2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Slt Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

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Best car infotainment systems of 2022

Declaring one infotainment system the best over any other is an inherently subjective matter. You can look at quantitative testing for things like input response time and various screen load times, but ask a room full of people that have tried them all what their favorite is, and you’re likely to get a lot of different responses. Some prefer systems that are exclusively touch-based with a simplistic user interface. Others may prefer a non-touch system that is navigable via a scroll wheel. You can compare it to the phone operating system wars. Just like some folks prefer Android phones over iPhones, we all have our own opinions for what makes up the best infotainment interface. All that said, our combined experience tells us that a number of infotainment systems are at least better than the rest. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down to five total systems in their own subcategories that stand out to us. Read on below to see our picks, and feel free to make your own arguments in the comments. Best overall: UConnect — Various Stellantis products If thereÂ’s one infotainment system that all of us agree is excellent, itÂ’s UConnect. Both UConnect 4 and the latest UConnect 5 software are included in this praise, too. It has numerous qualities that make it great, but above all else, UConnect is simple and straightforward to use. Ease of operation is one of the most (if not the single most) vital parts of any infotainment system interface. If youÂ’re expected to be able to tap away on a touchscreen while driving and still pay attention to the road, a complex infotainment system is going to remove your attention from the number one task at hand: driving. UConnect uses a simple interface that puts all of your key functions in a clearly-represented row on the bottom of the screen. Tap any of them, and it instantly pulls up that menu. We like the radio/media interface — itÂ’s super easy to swap stations or sources. The menu structure is easy to grasp, and of course both Apple CarPlay/Android Auto are available if you want them. UConnect 5 is a big visual improvement over UConnect 4, but thankfully it retains the same ease of use as the outgoing system. WeÂ’ll also point out that Stellantis is able to adapt UConnect to different screen shapes and sizes with great success — it works stunningly well in the vertical 12-inch screen of the Ram.

Thieves stealing Dodge and Ram vehicles right off factory lots

Stellantis-operated storage lots in and around Detroit have been hit by a wave of thefts in recent weeks. Thieves are getting their hands on new, high-end models such as the Dodge Challenger Hellcat by going straight to the source, helping themselves, and driving off. Detroit news channel WDIV Local 4 reported that over half a dozen new cars and trucks have been stolen from various storage lots since the beginning of 2022. On March 10, five Ram trucks were taken from a secured facility in Shelby Township. Several more Ram trucks were stolen on March 8, and one smashed into a semi truck's trailer as it attempted to get away. On March 3, thieves took three Dodge Challenger Hellcat models from a lot in Auburn Hills. And, on February 28, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat were stolen from a lot near the Jefferson North assembly plant. Many of the vehicles that thieves are targeting cost nearly $100,000. Stealing a new car from a storage lot is reportedly easier than it might sound. Citing anonymous sources, WDIV explained that the keys are normally left inside of the vehicles while they're parked on the storage lot, waiting to be dispatched to dealers. Security guards patrol the property, yet the thieves are finding ways to sneak into the lot, hop in a car, and drive off by ramming through the gates. Stellantis told the news channel that the Sterling Heights Police Department is investigating the thefts, and that at least one of the lots is managed by a third-party company. It declined to comment on the number of vehicles stolen or the methods used because the investigation is ongoing. In the meantime, the Sterling Heights Police Department plans to send extra patrol cars to the areas around the storage lots. There's no word on whether the missing cars have been found. And, this isn't the first time that thieves have stolen new V8-powered Dodge and Ram vehicles in the Detroit area. In October 2021, thieves stole four cars from a Dodge and Ram dealership about an hour away from Detroit; one was a rare 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat. All four cars were recovered, though the Durango was stuffed into a wall. And, in May 2018, eight Ram trucks were stolen from a factory in Warren, Michigan, by thieves who got away by driving through the main gates.

Peugeot's American future looks dead, but Stellantis intends to keep all brands alive

The years-old promise of a Peugeot return in the U.S. is looking bleaker by the second. Peugeot said the French brand would come back to sell cars in the U.S. five years ago, but now that FCA and PSA have transitioned to one Stellantis, that promise is looking a lot shakier. This news comes via a report from Car and Driver. When queried about Peugeot, Carlos Tavares, Stellantic CEO, offered this in response: “For the time being, I don't think that is part of the things that we want to prioritize for the next time window," Tavares said. "I think it's better that we funnel the talent, the capital, and the engineering capability of our Stellantis company to the existing brands to improve what needs to be improved and to accelerate where we need to accelerate, because we already have a very strong presence in this market." Tavares hasnÂ’t ruled it out entirely, but any kind of a Peugeot American renaissance is being pushed onto the backburner.  In good news for American brands, though, Tavares expressed great interest in keeping them all. Chrysler was the most worrisome of the bunch, as it only sells the aging 300 sedan and Pacifica minivan variants. Nevertheless, Tavares sees Chrysler as one of the “three historical pillars of Stellantis” and is eager “to give this brand a future.” Specifically, Tavares sees a high-tech future for the once-great American car company. Motor Trend reported on what Tavares spoke about in a call with the media. "It needs to rebound,” Tavares said. “We could think about what could be the next technologies in the automotive industry.” The obvious hint here is electrification and greater autonomy. Chrysler could theoretically become StellantisÂ’ electric showcase brand. ItÂ’s partway there with the Pacifica Hybrid PHEV minivan, but thereÂ’s still a long way to go for it to become the conglomerate's tech pillar. And then thereÂ’s Dodge and its powerful but emissions-heavy lineup. "We have the technology to deliver the torque, dynamics, and acceleration feeling, while also dramatically reducing the emissions," Tavares said. The Hellcat canÂ’t have a window-shattering 6.2-liter supercharged V8 forever, but it looks like Stellantis is at least committed to keeping the performance of DodgeÂ’s current lineup. Related video: