Engine and Drivetrain Choices
167-hp (165 hp for PZEV)†, 2.5L 4-cylinder engine with a choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed Sport automatic transmission

Fuel Efficiency
- 20/28 mpg (MT)
- 22/29 mpg (AT)

Available Features
Available dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, 265-watt Bose® audio, Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio capability**, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start System and compact navigation system

Safety Features
Standard safety features include advanced front air bags, front side-impact air bags, side-impact air curtains††, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)‡‡ and Traction Control System (TCS).

With all-new sheetmetal in ’10, Mazda’s top seller gets only minor changes this year. Within a clean, windswept body is a very modern interior, and the sharp chassis makes it a shopping-list requirement for buyers who like to drive. Its evil twin, the Mazdaspeed 3, remains a holy terror at 263 hp.

features

# 7.0 alloy wheels 17
# Audio system with AM/FM radio, CD player (reads MP3 format)
# Body-color front and rear bumpers
# Cigar lighter in front seats
# Cruise control
# Driver and passenger and passenger power ,body-color door mirrors
# Driver and passenger vanity mirror
# Floor mats
# Front 12V power outlet(s)
# Front and rear all-season 205 / 50 V-rated tires
# Front cup holders
# Front fog lights
# Front reading lights
# Front seat center armrest
# Halogen headlights with projector beam lenses
# Intermittent windshield wipers
# Leather-trimmed, tilt/ telescoping steering wheel
# Low tire pressure indicator
# Luxury trim: alloy & leather on shifter, alloy-look and alloy-look
# Main dashboard display
# Mica paint
# Outside air temperature indicator
# Overhead consoles
# Power windows, express driver and passenger, power windows,
# Premium cloth upholstery
# Rear seat center armrest
# Rear view mirror
# Rear window defroster
# Roof antenna
# Roof spoiler
# Seating: five passengers
# Service interval indicator
# Six speakers
# Space-saver spare tire with steel rim
# Sports driver seat, sports front passenger seat:
# Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
# Tachometer
# Transmission: manual with floor shifter
# Trip computer: includes average speed, average fuel economy, current fuel economy and range for remaining fuel
# Vehicle speed-proportional power steering
# Ventilation system with micro filter

The 2012 Grand Cherokee Laredo model is equipped with 17 inch tires, a power driver seat, a tilting steering wheel, air conditioning, a computer, a music system with a CD player and a satellite radio. The Grand Cherokee is equipped with a sunroof, leather seats, remote start, its both row of seats are heated, pedals that can be adjusted and a music system which is equipped with a CD/DVD player located in the dashboard and Boston Acoustics speakers. The Grand Cherokee Overland is equipped with 18 inch tires, HID headlights, seats made of better superiority leather, Bluetooth connectivity and music cum navigation system that is MyGIG hard drive based. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is equipped with 20 inch tires, and sports tuned suspension.

Some details and spy photo of 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been revealed. Which reveal a few details of 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 model.By far the most interesting news we got concerning the 2012 Cherokee SRT8 model is it will equip 6.4 liter HEMI V8 which can generate approx 510 horse power and 8 speed automatic transmission. When torque is concerned then it provides 510 foot pound torque. However, things are officially not confirmed.

We may see radical 6.4 liter HEMI V8 motor in other Chrysler SRT8 Models like 2011 Dodge charger or 2011 Dodge Challenger, which might release at the end of this year or beginning of next year. There might be opportunity of no alteration for standard models of 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. So we might see 3.6L Pentastar V6 in those models and 5 speed automatic transmissions. Though, recent coalition between Fiat and Chrysler might result superior performances.

- Snow tires (also called as winter tires) have tread patters specifically designed to dig down and bite into snow and ice, in addition they are made from softer rubber compounds to facilitate maintain their versatility in cold weather, permitting the tire to improve conform to the surface of the road. (Normal tires tend to get rigid and weak in freezing temperatures.) As a result, winter tires maintain a superior grip on snowy and frozen surfaces than normal all-season or summer time tires. Grip is vital , not just to avoid getting stuck, but to ensure that the vehicle can stop and steer. Life-saving safety technologies such as antilock brakes, electronic stability control and all-wheel-drive are not able to do their jobs if the tires cannot  preserve their grip on the road surface.
My vehicle has all-season tires. Aren’t those good enough?

