Does the Jeep Cherokee Delay Spell Trouble for Chrysler?

The all-new Jeep Cherokee's dramatic styling has stirred controversy. Photo credit: Chrysler Group.

One look at the sales charts and it's clear that Chrysler needs the Jeep Cherokee, the long-awaited successor to the departed Jeep Liberty. Chrysler's Jeep brand -- one of the greatest SUV brands -- currently has nothing to offer buyers in the midsized SUV segment, one of the hottest corners of the auto market. But a year after the last Liberty was built -- and months after it was originally promised -- the Cherokee has yet to arrive at dealers.

The Jeep Cherokee has already received a lot of attention for its avant-garde styling, but lately it's getting attention because Chrysler has delayed its launch, apparently for quality reasons. In this video, Motley Fool contributor John Rosevear looks at what might be behind the latest delay in the Cherokee's arrival, and at what it means for Chrysler's efforts to keep up with its Detroit rivals.

Chrysler is hoping to give Jeep a strong presence in China, but it's already late to the party. A recent Motley Fool report, "2 Automakers to Buy for a Surging Chinese Market", names the two global giants best-positioned to reap huge gains as China's auto boom unfolds. You can read this report right now for free -- just click here for instant access.

The article Does the Jeep Cherokee Delay Spell Trouble for Chrysler? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor John Rosevear owns shares of Ford and General Motors. Follow him on Twitter at @jrosevear. The Motley Fool recommends Ford and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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