Is Fiat Killing the Jeep Spirit?

 

We all know how everyone feels about the new Cherokee. It's weird face doesn't look like a Jeep and it might not be worthy of the Cherokee name. We'll find out if that's true when I test it out. But the Cherokee is the least to worry about. More bad news comes along when we hear what Fiat has planned for the 2016 Wrangler, pictured above.

 

It does have the look of the old Jeep CJ's. It has no doors and a roof and windshield that come off. But the problem is what's being planned for underneath. The solid axles might be replaced with independent suspension to help improve fuel economy. Besides the suspension changes, the body will be made of mostly aluminum, which is fine for a road car, but if you take an aluminum car off-road, it will bend and eventually break. That's why Range Rovers are never good at off-roading.

 

Of course, some people think that this will allow for the off-road capabilities to improve. You can change the suspension settings for any type of terrain. The only downside is that since it'll be all computerized, you won't be able to do any customizing yourself.

 

The 2016 Wrangler is still years away from being released. We'll see if any other changes happen as the years progress.