American brand diesels are hard to come by these days. Luckily Jeep has offered the venerable Grand Cherokee with their 3.0 liter common rail diesel option. The engine option was dropped for the 2009 model year but because of the economic train-wreck in the past year many dealers still have some 2008 CRD models in stock and would be more than happy to talk to you about buying one.
The 3.0-liter common rail turbodiesel (CRD) engine produces 215 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. An engineering and design legacy from Daimler Benz, the engine offers up to 30 percent improvement in fuel economy compared with traditional gasoline engines, class-leading torque, and an outstanding towing capacity of 7,400 lbs. Clean diesel technology also reduces CO2 emissions by an average of 30 percent.
The current Grand Cherokee is being replaced about this time next year with an all new 2011 model based loosely on the Mercedes M-Class chassis. But it has not been announced at this time whether or not a diesel engine option will be available. Bottom line is that if you want a new diesel Grand Cherokee, now is the time to start shopping while there are still some around.
