It has been more than 30 years since Jeep altered its military and rugged lifestyle image in an attempt to capture the more pedestrian of family consumers.

With its reintroduction of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, Chrysler has clearly targeted the crossover market occupied by a lot of manufacturers. Jeep refers to the 2014 Cherokee as a mid size SUV.

Specifications

*Base engine
**With tow package Option

Engine & Performance

Base models of the Jeep Cherokee come with a 2.4 liter, Inline 4 Tigershark engine delivering 184 horsepower. The more popular and better choice for a Cherokee is the 3.2 Liter Pentastar engine, a V6 that gives you 271 horsepower to go with the 239 lb ft of torque.

The Pentastar should be your first option if you intend to do any towing. Both Tigershark and the Pentastar engine’s come with the new 9 speed automatic transmission that will provide smooth power delivery on the highway and improved fuel efficiency.

Exterior

The new Jeep Cherokee measures 182 inches in length with a 103 inch wheelbase. The front of the vehicle has undergone a substantial makeover with the traditional slotted grille now split between the snout and a lower hood line. It still has Jeep written all over its face, but in attractive fashion.

A side view is unmistakably replete with Jeep lines and the rear has the taillights directly beneath the rear windshield with a prominent black rear bumper taking up a third of the space. Exhaust outlets are on both sides.

Interior

Once inside the 2014 Cherokee, you may have to look twice before realizing this is in fact a utility vehicle from Jeep. It is much more of the sports car genre than an SUV. The center panel is recessed but reachable, the aluminum trim on the dash is both abundant and distinctive.

Driver and passenger seating have been ergonomically designed and nicely enhanced in premium cloth cover, or if you prefer, quality Napa leather.

If technology is your thing, as an option, you can order a 3.5 inch screen or double down with a 7 inch re-configurable instrument cluster in full color.

What do you look for in a car? What do you expect from a Jaguar? A lot! most especially the 2014 Jaguar XJR. These are two very different questions. The 2014 series, dubbed the Super-Sedan, is seemingly and impressively contradictory.

Splendid dynamics and a high-performance engine, supported by a sturdy chassis and elegant styling deliver the ultimate combination for this luxury saloon vehicle. This large and charged sprinter stands abreast with its top rivals.

Specifications

Engine

The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 packs an aggressive 550-horsepower at 6,500 rpm, a 502 pound-feet torque at 5,500 rpm max, and intelligent start-stop control, this engine allows a 0-60mph sprint in 4.4 seconds and an electronically limited peak speed of 174mph.

Thrust and power is routed to the rear tires via an eight-speed automatic transmission mechanism which tracks acceleration and deceleration, throttle and braking patterns, road load and cornering forces. On automatic mode, these allow smooth gearshift changing to accommodate different driving conditions, while corner recognition offers swift and seamless overtaking.

Performance

The dynamic system found in the Jaguar XJR allows enhanced driver involvement with better steering accuracy and heightened stability and control at top speed. For an aggressive driver, the XJR’s engineering is a bonus.

The 20-inch tailored Pirelli tires, adaptive suspension system dampers capable of adjusting 500 times per seconds, and exclusive sports seats is the ultimate package for any driver.

Elite Design

An all around sweep starts with the chrome-rimmed front bumper with black mesh lattice, the signature “R” emblem, and sleek hood louvers. The stout full-size four-door design is further enhanced by forged-aluminum wheels from the XJ Supersport series which gives it a prominent and serious fascia.

This bold stance is completed by a rear bootlid-mounted lip spoiler with the Jaguar insignia proudly embossed. The color palettes include ten different variants for assertive toning.

The tactful mishmash of technologies and styling cues make the 2014 Jaguar XJR ride limber, lush, and elegant.

Designer Fréderic Soubirou worked to deliver a fresh new design for the 2014 Citroen C4 Picasso. Several improvements have been implemented over the previous model to improve the interior and exterior design and tune the performance of the car for a more relaxed driving experience.

It comes packed with improvements that make it eco-friendly and stable on the road even in difficult conditions.

Specifications

Engine

Citroen will offer three diesel and two gas engine options. One of the gas or petrol engines is an inline 4 that generates 118 HP, while one of the diesel engines available is the 1.6-liter Blue HDi 150 will be Euro 6 compliant and comes with cruise control alongside the classic 6-speed manual gearbox.

Citroen introduces a 6-speed clutchless transmission that can switch between auto and manual at any given time. Starting with the first half of 2014, Citroen will also ship the new C4 Picasso with fully automatic transmission.

