[aldo90731]

Laugh it up! At least I never owned a FIAT !! hahaha...

Touché!

In my defense, my Fiat is actually...a Mazda in disguise.

PS - funny though, my Fiat 124 Spider is the only two-door car I have owned that clears parking stops and sidewalks without scraping the front air dam.

 

[DC-93]

my Fiat 124 Spider is the only two-door car I have owned that clears parking stops and sidewalks without scraping the front air dam.

Trail Rated perhaps?

 

[Zagnut27]

2wd is capable. Every trim level doesn't have to be the TOP OF THE LINE BEST IN CLASS ALL THE THINGs. That's what keeps them expensive. e.e

They didn’t say capable, they said 100% capable. What the heck does that even mean? A FWD vehicle may have some degree of capability, but it’s not on the same level as 4WD or even AWD. Pretending otherwise is foolish.

Exactly; and a lot of people, they really don't care - they need starter vehicles more than anything else in the lineup. Especially here.

If people don’t care, then why not make it a Chrysler or Dodge instead? Those brands would be better suited for a starter vehicle, certainly not Jeep which is supposed to be premium. I guess we’ve learned nothing from the failures of the recent soft-roaders.

I NEVER got stuck in my 1987, 2.2, 5 speed Dodge Omni in snow and icy conditions.
It was capable.

I can say the same about my old Escort, and my wife’s Encore. Neither of them should be the measuring stick for what it is to be a Jeep.

 

[suzq044]

What does that even mean...?

It can drive in the rain without stalling, it can drive over sidewalks and parking stops without getting stuck...?

Jeep's race to the bottom is never-ending.

Race to the bottom - a little dramatic? They literally need to get the cheap Jeeps back. Killing off the Cheapest model they had was the dumbest thing they could've done. 2wd models get Jeeps on Roads & believe it or not -MOST Jeep owners never go off pavement. So give them a vehicle that does really well in Snow (and it can be fwd) and they'll be golden. It's not about ACTUAL capability. It's about perception of capability. Marketing. Jeep is the off-road brand - but that doesn't mean every single one has to be the best of the best. That's a good way to kill the brand by narrowing the scope too much.

2wd Renegades sold, 2wd Wranglers sell, 2wd Rams sell. Don't act like it's so offensive to even have 2wd models. It's beyond stupid when they've always been 4wd-optional. Even back to when Jeep was Willys. The purists are what'll kill Jeep - and Dodge.

 

[suzq044]

If people don’t care, then why not make it a Chrysler or Dodge instead? Those brands would be better suited for a starter vehicle, certainly not Jeep which is supposed to be premium. I guess we’ve learned nothing from the failures of the recent soft-roaders.

They could - But they won't. Jeep has the international presence that Dodge & Chrysler don't. Why do you think the Airflow & rumored Stealth were canned in favor of the Wagoneer S?

 

[David S]

Race to the bottom - a little dramatic? They literally need to get the cheap Jeeps back. Killing off the Cheapest model they had was the dumbest thing they could've done. 2wd models get Jeeps on Roads & believe it or not -MOST Jeep owners never go off pavement. So give them a vehicle that does really well in Snow (and it can be fwd) and they'll be golden. It's not about ACTUAL capability. It's about perception of capability. Marketing. Jeep is the off-road brand - but that doesn't mean every single one has to be the best of the best. That's a good way to kill the brand by narrowing the scope too much.

2wd Renegades sold, 2wd Wranglers sell, 2wd Rams sell. Don't act like it's so offensive to even have 2wd models. It's beyond stupid when they've always been 4wd-optional. Even back to when Jeep was Willys. The purists are what'll kill Jeep - and Dodge.

Kiilling off the cheapest 2WD Jeep was smart. Not making a Dodge to replace it was stupid.

 

[suzq044]

Kiilling off the cheapest 2WD Jeep was smart. Not making a Dodge to replace it was stupid.

I think I'll actually agree with that. It's a solid way to use the brands in an intelligent way. So long as we don't end up with another Hornet. (bumper-engineered bullsh*t)

 

[Dave Z]

FWIW, I did the conversions from metric to US and tried to extract the info while leaving the BS.

