“Buying a car is emotional, said Chief Executive Officer of Chrysler Edward L. Cummins. This is the X-factor at play when people decide on which car to buy, which helps Chrysler set its marketing plan.
In my case I didn’t have to buy the new KK Jeep Cherokee to get emotional about it; test driving the new funky KK at Port Ghalib’s vast desert was uplifting enough. No wonder the demand for the KK is on the rise, with customer reservations reaching up to five months in advance.
Cummins explained that before manufacturing the KK, a 12-panel chart was set to state its specifications and features, which he believes were met by 92 to 95 percent. “The only drawback was the weight of the car, which is heavier than the older model, the KJ, Cummins said. “But now that technology is everywhere, we can use substitutes of certain materials that are heavy, and that was what we did in the KK, besides the fact that adding more equipment means adding more weight.
The weight problem led to another inevitable question found in all 4 X 4 cars – stability.
Chrysler’s sales trainer Ihab Aly said that because the engine, transfer case and transmission were placed low down – meaning that the center of gravity was low – the car became more stable and less susceptible to flipping over.
“Widening the car too played an important role in making the KK more stable, Aly added.
The KK is trail rated; it went through a set of tests that grant all 4 X 4 car their credibility and durability, which includes ground clearance, articulation, water depth, maneuverability and traction control. If it fails any one of those tests, it is not rated as a 4 X 4.
The hallmarks of my KK experience was the maneuverability (the ability to maneuver the car without losing control regardless of how bad the terrain is) and the articulation (the amount of power that is divided among the four wheels.)
The car is also luxurious with less vibration and motor noise than the older KJ because of improvements in the car body. The removable compartment at the rear of the KK, is also practical and can come in handy for storing odd thing like soccer shoes and sports gear.
Smart modifications to the new Jeep included the placing of the computer at the gauge, right in front of the driver instead of above him, which reduces distraction. Safety measures include a memory-setting feature that allows more than one driver to save their settings including (favorite radio station, car adjustment, angle of rear view mirror etc.)
“Besides saving each driver’s settings, if a thief made a copy of your car keys and tried to drive it, the car will not respond, as the electronic chip that addresses the engine only recognizes your own settings, Jeep instructor at the Jeep Academy and desert coordinator at the Jeep Club in Egypt Michel Fikry said.
“The ESP is another safety feature. It stands for ‘electronic stability program’ which works by default and can be shut off. Let us assume the driver decides to shut it off, if he/she exceeds 60 km/hr the ESP will work to prevent the car form slipping, Fikry added.
Minor irritations include the position of cup holder that is placed between the two front seats, which faces the back seat. If a third person were to sit in the middle, his/her feet would bump into the cup holder.
The hazard sign button is also placed in an impractical position at the lowest part on the right side of the driver. It took time to find it, but I believe it could have been placed somewhere within eyeshot.
But I’m not complaining. Stable and safe features, the KK’s smoothness and at power made are enough to make for a unique driving experience.
Features: V6 engine 3.7, 210 HP 4 Speed Automotive transmissionSelec-Trace II active full-time transfer caseAir-conditioning with automatic Temperature Control Power sunroof with one-touch open/closePremium duo-tone leather seats Front/Passenger advanced multistage airbags with side curtain airbags4-Wheel antilock disc brakes (ABS)Electronic Stability Program (ESP)Tire Pressure Monitoring system Rear Parking SensorsFully integrated Alpine AM/FM 6-disc CD/MP3 changer + WMA+ DVD sound system with premium infinity speakers and audio controls in steering wheel UConnect Bluetooth Hands-Free Communication System
