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2017 Jeep C-SUV to Drop CUSW Platform, Share Styling With the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X

When Fiat-Chrysler presented its brand portfolio’s business plans last year in May, Jeep numero uno Mike Manley told that his marque’s plans include a phase out of the Patriot and Compass nameplates. In their place, an all-new “C-SUV” is slated to bow sometime in 2016 as a 2017 model year machine.
Jeep brand and product extension plan 1 photo
Photo: FCA
Incidentally, 2016 also marks the Jeep brand’s 75th anniversary. During Manley's presentation, a brand and product extension PowerPoint slide was shown (pictured above), which supports the statement, but also adds: “Portfolio expands by adding small SUV and one 3-row.” The three-row SUV is expected to arrive in 2018 as the Grand Wagoneer, which will be based on the all-new Grand Cherokee due in 2017.

Alas, that small SUV is definitely the still mysterious C-SUV that’ll replace the Patriot and Compass. As it happens, the lower spectrum of the Jeep marque in 2016 will start with the Renegade, continue with the C-SUV, Wrangler, Cherokee and the Grand ‘kee. All nice and fine ’til now, but here’s some interesting intel on what’s in the pipeline for the all-new C-SUV.

David Zatz from Allpar tells that recent Fiat-Chrysler announcements point toward a C-SUV that will not use the CUSW platform (Fiat Compact platform in Compact US Wide format). That’s interesting, more so when you consider this platform was introduced in 2010, so it’s relatively young and modern. As for the other detail David shared in his story, the 2017 Jeep C-SUV will purportedly share its basic body styling with the Jeep Renegade and its Italian SO - the way-out chic Fiat 500X B-segment crossover.

According to Jeep chief exec Mike Manley, the C-SUV will be sufficiently off-road capable to tackle the Rubicon Trail, which is pretty good news if the promise will be delivered with the finished product. Lastly, the oily bits will feature an interesting engine that’ll join the usual four-banger gasoline and diesel mills of smaller Jeep vehicles. That’s an all-new powerhouse dubbed Hurricane after a retro fighter plane.

Hurricane is making a comeback after it was previously used by the Chrysler Group ages ago. If word on the street is right, expect from 260 to 300 horsepower and an application on the upcoming Dodge Dart SRT4 (due to be presented in December 2016) as well, together with an all-wheel drive system and the ZF nine-speed automatic of the outgoing generation of the Jeep Cherokee and the 2015 Chrysler 200.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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