-All-season (also known as all-weather) tires are designed to handle with all sorts of circumstances, including waterless roads and rain, but are usually not optimized for anyone circumstance. They are generally created from harder materials that do not conform to the road surface also in low temperatures. Imagine of all-season tires as shoes and snow tires as heavy-duty snow boots. It is possible to walk down a snowy, icy sidewalk wearing shoes , although it is a lot easier and safer to do it with proper snow boots.

Can I put snow tires on just the drive wheels of my car?

-Placing just two snow tires on your car is a bad idea. If you own a front-wheel-drive vehicle and put snow tires on the front merely, the rear wheels won’t have anywhere close as much grip as the front wheels. This can make the vehicle a lot more possible to spin out while braking or cornering. Also, if you put snow tires on the just back wheels of a rear-wheel-drive car, the wheels that do the steering won’t grip as well as those that supply the control, so the vehicle might not react when the steering wheel is turned , it will simply turn over straight ahead. Always install snow tires such as a complete set of four.

Can I leave my snow tires on all year?

- You can, however it’s not a good idea. Snow tires tend to be noisier, plus the softer compounds from which they’re made means they may wear out faster, particularly in warm weather. Wear is vital, because winter tires rely on their deep tread to dig into snow and ice. As soon as the snow is gone for good, remove your snow tires and reinstall your regular tires. The good news: Since you are savoir-faire sufficient to use snow tires, you do not need to stick with the all-season tires that came with your vehicle for the rest of the year , it is possible to choose a “summer” tire that will offer better managing, superior traction in the rain, or a smoother, quieter trip.

Demounting one set of tires and mounting another in the beginning and end of winter is a agony. Is there an simpler method?

- Yes! Buy an spare set of wheels from a salvage yard and use those for your snow tires. The wheels don’t have to be the very same design, so long as they are the similar diameter and have the same bolt pattern as your car’s initial wheels. If you have purchased aftermarket wheels, maintain the stock wheels and make use of those for your snow tires. Like that, once it comes time to change from summer tires to snow tires, all you have to do is have the wheels changed , a fast and cheap task

The standard engine is the 290 horsepower Pentastar V6, said to be smoother than competitors from Toyota, Honda, and GM. It has variable cam timing for better gas mileage, and in fact gets just 1 mile per gallon less than the diesel-powered Mercedes ML350.

The Hemi is optional across all models, and may be pushed by Chrysler while V6 production ramps up. Europeans will use a 2.8 liter VM Motori diesel at 195 hp, as well as the Pentastar gasser, according to “mrmopar;” both will use the W5A580, not the 545RFE.
An extended-wheelbase version (around half a foot longer in wheelbase), the Dodge Durango, is known to be on its way.

The independent front and rear suspension have isolated cradles. Variable-rate rear springs improve on-road handling and comfort, and the spare tire is stored inside as opposed to underneath. Torsional rigidity has been increased 146%.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, with a new, upscale interior, advanced four wheel drive system, 290-horsepower Pentastar V6, five-speed automatic, numerous standard features, and towing capability, will start with a U.S. list price of $32,995 including destination.

Give up the four wheel drive, and the price drops by $2,000 on the Lardeo, $2,500 on the Limited, and $3,500 on the Overland. Add a V8, and towing goes from 5,000 to 7,400 lb (when properly equipped). A diesel will be made for export.

Dealer invoices are close to the list prices (excluding holdbacks), so there’s not much negotiating room. A Grand Cherokee Laredo, the well equipped base model, is listed at $32,995 with no options; the dealer cost is $31,402, with a $966 dealer holdback. The Friends & Family Program drops that down to $31,088. The 4×4 runs $32,995 list — $31,402 invoice.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4×4 is listed at $39,600; the dealer invoice price is $37,402. The Hemi V8 engine adds $1,495 list, $1,331 invoice; aluminum painted wheels run to $1,095 (list), the hard drive/navigation system stereo adds $750; and the trailer towing package adds $695. Dealer invoice for options varies quite a bit, with a hefty profit on some options but a narrow profit on most.