Exterior

The engine block and the floor have been lowered for a more dynamic look at the front. Soubirou worked on the lines of the car to add the signature C shape in chrome as well sculpted panels.

Citroen’s general exterior design stands out as a compact yet tall car with high-tech front lights and LED rear lights taken from concept models.

Interior

The interior of the Citroen come in a two tone theme with brown and black elements and a central dashboard with digital gauges and a touch-screen. With 5.2 square meters available in the cabin, the car offers a spacious interior, introducing a “loft-style” interior, and a plush design.

Performance

According to the Citroen, the driving experience and handling have been improved by the reduction in its weight. The vertical mounted shock absorbers and the Intelligent Traction Control feature give the car better stability and improved traction during low grip driving conditions.

Compared to the C3, the new C4 has significant changes when compared with the previous Citroen C4 making it a versatile vehicle.

Volvo unveiled the 2014 S60 R-design trim at the 2013 New York Auto Show. The S60 R-design is a performance oriented model that is expected to attract the younger generation towards Volvo cars.

The R-design aims to bring sportiness to the existing Volvo line up and improve visibility to showcase the performance and dynamic handling of their cars.

Specifications

Engine & Performance

The S60 R-design is powered by a turbocharged 6-cylinder 3-litre engine that generates 325 hp and torque of 354 lb-ft. The engine has been mated to a 6-speed gearbox and the car comes with all-wheel drive capabilities.

Thanks to the innovative Advanced Quick Shift transmission, the time gear shift time using paddle shifts has been reduced considerably, which helps in generating unequaled performance figures.

The S60 R-design does the 0-60 mph sprint in 5.9 seconds. There have been tweaks done to the suspension system to improve the handling of the car.

Exterior

The design builds upon the already good-looking Volvo S60. The changes brought by the R-design trim makes the car more attractive and powerful with the T6 engine.

The lowered R-design chassis and optional 19-inch wheels simply enhances its appeal. The R-design comes standard with 18-inch alloys wheels.

Interior

The car comes with a much improved interior. The new ultra-comfortable sport seat make driving fun. The R-design S60 make sporty use of black leather or nubuck textile.

The digital display features 3 different layouts based on different functionalities – Eco, Elegance and Performance. The Elegance mode comes with a radiant blue color theme, which adds character to the inside.

The 2014 Volvo S60 R-design is a driver oriented car from Volvo, as they always have been, and are focused on improving the pleasure of driving. Volvo certainly hopes to shed its “family car” reputation by appealing to the younger generation, the reason for the R.

After a restrained reception in 2008, the 2014 Cadillac CTS debut was greeted enthusiastically as the premier mid size luxury sedan that has grown in popularity over the past 6 years.

In its third generation, the rear drive CTS will be the lightest vehicle in its market segment, offering the best handling vehicle available in its class. This American beauty will be built in Lansing, Michigan beginning this fall.

Specifications

Engine & Performance

Under the hood you’ll find the same 3.6 liter V6 that came with the second generation Cadillac CTS. This is a good thing as the 321 HP is plenty of power to pull this “carriage” with superb handling characteristics.

An economy 2.0 liter V4 is expected to be offered and could wind up as standard, depending upon production costs and customer feedback. Either engine will come with an 8 speed paddle-shift automatic transmission.

Exterior

The 2014 CTS has not just grown in popularity, but has literally grown as well. The 2014 version is 5 inches longer than its predecessors (195″ total). The wheelbase has been extended 1.2 inches (115″ total). This has created a roofline that is about an inch lower than last year and added to an overall more sporty appearance.

As mentioned, while the length of the vehicle has increased, it weighs less and this “Caddy” is about 200 lbs. lighter than the BMW 528i.

The grille is wider and displays Cadillac’s prestigious emblem at the center. The headlamps complement the fender line perfectly. In the rear, the taillights also follow the cars body line horizontally. You have elevated brake lights across the top trunk lid and dual exhaust tips at the bottom to complete the sleek backend profile.

Interior

The 2014 Cadillac CTS interior is roomier, at the same time the instrument panel has been ergonomically improved allowing for better access for the driver. This increased functionality extends outside of the vehicle, with Cadillac’s CUE technology allowing linkups with a smart phone or tablet.

How about a 20 position front seat (heated and cooled) to insure the comfort level meets your needs and improve your driving experience?

Oh, by the way, the steering wheel can also be heated, not to mention the 11 speaker Bose sound system, which speaks for itself.