The name is instantly recognizable as a very capable and versatile mid-size SUV. Powered by an old in-line six cylinder engine, the Cherokee was typical of the ‘80s and ‘90s SUV, with fuel economy ranking low in the list of priorities.

For 2014, Jeep brings the Cherokee name back to North America with the debut of its all-new mid-size sport-utility vehicle.

Said new Cherokee will replace the Liberty in Jeep’s lineup.

Set to debut at the New York International Auto Show in March, the all-new, “no-compromise” 2014 Jeep Cherokee is said by Jeep to set a new standard with even more best-in-class capability, exemplary on-road driving dynamics, and fuel economy improvements of more than 45 percent versus the outgoing mid-size SUV model.

The all-new 2014 Jeep Cherokee will be built in the United States at Chrysler Group’s Toledo Assembly Plant in Toledo, Ohio.

This new Cherokee is slated to arrive in dealer showrooms in the third quarter of this year.

As usual with such pre-show announcements, we will keep you updated when more details are released by the manufacturer.

Diesel or small Fiat engine under the hood? All bets are on.

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The Fiat 500e “Into the Green” program, which was launched this past November with the objective to build awareness for the first fully electric Fiat 500, is ready to take the stage in 2013 during the week leading to “The Oscars.”

The Fiat brand sponsors two “Into the Green” events, one was Thursday, Feb. 21 in partnership with Vanity Fair and one on Saturday, Feb. 23 in partnership with the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF), which is the beneficiary of the “Into the Green” program.

“The Fiat 500e is not only environmentally friendly, but also socially responsible,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FIAT Brand North America. “The Into the Green Initiative provides a great opportunity for us to work with the MPTF to support the entertainment community while celebrating the arrival of the first all-electric vehicle for the FIAT brand.”

Fiat said that at each exclusive Fiat 500e “Into the Green” event, a celebrity is assigned a 2013 Fiat 500e, which will be delivered in April 2013 in conjunction with the vehicle’s launch in the United States. The celebrity will then drive the Fiat 500e for a period of time before it is auctioned off at a special event to benefit the MPTF.

“Into the Green” programs have been held in past exclusive red carpet events, including the 2012 American Music Awards Pre-Show, the Geffen MOCA Fiat 500e vehicle launch and the 2012 Golden Globes viewing and after party.

The 2013 500e builds on the Fiat brand’s small-car formula, while adding an all-new, battery-electric powertrain that produces 111 horsepower (83 kw).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rated the Fiat 500e’s highway-cycle performance at 108 MPGe, 116-MPGe combined and 122 MPGe city.

The all-new 2013 Fiat 500e will be available in California during the second quarter of 2013.

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The recent success of compact models like the Hyundai Elantra and Chevy Cruze have shown that the American public is again demanding better gas mileage, and with a wider range of fuel-efficient hybrid, electric, compact and subcompact models than ever before, carmakers were finally prepared for it this time. But according to the GfK study, buyers were much more keen on compacts than the other fuel-saving alternatives—particularly subcompacts like the Honda Fit, Chevy Aveo and Toyota Yaris, whose sales declined or remained flat in the face of high gas prices.

“Consumers are discovering that newer compact cars offer the comfort features before only reserved to larger cars, combined with the fuel economy that was only available in much smaller cars,” said Doug Scott, a senior vice president at GfK in a press release. “However, while consumers are looking at smaller vehicles due to high gas prices, they aren’t willing to go all the way down to a subcompact car.”

Meanwhile, word broke Friday that Chrysler has signed off on production plans for a new Dodge-branded compact that it will sell here in the United States, most likely for the 2013 model year. The car will be based on parent company FIAT’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a stylish and well-received 5-door hatchback that debuted in Europe in 2010.

The gas-powered compact will help FIAT unlock an additional ownership stake in Chrysler from the federal government following the carmaker’s descent into bankruptcy in 2009. According to the terms of the purchase agreement, the new Chrysler must release a vehicle achieving at least 40 mpg in fuel economy before FIAT can claim the final 5 percent stake. With a rebranded Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the company hopes to do just that.

The post Consumers and Carmakers Still Look to Gas-Powered Compacts First for Fuel Savings appeared first on HybridCars.com.

After a 27-year absence in the U.S., the red FIAT badge is returning, attached to the front and rear of the 2012 FIAT 500 — “Cinquecento” if you’re Italian. The four-passenger, three-door hatchback 500 is the first vehicle from the FIAT and Chrysler partnership. Available in three models, Pop, Sport and Lounge, the diminutive two-door hatchback goes on sale in January across the country.

