2013 Chicago Auto Show: What to Expect

The Windy City is considered one of the fan-friendliest destinations during auto-show season, and to that end the 2013 Chicago Auto Show is unlikely to disappoint. This show will give visitors a first glimpse of a few new vehicles along with a closer look at a host of exciting cars that made flashy debuts at the Detroit auto show.

The 2013 Chicago show — the 105th time the event has been held since 1901, according to organizers — will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 9-17 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 18, with media and charity previews Feb. 7-8, at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive. Organizers promote the Chicago show as the largest in terms of exhibit space used, as it occupies 1 million square feet of floor space and hosts about 1,000 vehicles.

For those most interested in the latest thing, the Chicago show will host the world debuts of the redesigned 2014 Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck and the Kia Cross GT Concept. That's in addition to the North American reveal of the new Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. The 2014 Ram ProMaster van and the custom Superman-inspired Kia Optima Hybrid also are expected to be unveiled.

Most-Watched Videos of the Week

The 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week ushered in an almost entirely new crop of videos on our most-watched list, with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee shooting straight to No. 1. The second through fourth spots also were occupied by 2014 vehicles on display at the Detroit auto show. The lone holdover from last week was the 2013 BMW M5, which fell four spots to No. 5 from its previous perch atop the list. Check out the top video above and see which others were popular this week:

• 1. 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2. 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
• 3. 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
• 4. 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
• 5. 2013 BMW M5

Recall Alert: 2002-03 Jeep Liberty, 2002-04 Grand Cherokee

Chrysler is recalling 744,822 model-year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles and model-year 2002-04 Jeep Grand Cherokees due to a problem with the airbag-control module, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall affects Liberty vehicles manufactured between Jan. 9, 2001, and March 28, 2003, and Grand Cherokees manufactured from Feb. 13, 2001, through May 23, 2003. A component in the airbag module could fail, causing the front and side curtain airbags or the seat belt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated. This increases the risk of an injury.

Chrysler will notify owners in January, and dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag-control module at no cost. Owners can contact Chrysler at 800-247-9753 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Related
Research the Jeep Liberty
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Lapping Road America With Chrysler's Design Chief

Ralph Gilles tapped the drivetrain's Sport button and held down an adjacent key to deactivate the electronic stability system. We were in a 470-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT8 — Gilles at the wheel, me riding shotgun — about to hug the best four miles of asphalt anywhere in the Midwest: Wisconsin's Road America racetrack.

"Now we're in full 'oh s—t' mode," Gilles smiled.

I figured Chrysler's chief designer could careen around a racetrack in his own cars any way he liked, and it seemed like a good way to pass time after the 20-year company veteran spoke to journalists at the Midwest Automotive Media Association's Spring Rally last week. Careen we did, nearing 140 mph down the half-mile Kettle Bottoms, between the 11th and 12th of Road America's 14 turns. Gilles is a better track driver than me, but that's not saying much: My apexes are messy, my drifts fleeting. Any weekend enthusiast would show me taillights.

Gilles has also navigated Chrysler's own twists and turns. The 42-year-old designer jokes of still having nightmares of former CEO Bob Nardelli, whose tenure lasted all of 21 months, and he calls his current boss, Sergio Marchionne, a "globally minded" car guy. Gilles has led the automaker's design for three years, overseeing cars from the Dodge Dart to the SRT Viper. A year ago, Marchionne appointed Gilles the CEO of Chrysler's SRT performance brand.

Jeep Adds Limited-Edition 'Altitude' Models to Lineup

The blacked-out, menacing-looking Jeep Grand Cherokee that debuted at the Houston Auto Show earlier this year now has a name, as well as a few new siblings. Jeep launched the “Name My Ride” contest to christen the production-intent model and picked “Altitude” from more than 100,000 entries.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude -- with its black-gloss 20-inch aluminum wheels, platinum-chrome front-end trim and mesh grille, black headlamp bezels and black liftgate light bar -- will be joined in showrooms by Altitude versions of Jeep’s Compass and Patriot.

Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week

This week, the three-month reign of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the top of our most-read reviews list is over. It’s been usurped by the 2011 Honda Odyssey, which goes on sale later this month. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta review joins our chart at No. 3, displacing the 2010 Subaru Forester (No. 4). This week’s new entries kicked off the 2011 Honda CR-Z and 2010 Honda CR-V from the Top 10.

