Went to the NYC Auto Show...

[dude1116]

Camp Jeep was up. Not a single KK on the track!! But they had a Patriot going for a little bit...Kinda disappointed that they would run that but not the KK. They were really pushing the JKU and the WK2 (which has NO flex...all around independent suspension I think...!)

Seems like they're also completely discontinuing the KK after 2012 too? Product specialists knew nothing of a new re-design coming. :disgust: Personally, I think they should bring back something of similar spec to the KJ!!!!!! Anyone else agree? :\

 

[Dave]

I havn't been down there for a few years.


I am surprised they didn't have a KK but had a Patriot. Last I heard Patriot was slated to be discontinued and KK redesigned?

I do prefer the KJ manually shifted t-case but then I also miss my manually locking hubs of the old days my Bronco had. I dought they will bring those things back.

Dave

 

[rockymountain]

Camp Jeep was up. Not a single KK on the track!! But they had a Patriot going for a little bit...Kinda disappointed that they would run that but not the KK. They were really pushing the JKU and the WK2 (which has NO flex...all around independent suspension I think...!)

Seems like they're also completely discontinuing the KK after 2012 too? Product specialists knew nothing of a new re-design coming. :disgust: Personally, I think they should bring back something of similar spec to the KJ!!!!!! Anyone else agree? :\

Who knows, but doesn't it seem like the patriot and compass are higher now? I asked in the MK section, but obviously got no response as the last post was about a year ago. I don't really like them at all, in fact unless its a JK or something I won't be having a Jeep anymore in a few years. They're taking the most versatile vehicle IMO and throwing it away. < (KJ/KK)

I gotta admit, if not for the KJ I still wouldn't have a Jeep today. JKs are too expensive for me for what you get. However, a used one may be an option. That doesn't help their new vehicle sales any though.

 

[dude1116]

Who knows, but doesn't it seem like the patriot and compass are higher now? I asked in the MK section, but obviously got no response as the last post was about a year ago. I don't really like them at all, in fact unless its a JK or something I won't be having a Jeep anymore in a few years. They're taking the most versatile vehicle IMO and throwing it away. < (KJ/KK)

I gotta admit, if not for the KJ I still wouldn't have a Jeep today. JKs are too expensive for me for what you get. However, a used one may be an option. That doesn't help their new vehicle sales any though.

Yeah I totally agree with that. But being that I'm still in school and might have a good salaried job to look forward to, a new JK Rubicon might not be out of the question. But I do think you're right about the Patriot getting a bit higher. My co-worker at my part time job just got a 2011 Patriot Latitude, and the thing almost has as much ground clearance as my Liberty (although my liberty has sagged about an inch all around... p. Although I'm not a fan of the independent suspension all around. It's not terrible, but you gotta love the sway of a solid axle. I also took a look inside the Compass. Honestly, it's not bad at all. The redesign made it look sleek and bold, and the cargo capacity and space is actually pretty good. Fuel efficiency isn't COMPLETELY there, but a Jeep product projected to get 29MPG on the highway isn't bad at all! Yes, it's not your traditional Jeep, but market research tells Chrysler and Fiat what they need to do in order to report profits. I think what Jeep needs to do is create one or two more fairly off-road capable vehicles (like the KJ/KK) in order to appease the masses. I mean, come on! I see SOOOO many KKs and KJs on the road. Why would they get rid of it?!!??

 

[LaneKJ]

Seems like they're also completely discontinuing the KK after 2012 too? Product specialists knew nothing of a new re-design coming. :disgust: Personally, I think they should bring back something of similar spec to the KJ!!!!!! Anyone else agree? :\

Yes! They do need to bring back something similar to the KJ. Why they only made it for five years is beyond me. Its a great car and Jeep should have kept it.

 

[dude1116]

Yes! They do need to bring back something similar to the KJ. Why they only made it for five years is beyond me. Its a great car and Jeep should have kept it.

^^^What???!!!!???

Not that the KK isn't a great Jeep. I've seen some great looking KKs on this site!

 

[Strike]

totally

i was thinking about that too and a new KJ would be awesome. I don't understand why they only ran it for a short while. Too bad the ******** offroad magazine people hate it. I hope Jeep isn't just listening to them, so what if it gets a fancy interior? I am assuming that Jeep feels they are satisfying the offroad people with the 4 door wrangler.

 

[surfRenegade]

I am baffled as to why Jeep would axe the Liberty. I havent looked at any sales number, but I saw more KJs on the road when they came out and still today than any other Jeep out there. This was the case back in Pittsburgh atleast. Here in CA I see probably the same amount of the new KKs and KJs as I do four door Wranglers. It is a rare occasion when I see a new Grand Cherokee. I think the mechanical issues that plagued that model since its inception has soiled the name. When my brother was looking for a vehicle a few years ago we test drove the Compass and the Patriot. The Compass was just horrible. I didnt expect to see those for very long. Everything about it felt cheaply made and put together. The Patriot was slighlty better. Personally Id never touch either of those. The Grand Cherokee is getting pretty expensive and there is a big selection in the luxury suv market... I think I'd choose something else if I was looking in that segment. That leaves the Wrangler...which will always be a Jeep staple and a bread winner. Maybe since they offer the four door Wrangler with the full metal hard roof they no longer see a need for the Liberty? I understand some people want better mpgs and dont need 4wd, so this is the reason for the Patriot and Compass, but id almost rather see the Liberty get the option of a weak four ****** that gets good mpg than see either of those remain in the line-up

