2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
We sell a lot of E3 jeep spark plugs and our Jeep Grand Cherokee-driving customers are among the proudest. Well, those Jeep lovers just nabbed bragging rights. Editors of Decisive Auto magazine and a panel of 15 independent automotive journalists named the new Jeep Grand Cherokee the “2011 Urban Truck of the Year.”
The honor is the latest in an already impressive list of accolades for the Jeep’s new premium SUV. Other kudos include:
- Consumers Digest “Best Buy”
- Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Off-Road Ability
- Texas Auto Writers Association “SUV of Texas”
- Texas Auto Writers Association “Full-size SUV of Texas”
- Ruedas ESPN “Best SUV”
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick
“While faithfully capturing the spirit of its predecessor, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is new and improved in every way,” said Decisive Auto Editor-in-Chief Lyndon Bell. “The Jeep’s over-the-road dynamics easily rivals that of its competitors’ less capable crossover vehicles. Meanwhile, the Jeep is also perfectly proficient at traversing any terrain. Luxurious interior appointments – along with the fact that drivers aren’t penalized into accepting a lower trim level if they opt for the more fuel-efficient engine – speaks volumes to the way Jeep’s engineers and product planners incorporated 21st century realities into America’s most iconic SUV.
Judges spent several months driving dozens of vehicles in multiple North American urban settings and focused on attributes including styling, practicality and attainability. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is built on a Mercedes M-class platform and comes with two engine options: a 3.6-liter aluminum V-6 that gets 280 horsepower, and a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi that adds 80 horses and towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds. It features a tighter suspension and better insulation (including a new firewall separating the engine and cabin) for a quieter, more comfortable ride. A smoother, sleeker interior offers four more inches of legroom and adjustable seatbacks for back-seat passengers. A rotary dial operates Jeep’s new Selec-Terrain system and a tight 39-foot turning radius makes parking and U-turns a cinch. Base price is about $30,995.
The Urban Vehicles of the Year will be formally presented at the 15th Annual Urban Wheel Awards on January 9, leading into the North American International Auto Show at the COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. Get your tickets or credentials for the Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview or Public Show quickly. And if you drive a Jeep, be sure you give them a performance boost with a set of E3 Jeep spark plugs.
