gas mileage. "That big power comes with a big thirst," Bragman said. Price. "I wish the pricing was a little lower," Davis said. At Challenge price, it's rear drive, not AWD. Electronic gear selector. "Has a cheap feel and makes it harder to select the gear you want," Hanley said.

• Bottom line: "The one to have if you are looking for a true SUV and not merely a car-like tall wagon," Bragman said.

Courtesy of usatoday.com

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Jeep leads list of 25 most 'patriotic' brands

So perhaps it's appropriate that Chrysler Group's Jeep brand is named in a survey as the most patriotic brand from 197 famous brand names in 35 categories.

Heck, Jeep even beat out Coca-Cola, Levi's, Harley-Davidson and Disney in the top 25.
The survey of 4,500 consumers was conducted by a New York-based branding researching firm, Brand Keys, with the results released just in time for the Fourth of July holiday, the most patriotic day off of them all.

Jeep was one of only two auto brands in the Top 25. The other was Ford, in 16th place. Interestingly, no General Motors brands are on the list, including Chevrolet, which used to heavily hit patriotic American themes in its ads.

Jeep topped all others with a score of 98 out of 100 on a scale representing consumers' emotional engagement expectations, according to Brand Keys.

"As marketers traditionally operate on the Independence Day theory that a patriotic, flag-waving call-to-emotion will motivate consumers to behave more positively toward their brands, we wanted to see which brands actually led when it came to that particular value," says Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, in a statement.

He says having consumers view a brand as patriotic goes way beyond trying to create flag-waving ads. It's ingrained — "more a question of whether that value is seen to part of the brand's equity, whether it's truly acknowledged on a deeply emotional and engaging basis."

Here's the Top 25 list:
1. Jeep (98%)
2. Hershey's (tie, 97%)
3. Coca-Cola (tie, 97%)
4. Levi Strauss (tie, 95%)
5. Walt Disney (tie, 95%)
6. Colgate (94%)
7. Zippo (93%)
8. Wrigley's (92%)
9. Ralph Lauren (91%)
10. Kodak (tie, 90%)
11. Gillette (tie, 90%)
12. New Balance (tie, 89%)
13. Harley-Davidson (tie, 89%)
14. Budweiser (tie, 88%)
15. Marlboro (88%)
16. Ford (86%)
17. Louisville Slugger (tie, 85%)
18. Smith & Wesson (tie, 85%)
19. General Electric (84%)
20. John Deere (tie, 82%)
21. L.L. Bean (tie, 82%)
22. Walmart (81%)
23. Craftsman Tools (tie, 80%)
24. Wilson Sporting Goods (tie, 80%)
25. Wrangler apparel (tie, 80%)

 Courtesy of usatoday.com

Chrysler Brand Partners with United Way for Southeastern Michigan and Scholastic to Donate 148,500 New Children’s Books to Metro Detroit Youth

Starting mid-July through September, Chrysler brand will partner with United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) and Michigan No Kid Hungry to distribute 148,500 Scholastic children’s books at summer “Meet Up and Eat Up” events, Early Learning Communities, health centers and an elementary school within the metro Detroit area.

“Donating these books is a part of Chrysler brand's mission to both help drive the importance of early education and also to ensure that those children who need lunch when school is not in session have the opportunity to receive it," said Saad Chehab, President and CEO - Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “We hope the distribution of these books inspires children's imaginations and helps to provide them with some of the necessary tools they'll need to achieve a limitless future.”

Recent research from the Scholastic-created Kids & Family Reading Report shows that having a reading role-model/parent or a large book collection at home has a greater impact on kids’ reading frequency than does household income.

Chrysler brand’s book distribution directly supports the efforts of UWSEM and Michigan No Kid Hungry to increase participation in summer meal programs and early education initiatives by creating resource-rich environments for kids, and helping to put books into the hands of children who need them most.

Book distribution at summer food programs, Early Learning Communities, health centers and an elementary school will help provide parents and caregivers in metro Detroit the tools and resources they need to reduce the literacy gap and help more children go to school ready to learn.

Courtesy of Chrysler News

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Clean Your Battery

The best way to keep your battery running smoothly is to keep it clean. Regularly detach the battery cables and wipe off the terminals. Make sure the battery is strapped down tightly and that all connections are secure.

If you suspect that your battery is being overcharged or isn't holding a charge well, take it to a service shop where they can run a quick battery inspection. And if you need to replace the battery, make sure that it's the right battery type for your specific make and model of car.

Courtesy of HowStuffWorks.com