http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...drive_in_.html

 

hopefully they putthat diesel in the dakota sometime. that would be sweet.

 

The thing that annoys me is the fuel mileage it is supposed to get. That same Diesel is able to get 28 mpg in a Mercedes R-Class and 27 in the Mercedes ML-Class. Last time I checked, automanufactures make the fuel efficient cars more affordable than their luxury cars (screwed up logic isn't it). It isn't a matter of weight because the ML weighs more than the Grand Cherokee. The issue is the gearing.

The Grand Cherokee has the W5J400 5-speedtransmission (top gear ratioshorter than the W5A580's.83, it might even be a 1.00 info on it is hard to find) for the Diesel with a 3.55 rear-axle ratio. The Mercedes ML-Class has a 7-speed (top gear ratio is a .72) with a 3.45. If they would just use the 545RFE and stay away from the MB transmissions it could get way better fuel mileage. The Liberty got around 27 mpgs with the 545RFE (top gear ratio is a .67) and 3.73. Granted it might feel slower, but it won't feel like a slouch by any extent of the imagination with the tq that it produces.