Back in the days when the price of fuel and tailpipe emissions weren’t concerns to the common motorist, diesel engines ruled the road, offering great mileage and durability that ensured they’d last hundreds of thousands of miles. This was especially true for diesel jeeps: the jeep is the oldest off-road vehicle in history, and contracts with the US military ensured early jeep prototypes met strict requirements in off-road ability, towing power, and stability. Those characteristics are what the jeep line became known for, and subsequently civilian models have also strived to meet the same requirements over the past decades.
When it comes to Jeep engines, the diesel is unsurpassed in terms of off-roading and towing power, easily out performing its gas counterpart. Diesel also offers better mileage: it’s 20% to 30% more efficient than a gas engine. Their only problem – and ultimate downfall – was the amount of pollution they created: old diesel engines smelled and were prone to kicking up clouds of exhaust, and as consumers became more environmentally conscious, manufacturers began switching to gas engines, leaving diesel autos all but extinct. Gas engines may be alright for your average auto, but taking the diesel out of jeeps was a cardinal sin: gas engines led to painfully low gas mileage and lower torque, meaning less power for hauling. Jeeps still had power, but for buyers it felt like they were paying more and getting less.
That seemed like the end of diesel jeeps, but then something funny happened: with the ever-increasing cost of gas and advancements in diesel technology, motorists were starting to miss the advantages of diesel, and strategizing a comeback for their favorite engines. With bio-diesel – an age old technology and real alternative to gas engines – gaining new popularity, Chrysler was keen on giving the public a second look at diesel jeeps.
While driving a diesel jeep may be a new prospect for Americans, it’s not for the rest of the world: Canada and Europe have been enjoying diesel jeep models for a long time. Americans haven’t had as much luck, their only options being importing diesel models from their northern neighbors, or engine swap kits which can cost well over ten thousand dollars.
However Chrysler has been paying attention to the calls coming from diesel jeep fanatics: in 2004 they offered a diesel engine model for the Liberty CRD. Reviews were mixed: most people were still uncomfortable with the idea of going back to diesel fuel. But the benefits couldn’t be denied: the Liberty CRD got better mileage, easily making up for the slightly more expensive price tag at the pumps. Critics also rejoiced in the added low-speed pulling power. But with the added torque came less horsepower, and the Liberty CRD, as well as other diesel jeeps, were labeled mediocre on the highway.
Consumers however, weren’t listening: the sales of the 2004 Diesel Jeep Liberty CRD more than doubled sales expectations, and jeep lovers were quick to complain that Chrysler wasn’t offering diesel models for other lines – such as the Jeep Wrangler. Chrysler has continued to listen, spurring optimism in diesel proponents that diesel engines might be making a comeback: this year Chrysler added a diesel model for their Jeep Grand Cherokee, and critics have been supportive.
Diesel jeeps still have a lot of opposition to overcome: there are still environmental concerns, and some environmentalists will never be convinced. There’s also more competition than ever coming from other alternative fuel sources, that can boast greater mileage and cleaner emissions than even diesel can offer. It’s a mountain of opposition, but then again, if a jeep couldn’t overcome a couple of mountains, it wouldn’t really be a jeep, would it…
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