The Ram 1500 is a formidable competitor in the light-duty, full-size pickup truck segment, quite capable of getting the job done on the work site or helping you haul your recreational equipment for weekend fun.
The 1500 comes in three body types: regular cab, quad cab and crew cab. There are three cargo box lengths ranging from 5 ft., 7 in. to 8 ft. Engine choices include a V-6 or V-8 powered by gasoline or a V-6 in turbo diesel.
New for this model year, there is a standard backup camera. Also, there is now available a high-end Limited Tungsten edition and farm-oriented Harvest edition of the 1500. Rebel versions are also available with a new leather interior option.
For added storage capacity, it's hard to beat the RamBox cargo management system. It offers you lockable space for tools or other goods and adds to the convenience and functionality of the truck.
On the interior, the optional 8.4-inch multimedia system has a higher-resolution touchscreen with pinch-to-zoom functionality. It can control HD Radio and the optional 4G LTE Wi-Fi system.
It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.
Another safety option is the emergency communication service provided by SiriusXM Guardian.
For extra convenience, there's now a switch in the cargo bed for the optional LED bed lights.
The 1500 starts at around $29,000 and ranges to about $55,000.
For a truck that lets you work hard and play hard, the Ram 1500 presents a viable option.
The 2017 Volkswagen Jetta remains a strong competitor in the compact sedan market, with its keen driving dynamics and roomy interior.
The Jetta is now available in four trim levels: S, SE, SEL and GLI. With its understated body styling, the GLI trim has a look highlighted by a bolder front fascia with a mesh pattern on the grille. But the Jetta maintains a look that never veers too far from its origins.
LED daytime running lights, power/heated side mirrors and 16-inch wheels are standard features. Options include a sport suspension, turn-signal indicators at the side mirrors, a rear spoiler, a power moonroof and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Jetta is powered by a choice of three turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The base is a 1.4-liter that makes 150 horsepower. The GLI has a 2.0-liter that makes 210 horsepower. Either can be linked to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The SEL features 1.8-liter that makes 170 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic. Gas mileage is rated at 28 mpg city, 40 highway for the 1.4-liter models. The SEL is rated at 25 and 35, and the GLI is 23 and 33.The Jetta features a two-tone cloth interior with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat. On the center console, there is a standard MIB II infotainment system that includes a 6.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio and a USB port. Optional is a navigation system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Car-Net App-Connect, voice recognition, an SD card reader and a Fender premium audio system.
Volkswagen has long been known for its fun-to-drive factor, and this version of the Jetta certainly continues that. Whether it's out on the highway showing off its swift acceleration, or on a twisty back road displaying its deft handling, there is no shortage of joy in this ride.
But VW has also battled for years against spotty reliability ratings. It's something to keep in mind when considering this brand.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Jetta a Top Safety Pick Plus, and it garnered a full 5-star overall crash test safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Backup camera and a tire pressure monitoring system are among the standard safety features. Options include a blindspot warning system, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, automatic braking and adaptive cruise control.
The Jetta is priced starting around $18,000 and ranges to around $29,000.
For a fun-to-drive compact sedan, the Jetta holds a great deal of appeal.
Chevrolet delivered on its pledge to produce a 200-mile electric car this year with the arrival of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. Chevy came to Atlanta recently to show off the Bolt to local automotive media.
The highlights:
- It has a range capacity of an estimated 238 miles, eliminating the "range anxiety" that keeps a lot of people from buying all-electric cars.
- It costs around $37,000, but with federal incentives, the price drops to just a tad under $30,000.
- It seats five people, with no large hump in the middle where many electric cars have the battery storage area.
- Chevy calls the Bolt a crossover, rather than a hatchback. Either way, it's got five doors.
We did not get a chance to test drive the Bolt, but look forward to doing so soon, and will provide an update at that time. But it looks like Chevy might have a bit of a game changer on its hands.
With seating for five and three available engines, the 2017 Ford Edge offers a versatile, functional choice in the midsize crossover SUV market. It comes in four trims: the SE, SEL, Titanium and Sport (which our tester was).The Edge offers interior space that is larger than what you might think when you look at its exterior. Front seat head room and leg room are both more than adequate for most adults, and rear seat spacing is also pretty good.
On the exterior, the aggressive, hexagon-shaped grille sits at the helm of a body that has sleek lines and a wide stance. Power side mirrors, a dual-pipe exhaust system and rear spoiler come standard. Options include a trailer hitch receiver, heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators, a power liftgate and a panoramic moonroof. The SE, SEL and Titanium versions of the Edge are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 245 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. As an option, there is a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 280 horsepower. Both front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive are available.