1.   2011 Honda Odyssey 
2.   2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 
3.   2011 Volkswagen Jetta 
4.   2010 Subaru Forester 
5.   2011 Chevrolet Cruze 
6.   2011 Hyundai Sonata 
7.   2010 Subaru Outback 
8.   2011 Subaru WRX STi 
9.   2011 Ford Mustang 
10. 2011 Kia Sorento

GM and Chrysler SUVs: More of the Same?

With all eyes on ailing GM and Chrysler, their main debuts at the New York International Auto Show may have offered some hints about their futures. Chrysler president Jim Press spoke in New York of “the new Chrysler,” but amid the politicized tangle of shotgun mergers and bankruptcy speculation, both Chrysler and GM chose to unveil more SUVs. Both companies have long been criticized for their truck-heavy lineups, something that left them in the bottom tier of major automakers in Cars.com’s True Mileage Index. Are models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and GMC Terrain  going to help either company get moving in the right direction?

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Video

Kelsey Mays had to battle overly eager VIPs to get this video shot at the New York auto show. He still manages to get plenty of quality time with the new SUV and tests out seat room and comfort, as well as some ergonomics and capabilities. One note: The mileage figures shown combine all trim levels with front- and all- or four-wheel drive. They are not simply combined EPA figures. Also, the new Grand Cherokee out-tows the competition when equipped with a V-8 engine, but it’s rated at the same towing capacity as the others with the V-6.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Up Close

Jeep just unveiled the next-generation Grand Cherokee, which was summarily mobbed by journalists eager to see if Chrysler’s product pipeline is something to write home about. I dinked around inside and checked out the cargo area. The short verdict: The Grand Cherokee is promising, and if Chrysler can seal a deal with Fiat, Jeep enthusiasts have reason for optimism. Does the larger buying public need another 18- or 19-mpg SUV when there are competing crossovers that do 10% or 15% better? I doubt it.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at 2009 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Chevy Equinox
• Looks like: A sleek, sophisticated SUV — but not a Jeep
• Drivetrain: 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 or 360-hp, 5.7-liter V-8 with five-speed automatic; two- or four-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: 2010

Chrysler is on the brink of doing anything from filing for bankruptcy to completely collapsing as a business. Its business happens to be building cars, trucks and SUVs, and the Jeep brand has been especially good at designing SUVs that its loyal fans enjoy. With the 2011 Grand Cherokee’s urban style and revised unibody platform, the brand may be straying too far from what made it what it is to Jeep loyalists.

The style is quite sophisticated and can hold its own with the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano in the looks department. However, while it looks slick, we can’t help but wonder what Jeep fans are thinking right now. Is this an SUV that screams Jeep?

The new unibody construction likely means a much better ride on the road than the old Grand Cherokee. It’s based on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, after all. We’d assume the Grand Cherokee will still pass the Rubicon Trail test and be “trail rated,” but questions will remain. We give Jeep credit for introducing the very off-road friendly Wrangler Unlimited four-door a few years back, which allows the Grand Cherokee to be more of a soft-roader. There's a new suspension system the company promises will make it off-road capable with adjustable settings, but it's clearly aimed at general car shoppers.

How does it do on this front? Not so good -- at least on paper. The 2011 Grand Cherokee will get a much more powerful V-6 base engine putting out 280 hp, compared with the outgoing model’s 210 hp, while getting slightly better mileage: 16/23 mpg city/highway, up from 16/21 for the two-wheel-drive model. Its power bests the Edge and Murano by 15 hp, but the competition's mileage is better, at 17/24 and 18/23 mpg, respectively.

New CAFE standards go into effect for the 2011 model year, and we’re wondering if a company without one 31-plus mpg model in its lineup can afford not to get better mileage in a base model. A Hemi V-8 will also be available, making 360 hp and 390 pounds-feet of torque. Mileage is 14/20 mpg for two-wheel-drive V-8 models.

Three trim levels will be available at launch: the base Laredo and mid-level Laredo can be had with either engine, while the top Overland trim only comes with the Hemi V-8.

The numbers paint a bleak picture for what otherwise looks like a pretty nice SUV. The interior certainly seems like a big improvement, and there are many creature comforts that we’re seeing in other top models.

Bi-xenon headlights come standard on Limited and Overland trims, while options include a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, and adjustable headlights that adjust to meet outdoor conditions. Safety options like blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic detection systems, adaptive cruise control and a forward collision system are all available.

We’ll have more in-person impressions later this morning. There are more photos below you can check out now.