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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Silvio Calabi: 2015 Cherokee is a modern Jeep Comment By Silvio Calabi More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Mar. 15, 2015 at 5:58 PM By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Mar. 15, 2015 at 5:58 PM » Social News The new Cherokee, which got mixed reviews when it showed up in late 2013 — mostly because it wasn’t the old, boxy Cherokee (1984-96, RIP) — has now truly arrived. The media and the market have decided it is a righteous Jeep. Some of this is due to changing ideas of Jeep-ness (roughing it, bad; luxury, good) and the rest to the new vehicle’s amiable nature, useful features and good price/value mix. And so now Jeep is doing what carmakers do when a new model has jumped its first hurdles and settled in for the long run: Add more options! Options are profitable, sure, but they also can tailor a car to certain classes of buyer. For instance, the Cherokee Latitude 4×4 we’re driving is called the True North Edition. Last fall Jim Morrison, Jeep’s product-marketing honcho, decided to load up a Cherokee with cold-weather goodies while holding the line on price. (Did he know what sort of a winter was coming down the pike?) His True North kit — aka Customer Preferred Package 26J — can apply heat to the front seats, the steering wheel, the wing mirrors, the engine block and even the windshield wipers, and it includes floor mats and remote starting. Plus the seat and steering wheel heaters can be set to come on automatically. All this adds just 1,795 well-spent dollars to the $27,900 price of a Latitude-model Cherokee, which is already pretty well equipped with everything from leather and automatic headlamps to a backup camera. Our Latitude also had the 271-horsepower V-6 engine, a $1,695 option, which now can shut itself off (to save gas and emissions) whenever the Jeep stops, and re-start when needed. Jeep tested this system, with its heavy-duty starter, solenoid and flywheel teeth, through more than 300,000 on-off cycles — but if you don’t like it, stop-start has its own off switch. Also, if the car’s oversize battery is low, the engine stays on till it’s recharged. The V-6 is an asset to a midsize 4×4 sport-ute that weighs just 4,046 pounds. The stock Cherokee engine, a 184HP four-cylinder, doesn’t have stop-start, but it now meets PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) standards, according to California’s strict emissions regulations. Steering, braking, handling and ride are right for the vehicle. We have just one question, and it’s about the Cherokee’s unique nine-speed automatic transmission: Why? We’ve never seen a Cherokee reach 9th gear, and even 8th is rare. Higher gearing should improve fuel economy — and in the Cherokee 6th through 9th are all overdrives — but we’ve also never had a V-6 Cherokee hit its highway mpg estimate. (Although this one made its combined rating of 23 mpg even in winter weather.) So what’s the benefit of a nine-speed box? Well, OK, nine speeds can’t hurt and might help. Overall, the transmission works seamlessly, even if the gear indicated in manual mode isn’t always the one that’s actually engaged. Among four Cherokee models — Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk, in ascending price order — Jeep offers three 4×4 systems. All have Selec-Speed, which can take over hill climbing and descending, and Selec-Terrain, which lets the driver choose from up to five driving programs: Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, Rock and Auto. If you live on top of a mountain, you may want the Trailhawk. Its advanced Active Drive Lock 4WD includes high and low gear ranges, auto-locking front and rear axles, extra ground clearance, skid plates, and beefed-up engine and transmission cooling. Otherwise, our Latitude would do fine, and 99 percent of us will use the Auto terrain setting 99 percent of the time. It even decides when to disengage the rear axle entirely, to reduce friction and save gas. (All Cherokees default to FWD when conditions allow, and FWD-only Cherokees are available.) For 2015, along with new trim and luxury items, Jeep added a slew of safety options to the Cherokee’s order form, including collision and lane-departure alerts, emergency braking assistance, blind-spot and rear-crossing monitors, adaptive cruise control and parking assistance. It’s time to begin cashing in on the Cherokee’s success. Nothing wrong with that. With prices ranging from the low twenties to the high thirties and a spec sheet aimed at everyone from urban commuters to off-road adventurers, Jeep’s Cherokee has evolved into the modern automotive era. Likes - Good value - Muscular V-6 - Windshield-wiper heaters! Dislikes - 9th gear (use it or lose it) Silvio Calabi reviews the latest from Detroit, Munich, Yokohama, Gothenburg, Crewe, Seoul and wherever else interesting cars are born. Silvio is a member of the International Motor Press Association whose automotive reviews date back to the Reagan administration. He is the former publisher of Speedway Illustrated magazine and an author. Contact him at [email protected]. By Silvio Calabi More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Mar. 15, 2015 at 5:58 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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