1st Drive in the Diesel Jeep

In addition to some cosmetic changes, inside and out, the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee will now offer a diesel engine in the Laredo, Limited and Overland trim levels. Models with the diesel engine will be badged CRD for common-rail diesel. Additionally, the 4.7-liter V-8 gasoline engine will now be flex-fuel, capable of running on E85 or gas.



When I drove the Grand Cherokee CRD around DaimlerChrysler's proving grounds in Chelsea, Mich., it delivered as promised. It's ridiculously gutsy from a standing start, even with the relatively heavy Quadra-Drive II four-wheel drive underfoot. It's no surprise, because the engine puts out 376 pounds-feet of torque at 1,600-2,800 rpm, as well as 215 horsepower at 3,800 rpm. What makes this engine stand out, though, is how quiet and smooth it is. It's definitely the most refined diesel engine I've ever driven in a car — or light truck, as the case may be.

Read the rest here.