Longley Dodge

Ram trucks in action in Chicago, PickupTrucks.com, Feb. 8

o At this year's Chicago Auto Show, the Ram Truck brand is offering a rather rugged and extensive ride-and-drive event, in addition to giving us a first look at the new Laramie Limited package, PickupTrucks.com said. Show-goers can ride along as the Ram 1500 hauls, climbs, navigates and out-punishes a series of closed-course obstacles, the website said. The Laramie Limited is the only model in the lineup that doesn't have any Ram 1500 badging or trim package labeling on the side of the truck, and we like the cleaner look, PickupTrucks.com said.

Ram Power Wagon is 2012 Pickup Truck of the Year, Four Wheeler magazine, March issue

o The Ram Power Wagon was named Four Wheeler's Pickup Truck of the Year, the magazine said in its March issue cover story. "We like this truck," Four Wheeler's editors said. The Power Wagon is the Swiss Army Knife of ¾-ton trucks, especially now with the RamBox option with bed rails and a spray-in bedliner, the magazine said. It has a tractable Hemi engine and the new crisp shifting six-speed improves the truck and makes it more competitive in its class, the article said. The high seating position, large greenhouse and configurable mirrors make for great outward visibility and you'll never have to apologize for the Power Wagon's firm, yet smooth ride, the article said. It is an all-around performer that can haul 1,880 pounds of cargo, tow 10,250 pounds of trailer, or hang with Jeeps on the trail, Four Wheeler said. As one editor noted in the logbook, "If Jeep® made pickups, this would be it," the magazine said. Third Place in the Four Wheeler competition went to the Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn Mega Cab.

Enjoying a smooth Journey with Dodge, Montreal Gazette, Jan. 12

o The Journey's appearance, thanks to Dodge's split crosshair signature front grille, comes together and looks nice, the Montreal Gazette said. Modifications to the front and rear fascias in 2011 were improvements over the original design and work well with the grille to give the Journey a design that stands out, the Gazette said. The pronounced fender flares also lend to a sportier appearance and stance, further enhancing the Journey's look, the article said. Dodge keeps things simple and clean in the center stack, so all controls are easy to find and operate, the article said. The Journey is one of Canada's best-selling mid-size crossovers and looks to keep up the pace in 2012 and beyond, the Gazette said.

Practice makes perfect for this minivan, Vancouver (Canada) Sun, Jan. 13

o A trip along southern California freeways demonstrated the comfort and handling of the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan, the Vancouver (Canada) Sun said. There was certainly more than enough room to stretch out inside the spacious seven-seater, from the large and well-bolstered front seats through to the third row bench, made all the easier to access thanks to the patented Super Stow ' N' Go second and third row seating, the Sun said. There's more than enough power, the handling is excellent, and the interior is well-suited to carrying kids and gear from one attraction to another, the Sun said.

Dr. Dre gives Dodge Charger tight, tight sound, cnet.com, Jan. 13

o At Chrysler's UConnect booth at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a leather clad woman wearing aviators turned up the Dodge Charger's volume and the sounds of "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga came blasting out of the speakers, cnet.com said. As she increased the volume, the sound never became painful - mostly due to the Beats by Dre audio system in the car, which pumped out extremely tight, controlled sound, the website said. As the volume rose, I detected no distortion, and even the Charger's door panels seemed unaffected by the sound pressure issuing from the woofers, the article said. It was designed to make us feel like we were sitting front row at a concert, and that design worked well, cnet.com said.

2012 mid-size family vehicles under $20,000, Familycarguide.com, Dec.19

o Three mid-size models met the $20,000 requirement (including destination charge) - two are mid-size sedans and one is a mid-size crossover and all three are from the Chrysler Group, Familycarguide.com said. All three are powered by the same 173-horsepower 2.4-liter in-line four-cylinder engine matched with a four-speed automatic transmission, they're all front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles, and all three are Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the article said.
2012 Chrysler 200 LX: The Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan is, according to TheCarConnection, "comfortable, stylish, and a decent value." There's no arguing that the styling is much improved, inside and out.
2012 Dodge Avenger SE: Dodge bills the SE as the most affordable mid-size sedan in the U.S. TheCarConnection calls the Avenger a "mini-Charger," with a distinct styling stance, clean cabin layout and decent road manners and feedback.
2012 Dodge Journey AVP: The least-expensive mid-size crossover on the market, the 2012 Dodge Journey acquits itself nicely with respect to the all-important interior dimensions for headroom and legroom. TheCarConnection says, "Practical without being too prim, the 2012 Dodge Journey cuts an interesting figure and spans the gulf between practical crossovers and family-grade SUVs."

2011 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4 review, Auto123.com, Dec. 20

o The latest rig to further raise the bar on pickup trucks wears a Ram badge, Auto123.com said. It's the Laramie cabin that really takes the 2011 Ram 1500 to new levels of sophistication and refinement, the website said. The large, spacious environment was as well constructed and as nicely finished as a typical luxury car, the website said. It's easy to forget that the Ram 1500 is a 'rough and tough' pickup truck, the article said. The ride comfort of the 4WD pickup truck is delightful - tremendously compliant while remaining remarkably composed and quiet, the article said. The Ram crew has produced a workhorse with outstanding power output and plenty of off-road "true grit," Auto123.com said. The 2011 Ram 1500 Laramie is a rugged tool of the trade; the comfort and refinement supplied by this robust facilitator of worksites and recreation is truly impressive, the website said.

Three Chrysler models that stand out, Globe and Mail (Toronto), Oct. 21

o The Globe and Mail in Toronto said three Chrysler Group vehicles stand out.

2011 Dodge Durango: The 2011 Dodge Durango is an excellent SUV, selling for about half the price of a comparable Mercedes-Benz GL. The 2011 is refined, comfortable and pleasant to drive. The least expensive Durango has all the features and capabilities you'd expect in a rig this size and for this money. I'd put this one on my shopping list if I were looking for a large crossover SUV.

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8®: This is the Jeep with a 2,268-kilogram tow rating and a fire-breathing, 470-horsepower, 6.4-litre, Hemi V-8 under the hood. Here we have one fine and very fast Jeep.

2011 Dodge Journey R/T: The improvements made to the 2011 Journey in the last year have been real and noteworthy. This five- or seven-passenger crossover is a family-friendly size and it's affordable. Dodge buffed up the 2011 Journey with a sophisticated interior and many useful features. Dollar for dollar, the R/T is the most rewarding Journey in the lineup.