The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the second American vehicle ever to qualify for Japan's eco-car tax break, following the 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, a press release on the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) website said.
The Grand Cherokee with the award-winning Pentastar V-6 upgraded engine meets Japan's strict emissions and efficiency standards, allowing buyers to receive a consumer tax incentive worth at least $513.
“This achievement reaffirms the flagship status that Grand Cherokee enjoys among SUVs in the global market,” Mike Manley, head of Jeep brand and global lead executive for international operations for FCA, said in the release. “In the wake of the Cherokee’s breakthrough, it also proves, as we say in off-road driving, that only a Jeep can follow another Jeep.”
One of the upgrades to the Pentastar engine is a two-step variable valve lift that boosts fuel efficiency. It is designed to stay in a low-lift mode until the driver demands more power, which switches high-lift mode on to deliver more air to the cylinder.
A fuel-saving engine stop-start feature cuts fuel consumption every time the vehicle comes to a complete stop. As soon as the driver lifts a foot off the brake pedal, the engine restarts. All other features in the vehicle remain intact when the vehicle is stopped, just as if the engine stayed on.
Alerts Sign-up