Why buy a hybrid vehicle? HEV or Hybrid Electric Vehicle is a car that gains its power supply from two sources, an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Although its drivetrain is a lot different from a conventional fuel powered vehicle, it is a lot better than the typical car. Go for a hybrid for these simple reasons:

1. Lifetime savings on fuel. Yes, hybrids are couple of dollars above their gas guzzler counterparts but let’s imagine gasoline prices two to three years from now. The average price of gasoline per gallon has reached $3 lately and we will expect more hovering to come. That price difference will hurt just now, but your savings on fuel will be as long as you are driving this vehicle that needs lesser fuel because it can also run using electricity supplied by its electric motor from the battery.
2. You will be a help to mother earth. Have you heard of global warming, greenhouse effect and climate changes? These are all environmental phenomenon due to warmer climate as the atmosphere is depleted by harmful gases emitted from cars, homes and factories. 1/3 of the world’s emissions are from automobiles so when people are driving cars with lesser emissions, there will also be fewer pollutants, and thus damage to the earth’s atmosphere is also lessened.
3. You can get some cash back. Via the IRS’s Clean Fuel Vehicle Tax Deduction, hybrid vehicle owners get some cash back from their federal tax bill. The American government is giving away incentives and rebates to consumers that drive green cars.
4. Hybrids have higher resale values. According to reports, hybrids are climbing the ladder with higher resale prices. In fact, the Toyota Prius is at the top. So in case you want to sell your hybrid car, it won’t hurt that much.
5. You are helping the country reduce its dependency on imported oil. The United States is one of the world’s biggest fuel consumers and it can’t provide all the oil needed by its people. Oil is therefore bought from other countries, majorly from the Middle East.
6. Giving your support to future and better modes of transportation. The hybrid car technology is said to be a step ahead towards the development of better ways to travel. As sales of hybrid cars increases, the automakers will delve more in discovering better cars.
7. People will think you are cooler than you really are. Drivers of green cars are also called smart car drivers, fuel efficient drivers, and friendly drivers.

A major gas and hybrid issue is price. Although most hybrids are smaller than the usual vehicles, they are pricier. Brand new gas sedans are priced from $14,000 onwards while the hybrid sedans start from $19,000. The famous Toyota Prius hybrid is sold at $22,000, but promises a fuel efficiency rating of 50 mpg. The hybrids’ response to their price drawbacks is their fuel efficiency rating. It may take a couple of years for hybrid owners to recover what they invested in their gas and battery powered automobile, but after those time, they will enjoy the benefits of less gasoline station visits and less expenditure on gasoline. Gasoline prices are spiking to $3 per gallon these days and with its unstable trend, it is safe to predict that there will be more price hovering to come.

Going green had been an environmental campaign for hybrids as they produce fewer emissions than gas powered cars. Gasoline when burned, produce by products that contribute to the worsening greenhouse effect. Compared to these gas guzzlers, hybrid vehicles emit 80% less of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and other particulate matters. For a cleaner earth, the American government is becoming more stringent on emission legality. Among all states, California has notably the most laws on auto emissions.

Hybrids are usually small than their gas-only counterparts. The Honda Insight and Toyota Prius are mid-sized sedans, a diversion from the previously loved big and bulky American cars. Sensitive to their market, American automakers are trying to solve this trouble by introducing big and bulky hybrid vehicles like the Ford Escape, Ford Edge Chevrolet Silverado and Chevrolet Tahoe. Also because the hybrid automotive market is dominated by the Japanese makers, significantly Toyota, the American automakers would also want to keep up. In fact, President Obama recently announced a $2.4 billion investment on the development of American plug-in cars and batteries.

Lower Ball joints play a crucial role for controlling an automobile’s steering. Do not mix up red end bearings with lower ball joints because both helps in motion control applications of an automobile. Though many times the failure of lower ball joints is also perplexed with brakes fault but a sudden struck can wake you up with the fact that you really need to change lower ball joints of your car. A Lower ball joint lies in the middle of steering knuckle and lower control arm of your automobile/car.

How to Change lower ball joints of your automobile/car in an emergency?

Replacing or changing lower ball joints of your automobile or car is not that tough. You can manage it by self also during the time of emergency or sudden struck. Just follow the below steps carefully and specifically for replacing lower ball joints of your car.

Initially, disengage the lower-edge wire from the downbeat battery unit of your automobile. After that, study the manual guide of your automobile and raise the position of car with the help of your automobile jack stands. Now, take-off two bolts by removing brake caliper that links to your automobile’s steering knuckle. After maintaining the balance between the upper ball joint and control arm, slowly remove the lower ball joint from the arms setting. Do place a piece of rod or wood for balancing the ball joints while removing them. For changing or replacing a new lower ball joint into your automobile, just take help of the ball joint installation instrument.

Remember that: Lower ball joints need regular and scheduled lubrication for a smooth working. Along with it, you also need to take care about the proper functioning of your steering knuckle. Lower ball joints are always moving the wheel or tire of your automobile as per the driver’s desired angel but if they are not maintained properly, they can smack your car’s direction to a disaster proving angel. Thus, provide proper lubrication and change lower ball joints before its too late.