Jeep Compass’ Euroversion unveiled

the 360° protection baffled me at first.

 

[Zagnut27]

They could - But they won't. Jeep has the international presence that Dodge & Chrysler don't. Why do you think the Airflow & rumored Stealth were canned in favor of the Wagoneer S?

That just proves that customers do care, they want a Jeep. However, what they’re getting is that starter car, only with Jeep styling and inflated pricing without the level of capability to go with it.

 

[Dave Z]

100% capable is a meaningless statement.
What I would want... is a test drive over at Chelsea or some similar course. That convinced me that the Renegade and Compass had “Jeep bodies.” The Renegade impressed me with the punishment it could take, though I came to the conclusion that I'd want a winch as well. (The guide suggested just flooring it up the hill and letting the auto systems do the rest, and that worked on the one steep grade.)

 

[DC-93]

DC-93 said:
I NEVER got stuck in my 1987, 2.2, 5 speed Dodge Omni in snow and icy conditions.
It was capable.

I can say the same about my old Escort, and my wife’s Encore. Neither of them should be the measuring stick for what it is to be a Jeep.

I never said it was..... That's your statement.

 

[Dave Z]

We have somewhere here a story by suzq044 on crossing the desert with a Renegade.
I can't find it now. I did find these.

and a bit lamer -

 

[Zagnut27]

DC-93 said:
I NEVER got stuck in my 1987, 2.2, 5 speed Dodge Omni in snow and icy conditions.
It was capable.



I never said it was..... That's your statement.

Yes, you said it in regards to the capability level of 2wd Jeeps in this discussion.

 

[Cleffy]

New Jeep?

 

[Erik Latranyi]

New Jeep?
View attachment 111734

That is the new Fiat Spyder Jeep

 

[aldo90731]

Race to the bottom - a little dramatic? They literally need to get the cheap Jeeps back. Killing off the Cheapest model they had was the dumbest thing they could've done. 2wd models get Jeeps on Roads & believe it or not -MOST Jeep owners never go off pavement. So give them a vehicle that does really well in Snow (and it can be fwd) and they'll be golden. It's not about ACTUAL capability. It's about perception of capability. Marketing. Jeep is the off-road brand - but that doesn't mean every single one has to be the best of the best. That's a good way to kill the brand by narrowing the scope too much.

2wd Renegades sold, 2wd Wranglers sell, 2wd Rams sell. Don't act like it's so offensive to even have 2wd models.

This type of mindset is precisely what killed Plymouth, Chrysler, Dodge.

Without a reputation for quality, safety and value for money, selling 2WD Jeeps totally eliminates ANY reason to buy one. Especially when they depreciate like a rock and you get treated like dirt.

Seven-slot grilles and square fenders stopped being enough differentiation years ago.

 

[GasAxe]

Jeep built its reputation on its base vehicles being more off road capable than any other brand. I dare say customers EXPECT every Jeep to be more capable than any other comparable vehicle model, so base Compass should be more capable* than a base Escape or Tucson. Only shortsighted greed is keeping these uncompetitive models from being Dodges and Chrysler’s.

*cue the not all Jeeps should be rock crawlers false equivalency arguments.

 

[aldo90731]

If people don’t care, then why not make it a Chrysler or Dodge instead? Those brands would be better suited for a starter vehicle, certainly not Jeep which is supposed to be premium. I guess we’ve learned nothing from the failures of the recent soft-roaders.

Or a Peugeot, or a Citroen, or a Lancia! They all have a strong rally racing heritage in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Stellantis owns 14 brands but keeps obsessing with making a Jeep for everything; even crawling to the mall.

 

[Zagnut27]

New Jeep?
View attachment 111734

That is the new Fiat Spyder Jeep

It’s been done. At least, it’s been done as a Miata. I suggested this “mod” to @aldo90731 for his Spyder, but so far no go. I haven’t seen this particular vehicle in quite some time however….i think the suspension may have given up. lol.

Edit: awwww man, the pic is only showing up as a small blue square with a question mark in it.

 

[aldo90731]

The Spider is super fun on road. I wouldn't want to spoil that.