Though the timing may not be perfect, Dodge has just introduced its new Ram
full-size pickup truck. Though pickups have lost some of their luster with the
rise of gas prices, of all the vehicles sold by Chrysler LLC last month, the
Ram outsold all other models by a wide margin. People still need pickups and
will continue buying them.
The new Ram is like an iron fist in a velvet glove. It is big, strong and
powerful. This new model has gone to finishing school and presents itself in a
more polished way. One big advancement is that the rear suspension is now based
on a coil spring design rather than leaf springs. The result delivers the same
haul and tow capacity but the ride is now dramatically improved. It’s arguably the best riding truck on the market.
The interior has also been upgraded. Everything from the materials, to fit and
finish, storage areas etc. have been improved. The cab is comfortable and
attractive. From a technology standpoint, Chrysler’s Uconnect system, which controls music, gps/nav, phone, studio and Web, is
offered. That’s right, the Web. This technology turns the truck into a WiFi hotspot on wheels
and gives you Internet access while you’re driving. You can also get a rear entertainment system and backseat TV, with
live reception on the road. Uconnect also has a 30 gigabyte hard drive on board
and you can upload songs into it, over 5,000 in total, and have an electronic
juke box with you wherever you go.
The truck rides and drives wonderfully. Though this is a very large vehicle, it
drives much smaller than it is, thanks to nicely powered steering and a
responsive power train.
The Ram offers a 3.7 liter V-6, a 4.7 liter V-8 and the 5.7 liter Hemi V-8.
Interestingly, the Hemi offers MDS, which is a cylinder deactivation technology
that allows the vehicle to run on half the engine. With MDS active, the Hemi
becomes a 4-cylinder, 2.8 liter engine, and this big truck gets an EPA 20 miles
per gallon highway fuel economy rating, the best of any large truck available.
Another innovative feature is the Job Box. These are large storage containers
located in the often wasted space in the side walls of the pickup bed. They are
lockable, weather proof and can carry everything from tools, to fishing gear,
to ice for beverages. They are 7 cubic feet on each side and very useful.
Dodge has done a good job with the Ram. The Texas Auto Writers Association
crowned the new Ram as the Texas Full Size Pickup Truck of the Year for
2008-09.
The VW Jetta has been with us for several years and has proven to be a popular
and pleasing car. In the past, Jetta’s were Rabbits with trunks on the back. The new generation is its own car now.
VW has a heritage of producing small displacement, high fuel economy diesel
engines. VW has actually been out of the diesel engine market while the new 2.0
liter 50-state clean diesel engine was in development. Now, the Jetta and the
new 2.0 TDI diesel are married and it’s a match made in heaven.
New government regulations mandate very low emission levels from all engines,
including diesels. When you hear the term “clean diesel,” it refers to the new generation of engines that are really clean and don’t smell bad or belch black smoke. The 2.0 TDI is a technology wonder that many
companies wish they could replicate. This small powerplant generates 140
horsepower but more importantly, 236 pounds of torque, the measure of the
engine’s pulling power.
The additional benefit to diesel technology is that fuel economy is much better,
and even though the cost of diesel is higher than gasoline, the improved fuel
economy outweighs the fuel price differential.
The other element in the Jetta TDI’s success is VW’s wonderful DSG transmission. The DSG is really a 6-speed manual transmission
with a power shift assist that acts like an automatic. The Jetta TDI and DSG
combination make this car a treat to drive.
I recently drove one over a 100-mile loop in a mountainous area with lots of
high speed roads. When you start the vehicle, most would never know it was a
diesel because it’s so quiet and smooth. It is fun, comfortable, reasonably roomy and has good
safety equipment. All of that is enhanced by the TDI and DSG. This car can
accelerate to 60 miles an hour in a respectable eight seconds and has a top
speed of 128 miles an hour, virtually identical to the 2.5 liter gas version of
the Jetta.
The EPA fuel economy rating for the diesel is 30 city and 41 highway. VW notes
that those numbers are very conservative and I agree. On our test loop, with
aggressive driving, mostly in mountainous terrain, I averaged 37.2 miles per
gallon and I could repeatedly get an indicated 60 miles per gallon on a steady
freeway cruise! Based on that experience, it’s not unreasonable to expect a 40 mpg average, which is the same real-life
number as a Toyota Prius hybrid. Even the tiny Smart car doesn’t have economy anywhere close to the Jetta TDI.
I am very impressed with the Jetta TDI. It delivers ultra-high fuel economy, a
low emission solution to today’s driving demand in a comfortable and fun vehicle at a very competitive price.
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