If you’re running short of lower ball joints instrument and arms, then you are able to contact your nearest automobile screw center for buying a new tool kit. Online stores are also offering lower ball joints tools and kits at a reasonable rate as per your car models. Always keep an emergency ball joints kit and car’s manual guide in your car’s desk for your safety. Don’t operate any your automobile until you read the manual guide properly. Lifting a vehicle is a difficult and risky job; therefore study each tip carefully before replacing or changing lower ball joints of your car.

But here’s a newsflash: In the realm of safety recalls, nothing is minor. According to Rae Tyson, spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency that issues automotive recalls, every recall has a serious safety implication. “A defect exists that is a safety issue and it needs to be corrected,” Tyson says. “There are some worse than others, yes, but in some way they all have potential to lead to injury or death.”

A Cautionary Tale

In 1996, Ford issued a recall on the cruise control switch in models throughout its line-up The recall affected about 16 million vehicles and became one of the largest vehicle safety recalls on record. Though Ford sent out notification letters, relatively few people actually took their cars in to be fixed right away. NHTSA’s Tyson speculates that owners probably read that the recall affected the cruise control and assumed it wasn’t a big deal because their cruise control was working just fine.

But a little more attention to detail would reveal that the recall was quite serious. “The problem was manifesting itself after the vehicle was shut off and parked,” Tyson explains. “The defect caused the vehicle to catch fire.” As a result, some owners’ cars caught fire in their garages in the middle of the night and subsequently led to their houses catching fire.

Today, attorneys are still advertising for potential clients who where injured or lost personal property due to the fires. According to the law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP, “NHTSA has reported receiving 1,472 complaints connected to the defect, including 65 fires.”

The moral of the story is clear: There are no small or insignificant safety recalls. “What seems to be really innocent and innocuous can turn out to be a real tragedy,” Tyson says. “And that’s why people need to respond to a recall notice and take their car in to get fixed right away.”

Recall Apathy

In fact, according to Tyson, recall completion rates show car owners are quite apathetic when it comes to responding to recalls. In some cases, the rates of completing the recall repairs are only 20 to 40 percent.

The only outstanding success (completion-wise) was the Firestone tire recall of 2001, which became one of the most tragic recall-related events. In that case, a design flaw causing tread separations in specific Firestone tires led to more than 174 deaths and 700 injuries. The tragedy of the situation led to so much publicity that drivers couldn’t ignore the recall and most of them took their tires in to be replaced.

Recall Trends

So, how can you avoid a safety recall? The answer is simple: You can’t. There’s really no rhyme or reason to vehicle recalls. Since millions of cars are built each year, something, no matter how minor or major, will probably go wrong at some point.

In 2008, NHTSA logged 684 vehicle recalls affecting more than 10 million vehicles. That number is the highest on record, although the number has hovered around that point for several years. In 2007, 587 recalls were filed (by contrast, only 58 vehicle recalls were filed when record-keeping began in 1966). The number of vehicles affected for each recall also varies. Some recalls only involve a few hundred cars, while others, like the Ford cruise control switch, may involve millions.

There’s no trend regarding manufacturers or models, either. Naturally, the larger manufacturers report the most recalls, since they make more vehicles than smaller manufacturers. In 2008, Ford Motor Company reported 11 recalls affecting 1,604,819 vehicles. By contrast, Hyundai Motor Company, a much smaller automaker, reported three recalls affecting 293,910 vehicles.

Note that recalls have nothing to do with quality. Manufacturers with good quality ratings are affected by recalls just as often as those with poor quality ratings. Even expensive exotics have safety recalls. Bentley Motors LTD reported three recalls affecting more than 13,000 vehicles in 2008, while Ferrari North America Inc. reported one recall affecting 366 vehicles.

If A Recall Happens to You

You’ve received a recall notification in the mail. Now what? First, make sure to read the letter carefully. According to NHTSA, each letter must contain the following: A description of the defect; a note about the risk or hazard posed, including warning signs; a description of the free repair, including when it’s available and how long it will take; and a description of what you can do if you’re unable to have the problem corrected within a reasonable time and without charge.

Your next step is to take the car in to be repaired, following the instructions in the letter, as soon as possible. If you’re confused or need more information, you can always call NHTSA toll-free at (888)DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Better yet, don’t even wait until you get a letter in the mail — where it could get lost or mistaken for junk mail. You can routinely check to see if there are recalls on your car using NHTSA’s online Recall Search, which allows you to search by year, make and model.