New 2014 Jeep® Grand Cherokee Named Winner of Cars.com/USA Today Midsize SUV Challenge

July 7, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  After testing six vehicles for fuel efficiency, practicality, driving ability, comfort and features, experts from three major media outlets and a family representing the average mid-size SUV buyer have named the new 2014 Jeep® Grand Cherokee the winner of the 2013 Cars.com/USA Today Midsize SUV Challenge.

“After extensive testing, the Jeep Grand Cherokee took the top spot in the Cars.com/USA Today Midsize SUV Challenge, thanks to its luxurious interior, impressive multimedia system and overall driving capability,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com’s Editor-in-Chief. “Jeep Grand Cherokee has long been considered a true, off-roading SUV, and thanks to some serious refinement, today’s incarnation of the Grand Cherokee edges out the other, very worthy, midsize SUV options available to shoppers.”

The Cars.com/USA Today Midsize SUV Challenge included:

• 200 miles of driving on varying roads to test each SUV for real-world fuel economy;
• one day of round-robin driving where each expert tested each SUV on the same route back-to-back to gather impressions; and
• a day of family testing where a family of four evaluated each of the six SUVs for comfort, family-friendly features, styling and ride quality

“Winning this award is especially gratifying since the judges included a typical family of four, in addition to experts from three prestigious media outlets,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “We are delighted that the judges recognized the improvements we’ve made to the Jeep Grand Cherokee – the most awarded SUV ever – that make it even better. No other SUV offers Grand Cherokee’s combination of legendary Jeep 4x4 capability, fuel economy, advanced user-friendly technology, world-class craftsmanship and on-road refinement.”

Experts from Cars.com, USA Today and Motorweek joined the family of four in judging the vehicles. Full details and results from the 2013 Cars.com/USA Today Midsize SUV Challenge can be viewed at blogs.cars.com.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee completely redefines the premium SUV, delivering an unprecedented combination of best-in-class fuel economy and driving range, available clean-diesel technology, legendary benchmark capability, world-class craftsmanship, and a host of advanced user-friendly technology and safety features.

For 2014, Grand Cherokee offers a new EcoDiesel engine with best-in-class 30 mpg highway and an unmatched driving range of more than 730 miles. A new eight-speed transmission drives all Grand Cherokee engines, including the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 – achieving up to 25 mpg and more than 600 miles driving range – and the 5.7-liter V-8, now achieving up to 22 mpg.

Legendary Jeep capability comes courtesy of three 4x4 systems, Jeep’s Quadra-Lift air suspension, Selec-Terrain traction management and an improved crawl ratio of 44.1:1.

A refined exterior design – complete with signature LED running lamps – provides a premium appearance. Premium interior amenities include Natura leather, exotic open-pore wood and new color offerings. The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is available in four trim levels, including the new top-line Summit, with pricing starting at $29,790.

Jeep Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV brand with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup includes Cherokee, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models are sold outside North America – and all are available in right-hand-drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

Cars.com
Cars.com is an award-winning online destination for car shoppers that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. Cars.com offers thousands of new and used vehicle listings, consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and many other tools. Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions. Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including A.H. Belo (NYSE: AHC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).