Our tester, the Sport version, has a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 that makes 315 horsepower and is linked to a six-speed automatic and AWD.We were very pleasantly surprised by the driving chops displayed by the Sport. It's not just a badge on the exterior of the vehicle. This version truly has some pep and some handling ability that lets it accurately be described as having the ability to give a sporty toss about the roads.
Gas mileage is rated at 20 mpg city, 30 highway on the FWD four-cylinder, 20 and 28 on the AWD four-cylinder. The V-6 gets 18 and 26 mpg FWD and 17 and 25 mpg AWD. The Edge Sport with the twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 gets 17 and 24.The Edge offers 73.3 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seat folded down. That's plenty of room for groceries or some luggage for a weekend road trip.
The Edge has standard safety features that include front air bags, antilock brakes, an electronic stability system, a tire pressure monitoring system and a backup camera.
The Edge starts at around $29,000 and ranges to about $42,000.
If it's a stylish, versatile crossover SUV that you're in the market for, Ford has an Edge on some of its competitors with this offering.
With a redesign for the 2017 model year, the Ford F-250 remains a formidable competitor in the segment of full-size, heavy duty pickup trucks.It is available in three cab sizes and two bed lengths: 6.75-foot and 8-foot. There are five trim levels: the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum.This truck looks like a big, strong, hardworking machine, which is exactly what it is. The new frame is fully boxed, high-strength steel that Ford says is 24 times more rigid than the previous version.
But, it is also almost 350 pounds lighter, because of its rugged aluminum alloy body. If you opt for the XLT trim level and above, you get chrome bumpers and a chrome grille, which add a touch of upscale styling.
Tailgate dampeners and tie-down hooks are standard. Options offered are power/heated side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, skid plates, LED headlights and trailer equipment.The F-250's power plant is a standard 6.2-liter V-8 that makes 385 horsepower and 430 pounds-feet of torque. Optional is a turbo-diesel 6.7-liter V-8 that makes 440 horsepower and 925 pounds-feet of torque. There is a six-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive optional. Top towing capacity is 21,000 pounds, or 27,500 pounds if you add a fifth-wheel gooseneck tow hitch.Interior options include a front-row bench or bucket seats, with a few choices for rear seats based on cab size. In the Super Cab and Crew Cab, there is a rear flat-load floor for cargo loading convenience.
Options include leather upholstery, power/heated front seats, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, navigation, Ford’s SYNC 3 multimedia system with voice command and power-adjustable pedals.For safety options, the F-250 has a single tailgate camera, a full surround-view camera system, a new Trailer Reverse Guidance System, a customer-placed rear trailer camera and a new center high-mount stop lamp camera that enables you to more easily connect a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch.
More safety features include a blindspot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision warning and emergency braking. Standard are airbags, anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability system.
Optional is an Adaptive Steering System that fits the steering ratio to the vehicle speed. With low speeds, steering ratio rises and needs less steering effort. Higher speeds mean a lower steering ratio with more driver control.
The F-250 starts at around $34,000, but if you top it out with everything, as our test model was, it can run up to $77,000.
For a strong, powerful truck that can handle almost anything you throw its way, the F-250 is a superstar.
The 2017 Toyota Tacoma is a versatile and sporty mid-size pickup truck that is good for work or play.
It comes with two cab options: Access and Double. Trim levels include the SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited.The Tacoma got a styling refresh on the exterior last year, with notable features including a more prominently displayed hexagonal, front grille and a larger Tacoma branding stamp on the rear gate.
If you opt for the Double Cab, you can choose from a short (5 feet long) or long bed (6-feet long). The SR5 Appearance Package offers fender trim in body color, a power-sliding rear window for the Double Cab model and 16-inch alloy wheels. More options include power/heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators and a trailer hitch receiver. The standard power plant for the Tacoma is 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 159 horsepower and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual and rear-wheel drive. You can upgrade to a 3.5-liter Atkinson cycle V-6 that makes 278 horsepower and is linked to a 6-speed manual or automatic and RWD. Four-wheel drive is an option on both engines.
The V-6 with automatic and RWD in the Access Cab style is rated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, best for the Tacoma, with the V-6/Manual/4WD/Double Cab is lowest at 17/20 mpg.The interior features standard cloth seating and a center console with Entune audio system and a 6.1-inch touchscreen, CD/MP3 playback, Bluetooth connectivity for phone and audio, Siri Eyes Free mode and a USB port. Options include leather upholstery, a Qi wireless smartphone charging station, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote keyless entry and a power moonroof.
The Tacoma starts at around $26,000 and ranges to around $43,000.
If you need a good mid-size truck for work or play, the Tacoma is a great choice.