The 500 arrives on our shores with some steam behind it. The Italian automaker has sold more than 500,000 500s in 80 countries since it went on sale in July of 2007, the 50th anniversary of the car’s debut in 1957.

Power comes courtesy of FIAT’s 1.4-liter in-line four-cylinder engine that uses MultiAir technology. Developed and patented by FIAT, MultiAir powerplants control the intake valves with a hydraulic fluid, continuously varying valve lift and duration. The result is reduced emissions while increasing power and improving fuel economy compared to similar engines. Fuel economy ratings by the EPA are 30 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway when equipped with the five-speed manual transmission, 27/34 mpg with the six-speed automatic.

No Hybrid or EV, For Now

That’s not bad, but pales compared to rumors that the company is working on a version of the FIAT 500 that combines a hybrid system, a smaller TwinAir 900cc two-cylinder engine, FIAT’s dual clutch transmission—and maybe even plug-in capability—to give 100 miles a gallon. In early December, Chrysler and FIAT executives dashed hopes of anything remotely resembling that blend of gas and electric technologies. Instead, Constantinos Vafidis, who oversees transmission and hybrid development at FIAT’s research center in Turin, curiously told Automotive News that compressed natural gas is better green strategy for the United States.

Who knows how this relates to the March 2010 Chrysler press release, in which the company announces that an all-electric version, the FIAT 500 EV, will be produced for the United States in 2012?

Full of Personality

What the conventional FIAT 500 lacks in groundbreaking electric drive technology, it makes up—at least to some degree—with its stylish Italian persona.

FIAT officially unveiled the U.S. version of the conventional 2012 FIAT 500 at the 2010 LA Auto Show. It was the first time that FIAT has held a press conference in Los Angeles since the early 1980s. Against a background of a blown-up photo of herself as a child standing on her Italian grandparents’ original 500, Laura Soave, head of FIAT Brand North America, said, “The new FIAT 500 now brings something truly unique to one of the fastest growing segments in North America, delivering Italian-by-design function, value and efficiency intelligently tailored for our market.”

The 500’s rounded egg-like body and bug-eye headlights are true to the spirit and look of the original, but fully modern in its execution. Sitting low to the ground, the body is given real road presence by the wheel-at-each-corner stance.

A playful interior is full of personality and neat features. Standard on both the 500 Sport and Lounge models is FIAT’s Blue & Me voice-activated Bluetooth technology developed with Microsoft. It is MP3 and iPod-compatible with a USB port and integrated steering wheel controls. The system works seamlessly with an optional TomTom portable navigation device that docks on top of the instrument panel.

The 500’s small exterior size—two feet longer than a Smart ForTwo and six inches shorter than a Mini—does not translate to the interior for the driver and front passenger. Front-seat headroom will handle nearly anyone short of Shaquille O’Neal, and seats are nicely shaped and padded. Those consigned to rear, however, won’t find the same comfort. It is possible to shoehorn two adults into this space, but only with considerable cooperation from those up front.

While the engine’s output of 101 horsepower and 98 lbs.-ft. of torque sounds a little anemic, the curb weight is only about 2,400 pounds. Power is directed to the front wheels via a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Personalization

Surprisingly, the $15,500 entry-level Pop is equipped with a notable list of standard features: air conditioning, tilt steering column, keyless entry, power windows and door locks and an AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 input jack. Safety gear for all models includes seven airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability and traction control.

Stickered at $17,500, the Sport offers a retuned suspension and exhaust system, 16-inch tires and alloy wheels, red brake calipers, rear spoiler and interior upgrades such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The top-end Lounge, $19,500, delivers chrome exterior details, glass panel roof, six-speed automatic shifter and more.

FIAT marketing will be skewed towards Millennials, a generation known for its love of personalization. For that group, or anyone else who views cars as more than just basic transportation, a canvas is ready for individual touches. Beginning with 14 choices of exterior paint colors, there’s an arm-long list of customization accessories that totals more than a half a million combinations for owners to make a 500 their own.

Are the FIAT 500’s vintage charm, expected fun-to-drive characteristics, exceptional pricing and excellent fuel economy enough to win over U.S. car buyers? FIAT thinks so. “The modern version of the FIAT 500 is the symbol of true Italian design and is a perfect expression of what the world expects of Italian cars,” said Soave during the LA introduction. “The unique character of the Cinquecento, along with class-leading safety, fuel economy, quality and a focus to offer a unique experience to our customers, will help us to reestablish the FIAT brand in the North American market.”

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