 

[dude1116]

I am baffled as to why Jeep would axe the Liberty. I havent looked at any sales number, but I saw more KJs on the road when they came out and still today than any other Jeep out there. This was the case back in Pittsburgh atleast. Here in CA I see probably the same amount of the new KKs and KJs as I do four door Wranglers. It is a rare occasion when I see a new Grand Cherokee. I think the mechanical issues that plagued that model since its inception has soiled the name. When my brother was looking for a vehicle a few years ago we test drove the Compass and the Patriot. The Compass was just horrible. I didnt expect to see those for very long. Everything about it felt cheaply made and put together. The Patriot was slighlty better. Personally Id never touch either of those. The Grand Cherokee is getting pretty expensive and there is a big selection in the luxury suv market... I think I'd choose something else if I was looking in that segment. That leaves the Wrangler...which will always be a Jeep staple and a bread winner. Maybe since they offer the four door Wrangler with the full metal hard roof they no longer see a need for the Liberty? I understand some people want better mpgs and dont need 4wd, so this is the reason for the Patriot and Compass, but id almost rather see the Liberty get the option of a weak four ****** that gets good mpg than see either of those remain in the line-up

Honestly...why not drop the damn brand new 3.6 Pentastar in it?!?!? That would be SUCH a beast Jeep. The thing would get better mileage and FLY off the line compared to the Wranglers.

 

[rockymountain]

Honestly...why not drop the damn brand new 3.6 Pentastar in it?!?!? That would be SUCH a beast Jeep. The thing would get better mileage and FLY off the line compared to the Wranglers.

I think it's obvious. Chrysler doesn't drive their own vehicles. They're driving paper. They're just "going with the flow". How many of us Jeep owners "go by the flow"?

 

[dude1116]

I think it's obvious. Chrysler doesn't drive their own vehicles. They're driving paper. They're just "going with the flow". How many of us Jeep owners "go by the flow"?

They're just penny pinching if you ask me. If they invest in a little bit of smart engineering, then they wouldn't be the BOTTOM American automobile company list right now.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Jeep has (as of recent history) typically has their vehicles run for 6 or so model years.

XJ: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 (Considering the considerable amount of changes for the 1997 model year, earlier years don't count...)
KJ: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
KK: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (Cut short, model year 2013 skipped, replacement coming, KL, a year sooner than expected due to the time it will take to retool the assembly plant for new models)
ZJ: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
WJ: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
WK: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
2011 WK: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
MK: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
XK: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (Was actually just a very expensive experiment to see if two different vehicles could be built on the same assembly line...)

 

[dude1116]

Jeep has (as of recent history) typically has their vehicles run for 6 or so model years.

XJ: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 (Considering the considerable amount of changes for the 1997 model year, earlier years don't count...)
KJ: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
KK: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (Cut short, model year 2013 skipped, replacement coming, KL, a year sooner than expected due to the time it will take to retool the assembly plant for new models)
ZJ: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
WJ: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
WK: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
2011 WK: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
MK: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
XK: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (Was actually just a very expensive experiment to see if two different vehicles could be built on the same assembly line...)

Hmm never noticed it. But I haven't heard or seen ANYTHING on a KL. What's your source?

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Hmm never noticed it. But I haven't heard or seen ANYTHING on a KL. What's your source?

Look at my signature. Plus, it's all over the Interwebs!

2014 Jeep Liberty Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver

Look at the coded sticker on the rear window. But I must warn you, this is just a mule and in no way, shape or form looks like the finished product.

 

[dude1116]

Look at my signature. Plus, it's all over the Interwebs!

2014 Jeep Liberty Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver

Look at the coded sticker on the rear window. But I must warn you, this is just a mule and in no way, shape or form looks like the finished product.

I feel like they're just taking a pretty off-road capable vehicle and making it less off road capable. Again. The new engine will probably be highly beneficial, but why do they need to lose the solid axle? I hope they have a similar 4x4 setup for it. Is that also a smaller platform? I also hope they keep a higher ground clearance.

I'm also not ssure if the 9-speed transmission is impressive or just extreme overkill...

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Sign of the times. You compete with what else is out there.

You want to offroad?

Get a Wrangler.

 

[dude1116]

Sign of the times. You compete with what else is out there.

You want to offroad?

Get a Wrangler.

True fact. Can't wait til my budget can afford one...after I get my WRX STI. :happy175:

 

[Strike]

hmmm

Even though I agree "get a wrangler" would be the best solution to having an off-road Jeep vehicle, especially since this is the Jeep KJ forum, he is complaining about the Jeep Liberty not being an off-road vehicle any more.

I like the look and the form of the KJ and I wish that new Liberties would also go back to being more of an off-road vehicle and let the Compass and Patriot goto the car-like form.

I didn't know there was :badger_1: in the smilies thats awesome.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Bleeeeeech... I guess a Wrangler is my only good option if I want to stay with Jeep beyond the life of my KJ.

 

[surfRenegade]

From a buyers perspective the KJ fit into a spot were I dont really see many or any other vehicles fitting in to. It is smaller than the 4door wrangler, bigger than the 2 door. Its not as off road oriented, so it feels better on road. But it still has good off road abilities so its better than the competition from other companies that offer a comperable sized suv like a rav4 or a crv or something...i actually dont know what competition there really was for the kj...i guess the biggest was the ford escape?