2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman Express Quad Cab 4x4 on 2040-cars

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2019 Ram 1500 V8 First Drive Review | New pickup has more of everything

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – There's a lot going on with the 2019 Ram 1500: inside, outside, out back, and under the hood. New engine options — two of which feature 48-volt eTorque assistance for extra grunt — and lots of attitude-heavy trims. But our first experience with the '19 Ram is focused on the totality of the truck experience — taking a step back, a deep breath of desert air, and soaking it all in. Ram is staking out a fascinating niche in an incredibly competitive segment. More than anything, this is a very comfortable truck, and that's exactly what it needs to be. Remember, Ram ditched leaf springs for coil springs 10 years ago, figuring a smoother ride outweighed the cost. That didn't make it less truckish, since capabilities also increased. And the same goes here: The suspension geometry is tweaked even further, giving it better control over speed bumps in the Phoenix suburbs as well as the desert washes, guarded by saguaro sentinels. Lest you think this means the 1500 gives up anything on its predecessor, properly equipped the '19 can tow up to 12,700 pounds. Yes, with the 1500 ... not a dual-axle, heavier-grade 3500 or something. Maximum payload is up to 2,320 pounds, too — although that rating is only for a 3.6L 4x2 with a 3.55 rear end. There's got to be a tradeoff, right? Maybe Ram pinched the interior to save weight. Nope — both the Quad and Crew cabs are bigger. The Crew Cab grows more, though, with 4 extra inches of extra wheelbase finding its way into the massive space behind the front seats — there's 45.2 inches of legroom back there, which is about 5 inches more than before. This process of critically assessing the Ram, looking for clues that something was worse or amiss, simply came up empty. The only area the 1500 seems to show weakness is in pricing — generally it's more expensive across the board, by a few hundred dollars, although some of that is offset by favorable options packaging or additional content. And, of course, with increased complexity there's the potential for higher running costs down the road — something we can't evaluate until these trucks have been on the road for years. Back to the present: The conclusion we came to is that Ram simply invested in multiple areas in this truck. A bit of the cost is passed onto the buyer, but not as much as you'd think. To translate from beancounter: Pay a little bit more, get a lot more.

UAW workers in Indiana, Stellantis reach tentative deal to end strike

United Auto Workers union members who went on strike Saturday at the Stellantis casting plant in Indiana have reached a tentative deal with the company. The UAW Local 1166 bargaining committee announced a tentative agreement in a blog post, saying that a ratification vote would be held Monday. Stellantis confirmed the tentative deal Monday. The strike was related to health and safety issues, including the company’s alleged refusal to repair and replace the plantÂ’s air conditioning and heating systems. The 35-acre plant in Kokomo makes parts used in the power trains of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM vehicles. The 1,200-worker plant, Kokomo Casting, is the worldÂ’s largest die cast facility, according to Stellantis. In May, Stellantis announced a $2.5 billion joint venture with Samsung to build an electric vehicle battery factory in Kokomo that is to employ 1,400 workers. Stellantis, created last year through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and FranceÂ’s PSA Peugeot, had said it would build two electric vehicle battery factories in North America. The other is slated for Windsor, Ontario. Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM

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.