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.

Researchers who busted VW cheating say FCA's diesels dirty, too

The Wall Street Journal today reported on an upcoming report from West Virginia University's Center for Alternative Fuels Engines and Emissions, which is the same lab that investigated Volkswagen emissions cheating. The report, which will be released in a matter of weeks, alleges that 2014 and 2015 model year Jeep and Ram vehicles with diesel engines emit excess pollution. But it does not specify whether the company used defeat devices. Since the report discusses Jeep Grand Cherokees, and that engine is also available in the Ram 1500, it's safe to assume that one of the implicated engines is the EcoDiesel V6, a unit actually produced by VM Motori. It's unclear whether the report covers any of the Cummins engines used in heavier-duty Ram pickups. This report comes on the heels of a federal investigation into FCA's diesel vehicles. That investigation focused on the EcoDiesel engine used in 2014-2016 vehicles. The feds were seeking a fine of up to $4.6 billion. The EPA and the State of California also previously accused FCA of using a defeat device on the same vehicles back in January. FCA, for its part, alleges that the WVU study might have been commissioned by people interested in suing the company, and disputes the testing methodology, according to the WSJ. We've reached out to WVU to confirm which engines are implicated in its study and will update this post when we have more to share. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: The Wall Street JournalImage Credit: REUTERS/Gary Cameron Government/Legal Green Jeep RAM Diesel Vehicles ecodiesel

Some 2014-19 Ram ProMasters recalled for shifter cables that could detach

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall for hundreds of thousands of 2014-2019 Ram ProMaster vans with a 3.6-liter engine. Campaign No. 20V036000 states that the shifter cables on these vans could disconnect from the transmission, which could lead to a variety of unsafe situations. The new recall comes after Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has issued transmission-related recalls for several other brand products in recent years. Jeep and FCA were thrust into the spotlight in 2016, when "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin's shocking death was linked to what was deemed an unintuitive shifter design. FCA recalled more than 1 million vehicles with a rocker-style eight-speed ZF shifter, including Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chrysler 300s, and Dodge Chargers. The design was unclear to some, and that confusion lead to dangerous rollaways. In 2017, FCA was back in the news when it announced a transmission recall for 1.8 million Ram trucks that had a faulty interlock that could result in the transmission shifting out of park. And in 2019, FCA announced two more transmission recalls, this time for 320,000 Dodge Darts and 51,788 Fiat 500s, both of which had cable bushings that could degrade due to temperature and moisture.  FCA's unsettling pattern has bled into the new decade, as 222,207 ProMasters have been recalled for an entirely separate transmission issue that could once again lead to a rollaway risk. The NHTSA estimates approximately three percent of these vehicles could have built with a transmission gear shift cable that was kinked during production. According to the recall document, "the vehicle population was determined to include all ProMaster vehicles equipped with a 3.6-liter engine from the beginning of 2014 MY production on April 23, 2013, through September 14, 2019, when the vehicle manufacturing process was revised." If the shift cable separates, the shifter is no longer connected to the transmission. The driver, then, would not be able to shift properly, or the transmission could be in a different position than believed. If the driver thinks the vehicle is parked, but it is actually still in drive or neutral, the vehicle could unintentionally move. As a precautionary measure until the vans are checked and fixed, FCA suggests owners use the parking brake when parking these vehicles. FCA will begin notifying owners on March 13, 2020 and plans to replace the damaged parts free of charge.