2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

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Best cars for snow and ice in 2023 and 2024

What's the best car for snow? The real answer is "the one with winter tires." What do we mean by that? You could have the finest, most advanced all-wheel-drive system or four-wheel drive in the world, but if you're running all-seasons (the spork of tires), your fancy four-wheeler won't matter much. The odds are, any vehicle on the road running good winter tires will probably perform adequately in slippery, slushy and/or snowy road conditions. (Here's a more complete explanation of why winter tires are totally worth it). In other words, you don't really need any of the cars on this list. With a set of winter tires, countless others will do the job, and even these will be at their best with proper rubber. You can find a variety of winter tires for your car here at Tire Rack. Keep in mind that you will need a full set of four snow tires for safety and performance, no matter what you're driving. The days of your dad putting just two snows on the family truckster to get it moving in a straight line are long gone. Don't get us wrong, getting a car that performs well in snow and ice is still a worthy criteria for car buyers. According to the U.S. Transportation Department, 70% of Americans live in places that get snow and ice. And much of the country has been blasted with arctic air for much of the new year. So let's look at the cars. First, we're highlighting choices for a variety of buyers and price points. Second, we're not just considering snow; we're considering general wintery conditions people will experience driving to work or school. As such, these are all choices with advanced all-wheel-drive systems, usually with "torque-vectoring" systems that not only automatically shunt power front and back, but side to side between the rear axles. Most have extra ground clearance for getting through deep snow, and we prefer those vehicles with more responsive steering, throttles and transmissions that provide a greater sense of vehicle control in slippery conditions.    Acura RDX Read our Acura RDX Review Acura's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system was one of the first to offer torque-vectoring, and besides often being touted for its ability to greatly enhanced dry-road handling, its benefits in the slick stuff can be profound. It's actually surprising that Acura hasn't leaned into this capability further by offering more rugged versions of its vehicles.

Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.33 million vehicles over fire, air bag risks

WASHINGTON - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Friday it is recalling 1.33 million vehicles worldwide in two separate campaigns for potential fire risks and inadvertent airbag deployments. The Italian-American automaker said it is recalling about 770,000 sport utility vehicles because of a wiring issue that may lead to inadvertent deployment of the driver-side air bag and is linked to reports of five related minor injuries, but no crashes. The company said wiring could chafe against pieces of steering-wheel trim, potentially causing a short-circuit and ultimately leading to an inadvertent air bag deployment. The issue could also cause unintended windshield wiper operation or inoperable switches. The recall covers 538,000 2011-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles in North America and 233,000 2011-2015 Fiat Freemont crossovers sold elsewhere. Dealers will inspect and replace the wiring, as needed and equip it with additional protective covering. The automaker is also recalling 565,000 vehicles to replace their alternators because of fire risks. The company said hot ambient temperatures could lead to premature diode wear, may result in a burning odor or smoke, could impact the anti-lock braking system or lead to engine stalls. The company said it is aware of two potentially related accidents but no injuries. The recall covers 2011-2014 model year Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger cars and Dodge Durango SUVs and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs. In October, Fiat Chrysler recalled about 86,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs from the 2007-2013 model years and 2011-2014 Dodge Charger Pursuit sedans for the same alternator issue. Fiat Chrysler said at the time one minor injury was related to the recall. Dealers will replace the alternators. By David ShepardsonRelated Video: Auto News Chrysler Fiat RAM Safety Coupe SUV Sedan FCA dodge journey fiat chrysler automobiles fiat freemont

Ram heavy-duty trucks look more conservative than new Ram 1500

We've had a pretty good peek at the 2019 Ram 1500 thanks to spy shots and renderings. (UPDATED January 2018: Here's the full reveal from the Detroit Auto Show.) And from what we've seen of it, it's a major departure from Rams of the past. We haven't seen as much of the Ram heavy-duty line, but these spy shots caught one out on the town, and it appears the Ram 2500 and 3500 will have a less controversial design. The big-rig tall grille is still the truck's focal point, but the design is a familiar one, featuring the same look featured on the current Ram's luxurious range-topping trims like the Ram Laramie Longhorn. We'll have to wait to see if the new heavy-duty trucks will continue to use this grille solely for range-topping trims and if the 1500's new look will venture up to its big brothers, and therefore banish the crosshairs for good. Regardless of the grille design, the headlights still sit fairly low next to it. That emphasizes the semi-truck design since the tops of the fenders are lower than the top of the hood, which cascades to meet said fenders. The headlights also look potentially carry-over. Really, there are so many similarities it leads us to believe the new heavy duty might be more of a refresh than a completely new design. Another interesting thing to note is that this Ram appears to use a similar drivetrain and suspension to the current heavy-duty trucks. Like the vast majority of trucks, it has a solid rear axle, but probably with coil springs as Ram currently does. Up front, though, it seems the solid front axle has also been retained. This should be good news for fans of the off-road-ready Power Wagon. We're probably still a ways away from seeing the heavy-duty Rams. Last year, we learned a rumor that the heavy-duty trucks were delayed for an unspecified amount of time. We wouldn't expect to see anything official about the truck until at least 2019, about a year after we expect to see the 2019 Ram 1500 revealed. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ram Heavy Duty spy shots View 16 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos RAM Truck