The Fast Lane Car

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan vs Jeep Wrangler 0-60 MPH Off-Road Mashup Review

The 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan and the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon can both venture off-road into the Colorado Rockies.

But one of these vehicles is certainly more capable of taking on the rough stuff, and of course of these vehicles is better on the road, and of course one of these cars is faster 0-60.

So which one is the better, faster, on-road and off-road?

We put these two cars to the test in the 0-60 MPH Off-Road Mashup Review.

Check out this video review. You mighty be surprised by the results.

2012 Wrangler Unlimited review: A much needed upgrade to the iconic Jeep

Few things are more American than a bottle of Coca-Cola or a Jeep.

Jeep wisely decided to expand its line with the addition of its larger, more comfortable four-door Wrangler Unlimited in 2007. The two-door Wrangler model continued, but the Unlimited soon became—and is—the only Jeep for serious sustained road travel.

The Unlimited also became the first four-door convertible with a soft or removable hard top. It retained Jeep’s traditional features, which include a seven-slot grille and round headlights.

Video: 2012 Jeep Wrangler V-6 Pentastar tech demo

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler now has a proper 285 horse power V-6 Pentastar engine.

Instead of the old well worn in 3.8L engine, Jeep has updated the vehicle with the lighter aluminum V-6 Pentastar engine. In fact the new engine is not only more powerful, but also gets better gas mileage and weights 33 pound less than the old power-plant.

That all means that the four door Wrangler is now 3 seconds faster from 0 to 60 MPH. Instead of 11.4 seconds to reach 60 MPH the new Wrangler does it in 8.4 seconds.

It also means that the new Wrangler has more power and more importantly more torgue when the going gets rough.

In this video check preview the new 2012 Wrangler with the V-6 Pentastar engine Jeep with the engineer in charge of the Wrangler as he goes through technical demonstration of the new engines performance.

Video: 2011 versus 2012 Jeep Wrangler Drag Race

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler finally gets a significant boost in power with the introduction of the 3.6L Chrysler Pentastar engine that puts out 285 horse power.

The old 3.8L engine was only rated at 202 HP. So that obviously begs the question which Jeep Wrangler  is the faster...the 2011 or the 2012?

Check out this drag race video below to find out.

Video: 2012 Jeep Wrangler design secrets revealed

Did you know that there are three design Easter eggs hidden in the all new 2012 Jeep Wrangler?

In the video below video we walk around the new 2012 Wrangler with the V-6 Pentastar engine and the Jeep designer in charge of the Wrangler's interior to find all of the little known secret design quirks of the classic off-roader.

See if you can spot all three Easter Eggs hidden in the 2012 Jeep Wrangler.

2012 Jeep Wrangler Pentastar video review: a faster smoother more powerful classic

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler finally gets the new Chrysler Pentastar V-6 engine and 5 speed automatic or 6 speed manual transmission to not only compete in today's crowded Crossover and SUV segment, but rule the off-road world.

More power and more torque, better gas mileage, and the same base price.

What's not to like?

For 2012 the Wrangler with the new 285 HP Pentastar V-6 is has earned a 17/21 mpg city/highway rating from the EPA and it gets a combined 18 mpg city/highway.

The out-going Wrangler with the old 3.8-liter V-6 that was rated for 202 HP and came equipped with either a 4 speed automatic or a 5 speed manual transmission. For 2012 the Jeep Wrangler not only gets the new more powerful and lighter aluminum motor, but more gears making it now a completely modern off and on-road machine.

Check out our first drive video review of the 2012 Wrangler below.

Track Time video: The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 tears up the race track

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was not originally designed to be a track car...in fact far from it.

But for 2012 the Chrysler engineers at the SRT group took this very capable off-road car and transformed it into a sports car. So it is track worthy?

We recently had the chance to find out by flogging the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 at Willow Springs race track in California.

Top 10 reasons why the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a blessed thing

I used to not “get” the concept of road-going SUVs. Yes, I enjoyed driving the BMW X5 M on the track and thrilled at playing with a Ranger Rover Sport on mountain roads – but I still shrugged at the relevance of these types of vehicles. Surly, a lower-slung sports car would be a better platform – right?

