2014 Ram 3500 Tradesman on 2040-cars

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Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.

2019 Ram HD Sport trim revealed

Most of the 2019 Ram HD was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, but Ram held back one tidbit of info in the form of the just-announced Sport Package. Don't get your hopes up for some sort of SRT-style Ram HD; this is exclusively a trim package, but at least it looks nice. The package swaps chrome bumpers, door handles and grille surround for body color versions. Inside, Sport Package Ram HDs get a black interior with piano black trim pieces. To sweeten the deal, parking assist sensors are standard with the package. To get the Sport Package, you'll have to get your Ram HD with at least the Big Horn trim. Lone Star and Laramie trims also offer the package. Within those trims, the Sport Package is available with any cab or engine combination. Pricing isn't out yet, but based on the outgoing model's pricing, a Big Horn Ram HD will likely start a little under $45,000, and the Sport Package will probably cost about $2,500. We should have more exact pricing details closer to the on-sale date. Related Video:

Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn could become Limited Longhorn for 2021

Residents of Laramie, Wyoming, will soon lose one of their claims to fame, according to a recent report. Ram's upmarket 1500 Laramie Longhorn will allegedly become the Limited Longhorn for the 2021 model year. Without citing sources, enthusiast website Mopar Insiders reported the name change, and explained it brings the truck closer to the range-topping Limited trim in the minds of consumers. As the publication pointed out, the Laramie Longhorn and the Limited both offer a generous serving of chrome trim, LED headlights, and fender flares, among other features. And, while the Laramie Longhorn isn't the range's flagship, it coddles buyers with a luxury-car-like cabin that features soft leather upholstery and real wood trim on the dashboard. 2021 will also bring more in-car technology, still according to the Mopar Insiders report, including an Enhanced Trailer Tow Package that bundles an integrated trailer brake controller, trailer reverse steering controls, a tire pressure monitoring system for the trailer, and a trailer light check function. Motorists will also benefit from a customizable head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, and Off-Road Pages for the Uconnect infotainment system. It's reasonable to assume that these features will be offered on other trims, too. What remains to be seen is how the updates will affect the truck's pricing. As of writing, the 2020 1500 carries a base price of $33,840 for a rear-wheel drive Tradesman model, and tops out at $59,110 when buyers select a four-wheel drive Limited. The Laramie Longhorn that is allegedly being replaced costs $53,335 with rear-wheel drive. Note all of the aforementioned figures include the mandatory $1,695 destination charge. The spokesperson Autoblog contacted wouldn't confirm or deny the rumor. All we learned is that Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will announce its 2021 updates on September 1, 2020. Stay tuned for more, then. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2020 Ram 2500 Power Wagon POV drive