Business & Money | Saturday 24 January, 2015 12:05 am |

D.C. - Green Car Journal has named the Jeep® Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel its 2015 Green SUV of the Year™. The announcement was made today at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C.

“The Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel delivers what today’s drivers really want in an efficient SUV,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com. “It offers a do-everything nature with exceptional comfort, power, functionality and driving range, plus surprising efficiency that delivers lower environmental impact.”

Green SUV of the Year™ finalists include SUVs and crossovers that feature notable environmental achievement while also providing all the attributes expected of this versatile class of vehicle. The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel was selected as a winner from five finalists by a jury made up of automotive experts and Green Car Journal staff members.

“We are truly delighted that the editors of Green Car Journal have named our full-size premium SUV – the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel – the Green SUV of the Year,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand. “We take pride that Green Car Journal’s jurors recognized the blend of efficiency, capability, comfort and performance that the Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel offers consumers.

“Jeep Grand Cherokee is the most awarded SUV in history, and we’re pleased to add this significant award from Green Car Journal to the Jeep trophy case,” Manley added.

Producing a class-leading 240 horsepower and a massive 420 lb.-ft. of torque, Jeep Grand Cherokee’s award-winning 24-valve dual-overhead cam 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 delivers clean-diesel technology with low CO2 emissions. The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel delivers a best-in-class 30 miles per gallon (mpg) courtesy of its 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine and standard eight-speed transmission, with an unmatched driving range of more than 730 miles and towing capability of 7,400 pounds.

All of Jeep Grand Cherokee’s engines (3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6, Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6, and 5.7-liter V-8) are mated to FCA US LLC’s eight-speed automatic transmission. In addition to enhancing fuel economy, the robust and durable eight-speed transmission delivers quick acceleration and precise, smooth shifting, enhancing ride quality to luxury car levels. An additional benefit is a low crawl ratio of 44.1:1 to aid in climbing over – or through – tough obstacles, when equipped with a two-speed transfer case.