Even the amusing original Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 made me question its relevance. I mean, this was an SUV that can’t tow due to its center exiting, dual exhaust. It was a bit flexi on corners. It wasn’t much more to me than a low SUV packing a V8 with all wheel drive that was slightly better at cornering.

Things have changed – halleluiah!

Here are 10 things that make the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee praise worthy of this review:

Video review: Is the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 road, track and Autobahn worthy?

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is capable of over 160 MPH.

It has a 465 HP HEMI 6.4L engine, massive Brembo brakes, all-wheel-drive, 20 inch wheels, and unlike the previous model of this top dog Jeep it can even tow your jet ski. In fact it can tow up to 5000 pounds.

The one thing the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is not however is Trail Rated. This fastest and most powerful of all Jeeps is more at home on the track than on the Rubicon Trail.

But just because it can carve corners doesn't mean that it is cool and comfortable on the highway or at much higher speeds on the autobahn worthy?

We recently had the chance to drive the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 on both the road and the track and we can report that it is certainly in a class all of its own.

Check out the first drive video review to see how the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 tackles both the track, road and highway.

Nathan's most excellent adventure at the 2011 Moab Easter Jeep Safari

Every year hundreds of lifted and customized Jeeps decent on Moab, Utah for the annual Easter Jeep Safari, and 2011 was no exception.

OK, perhaps one small exception.

We sent our man Nathan Adlen to Moab to go play in the dirt and dunes, and report back from this year's event without breaking any Jeeps.

So did Nathan break one of the specially built custom mopazied Wrangles that Jeep brought out to Moab this year? You'll have to watch the video below, and find out.

Raw and Unleashed video: The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee takes on the Colorado Mountains

The new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is built to tackle some of the toughest terrain on the planet. But you probably already know that.

It also happens to be a huge sales hit for Jeep because it combines all of the creature comforts that people except in the city with the rugged go-anywhere off-road prowess of a trail rated Jeep.

BTW: You can click HERE for an explanation of what it means when a Jeep is trail rated.

Better yet, you can now buy the new Jeep Grand Cherokee with adjustable ride height air suspension for when the going gets rough and rocky. We recently had the chance to drive a new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the new air suspension in the mountains of Colorado and came away impressed at just how easily the Jeep takes on the ruts, rocks and ravines of the typical Colorado mountain.

First drive review: We bash, trash but don't crash the 2011 Jeep Compass

For 2011 Jeep has done two substantial things to the ungainly lovechild of the Jeep brand...the Jeep Compass.

1) The company has completely redesigned the Compass so that now it looks much more like a baby version of the brand's flagship Jeep Cherokee.

2) Jeep has also increased the price of the Compass by a whopping $4K, while at the same time stuffing the 2011 Compass with a substantial boatload of more standard options.

Jurassic Jeeps gone wild: What it means when a Jeep is Trail Rated

Have you ever wondered what it means when a Jeep is wears the 'Trail Rated' badge?

Wonder no longer.

We recently check out the new line-up of 2011 Jeeps in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and probably like many, we were curious as to what it means when a Jeep is Trail Rated.

All of the Jeeps we drove were 'Trail Rated' and that included the Wrangler, Liberty, Grand Cherokee, Patriot and of course the new redesigned Compass.

According to Jeep the 'Trail Rated' badge means that car meets their criteria for:

Sneak Peek video: the 2011 new Jeep model design changes revealed

Are you curious how Jeep changed the 2011 model line-up? Check out this video with Jeep head of design, Mark Allen, as he explains (and we show) all of the changes to the new 2011 Jeep model line-up.

Perhaps the most striking design change is to the new 2011 Compass.

Instead of the old frumpy car the new Jeep Compass now looks like a baby version of the Grand Cherokee.

First drive review: the new 2011 Jeep Compass does not suck

Here’s what just about everyone thought of the old Jeep Compass: It sucked.

No, it wasn’t just its goofy face that looked like a kindergartener’s drawing of a Jeep. No, it wasn’t the lack of any, real off-road ability. Nope – it wasn’t even the interior that felt like a Cold War era, East German car. It was its name…

T’was no Jeep!

Then, just a few months back, we at TFLcar.com began to hear rumblings of a new, improved Jeep Compass. I was surprised as I half expected Jeep to toss the Compass away just like the Commander. Nope, they opted to adopt a completely different plan.

They FIXED the Compass – it’s now a Jeep!