Chrysler Makes Start-Stop Standard on Two Models

Later this year the V6 Jeep Cherokee or four-cylinder Chrysler 200 will both add engine start-stop (ESS) technology to their list of standard equipment.

Chrysler said today that it expects both vehicles to offer up to three percent better fuel economy as a result of the system. The Jeep Cherokee will gain the system first, sometime during the third quarter of the year while the Chrysler 200 will add it during the fourth quarter of 2014.

This is the same system that Chrysler uses in its Ram 1500 pickup truck to save a single city-cycle MPG along with aerodynamic features like active grille shutters that shut at highway speeds to reduce drag. Chrysler also said today that its system is able to adapt to driver habits to speed the re-starting process.

SEE ALSO: Ford Offering Start-Stop on ’70 Percent’ of Line by 2017

The company didn’t release specific fuel economy estimates for either of the vehicles equipped with ESS, but the V6 front-wheel drive Cherokee is rated for 19 MPG in city driving. A three percent gain in that case would boost the crossover to 19.57 city MPG. Chrysler’s four-cylinder 200 would rise from 23 city MPG to 23.7.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Chrysler 200 Review

Marginal as those increases might seem, the company also says it will allow drivers to shut off ESS at the touch of a button.

Engine start-stop systems started as a feature on premium vehicles but is quickly finding its way into less expensive products. Last December, Ford said it plans to offer engine start-stop technology on 70 percent of its lineup by 2017. Depending on driving conditions, Ford said it expects up to 10 percent better fuel economy in its vehicles or a 3.5 percent savings on average.