The Monday Rundown: Last Call for the Ram TRX and More
Tesla Model 3 refresh, most and least stolen cars, the features people want most, new Jeep crash-test ratings
Hi there, and welcome to Driving American, the automotive publication focused on the cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans that are made in America by Americans.
Each issue of the Monday Rundown summarizes the latest new vehicle news and reporting related to U.S. automotive manufacturing so that you know what’s going on and can learn more if you’d like to.
Ram head-butts TRX into the history books
After the 2024 model year, the Ram TRX and its supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine will drive off into that big Route 66 sunset in the sky. To commemorate the end of production, Ram will build 4,000 Ram TRX Final Edition versions for customers around the world. (Yes, Ram sells the TRX elsewhere. I spotted one in Monaco of all places, during a family trip this past summer.)
Built for high-speed, off-road driving, the Ram TRX makes 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, enough thrust to move the massive machine to 60 mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds. For context, that’s about half a second slower than a Ford F-150 Lightning.
Not only is the Ram TRX slower than electric trucks, but it’s also more expensive to buy and own. The TRX gets 12 mpg in combined driving and carries a base price of nearly $90,000, including the destination charge. And if you want one of the fully loaded Final Editions, it will cost you 120 grand.
With a slew of faster electric trucks coming from Chevrolet, GMC, and Ram itself, the TRX’s time has come and gone. Production of the truck at Stellantis’ Sterling Heights, Michigan, factory ends in December of 2023.
2024 Tesla Model 3 changes coming soon
The Tesla Model 3 is the most popular compact luxury sedan in America, though with recent price drops putting the price of a base version without options at around $32,000, including the federal income tax credit and California rebate, residents of the Golden State can argue that a Tesla Model 3 isn’t a luxury car at all.
Tesla introduced the Model 3 in 2017, and aside from a few different paint colors and wheel designs, it looks the same seven years later. But the 2024 Tesla Model 3 is different, especially on the inside. A new dashboard, revised controls, and a touchscreen for rear passengers are on deck, and reportedly improved materials and added acoustic glass should better substantiate the Model 3’s supposed luxury market position.
Don’t expect much change in range or performance, though it’s always hard to figure out what Team Elon is going to do. As for the styling, it’s tidier than before, especially in front, where narrower headlights and a cleaner bumper modernize the car’s look. New wheels are in store, too.
Thieves like muscle cars, not EVs
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) finds that two of the top three most stolen cars in America are the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger (inexplicably joined by the Infiniti Q50). But none of these are made in the U.S.A. If you bought a U.S.-produced Honda CR-V, keep an eye on it because it ranks among the top 10 most stolen vehicles in America.
What do thieves ignore? Teslas. The Model 3, Model Y, and Model X are among the five least stolen vehicles, along with the Volvo XC90 and the Tennessee-built GMC Acadia.
You can get the full story here.
Survey says: We want LED fog lights?
One of the changes to the 2024 Tesla Model 3 is the elimination of LED fog lights from the front fascia. Whoops. According to a new study by AutoPacific, an automotive consumer research firm, 48% of 11,700 licensed drivers in the U.S. named LED fog lights as a feature they most want in their next new vehicle. It is tied with wireless smartphone charging.
Third on the list is unresponsive driver stop assist, at 43%. This is good news. First, it indicates that people are aware such technology exists and agree that it should be more widely available. This tech can detect when a driver has become unresponsive due to falling asleep or suffering a medical emergency and can bring the vehicles to a safe stop, typically in the lane of travel with the hazard lights flashing.
An example of this technology in an American-made vehicle is Volkswagen’s Emergency Assist in the Atlas SUV and Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV, both made in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
You can get the full story here.
New Jeep Grand Cherokee crash-test ratings are out
Historically, the Detroit-built Jeep Grand Cherokee has been one of the best-selling SUVs in America, popular with families for its rugged looks, all-weather and off-roading capability, and roomy interior. Jeep redesigned the Grand Cherokee in 2022, and now, finally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has completed enough testing to give the SUV a rating.
First, the good news. The 2023 Grand Cherokee earns a Top Safety Pick+ overall rating for the 2023 calendar year. The rating applies to the standard Grand Cherokee and the extended-length Grand Cherokee L but only Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve trim levels when equipped with full LED headlights and manufactured after January 2023.
Now, the bad news. The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee received Poor ratings in updated moderate overlap frontal-impact and side-impact tests. In addition, the headlights earned a Poor rating. So, you don’t want to get one of those.
Evidently, Jeep made changes for the 2023 model year to improve the SUV’s crashworthiness. In addition to offering better headlights, the 2023 Grand Cherokee earns a Good rating in the updated side-impact test. However, the SUV still gets a Poor rating in the updated moderate overlap frontal-impact test, and the standard headlights in lower trim levels still suck.
Furthermore, I can’t tell whether or not these ratings apply to the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid. Often, they don’t.
Confused? You can try to sort it all out on the IIHS website.
What’s new on Driving American?
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