Grand Wagoneer Wins Big at the 2023 Newsweek Autos Awards

The 2025 Ram 1500 arrived with a new approach to the full-sized pickup truck. By introducing a duo of powerful turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engines, the most advanced pickup truck in its class continues to go from strength to strength. Now, it is garnering its own rewards. In fact, MotorTrend has named the Ram 1500 its 2025 Truck of the Year. This honor marks the seventh time a Ram pickup has earned the prestigious title since Ram became a standalone brand. Previous Truck of the Year Awards were presented to Ram in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, and now 2025. After weeks of testing, MotorTrend’s editors gave the truck high scores in every competitive testing process category. They found what makes the 2025 Ram 1500 one of the most desirable pickup trucks around. It all starts with the 3.0-liter Hurricane Straight-Six Turbo engine. With two versions available, the one they love the most is the higher-output version that delivers up to 540 horsepower. This engine played a significant role in the evaluation and scoring. MotorTrend editors also recognized the wide variety of trim levels for customers to choose from, from the luxury of the Tungsten model to the raw off-road capability of the RHO. MotorTrend 's annual awards recognize the best vehicles representing exceptional value, superiority in their classes, and impact on the automotive scene. The accolades are among the most coveted automotive industry awards and represent the pinnacle of an extremely competitive segment. These award winners are not chosen based on a direct comparison against other finalists. Instead, they are based on the results of how each contender measures against the award’s six criteria: advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value, and performance of the intended function. Contending vehicles at Truck of the Year are first put through MotorTrend’s full battery of performance tests at a professional automotive test center to evaluate virtually every aspect of each vehicle, then assessed on real-world roads loaded, unloaded, and while towing, as well as at a premiere off-road facility, before a winner is selected. Based on the testing and evaluation MotorTrend gave the 2025 Ram 1500, it is definitely a winner! Our pickup truck not only puts the power down but also has the most advanced suspension system in its class. Being the first pickup truck with a multi-link rear independent rear suspension, the 2025 Ram 1500 delivers an exceptional ride with superb load management and balance. Plus, the 2025 Ram 1500 continues to deliver advanced technology and connectivity with the UConnect 5 infotainment system. You can also share control using the Hands-free Active Driving Assist, our Level 2+ autonomous driving system. These stand-out features are among the many reasons why the 2025 Ram 1500 is a winner. The next step is to see for yourself why the 2025 Ram 1500 is a winner right here in the Twin Ports area. Contact us at Benna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram soon for your testing and evaluation of the newly crowned MotorTrend Truck of the Year!

If you pay attention to the automotive industry, very few models emerge on the market as a surprise. Manufacturers show vehicles at auto shows at least several months prior to being available and often announce the models months, if not years, before that. So we hear about the models, sometimes see them in spy photos, and finally see them at auto shows, but we still must wait a season or two before they are available to the public. This leads to several models being anticipated. Newsweek acknowledges this with an annual list of the most anticipated vehicles. Benna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (CDJR) is happy to see two CDJR vehicles on their list for 2025. These are the Wagoneer S and the 1500 Ramcharger. Jeep Wagoneer S The Jeep Wagoneer S will be the brand’s first-ever battery-electric vehicle (BEV). The model was expected for late 2024, but Jeep had some fine-tuning to ensure the model would be as perfectly executed as possible. Though it shares the Wagoneer’s name, it is quite a different vehicle. To start, it is smaller, with two-row seating instead of three.  The exterior is also quite different, being lower with a more angled rear and black pillars between the side windows for a long, unbroken dark appearance leading to a more radically angled d-pillar. Elegant wind tunnel sculpting is evident from front to rear. The Wagoneer will be powered by a pair of electric motors, one up front and one between the rear wheels, for standard all-wheel drive. The two motors will have a combined horsepower of 600 with 617 lb-ft of torque available when the motor starts turning. 0-60 acceleration is expected in 4.4 seconds, and if you don’t do such acceleration runs all the time, the range is expected to be 300 miles from the 100.5nlithium-ion battery. With a 400-volt electric architecture, direct-DC charging is expected to go from 20 to 80 percent in 23 minutes. With day-to-day recommended Level 2 charging, the battery should charge from 5 to 80% in about seven hours. Looking inside reveals what will be the most technically advanced Jeep to date. Across the horizontal dash will be a combined 45 inches of usable screen space, customizable LED lighting, and an available 19-speaker McIntosh audio system. This will also be the first Jeep model with electronic door releases. A Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition will be the first model available and is expected to be fully loaded. It will have an MSRP of $71,995, including the destination charge. Other Wagoneer S models are expected to follow. 1500 Ramcharger Building off of what many consider the best pickup truck line in the U.S., the Ram Charger is essentially a battery-electric truck with a range-extending gas-powered generator. You could call it a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), but it doesn’t tell the whole story. While most PHEVs offer an EV-only range of about 30-45 miles, the Ramcharger’s 92 kWh battery will have an expected 145 miles of EV-only power with a total expected range of 690 miles when the gas engine is involved. This means that the Ramcharger will basically be an emission-free EV for essentially all day-to-day driving, while extended trips will be free of recharging worries. If you do want to recharge on the road, the 1500 Ramcharger is unlike most PHEVs in that its 400-volt system will work with DC fast charging stations to add 50 miles of EV range in just 10 minutes. The electric motors combine to produce 663 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle is expected to have a tow rating of up to 14,000 pounds. The onboard 3.6-liter Pentastar engine will operate as a generator for the electric motors. The Ramcharger will appear from all angles as a Ram 1500 with different lighting and subtle aerodynamic enhancements. Both models will be available to consumers in the 2025 calendar year. If Newsweek is highly anticipating the availability of these models, imagine how much Benna CDJR can’t wait to start offering them. If you want to be the first to check out either of these exciting new models, ask one of our sales professionals to notify you when the first models arrive.

All of the models carried by Benna Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep ®, and Ram are designed to provide value at purchase, throughout ownership, and when it is time for resale. Thus, we are happy to announce that the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep ®, and Ram brands all appear in the 12th annual Vincentric Best CPO Value in America Awards. The awards highlight vehicles that retain their value in the used vehicle market. Vincentric is a data analysis firm for the automotive industry.  Each year, they perform a cost of ownership analysis at the model level, from which comes the Vincentric Best CPO Value in America™ awards. Vincentric measures the cost of ownership using eight different cost factors: Depreciation Fees & taxes Financing Fuel Insurance Maintenance Opportunity cost Repairs Based on their proprietary statistical model, winners are determined by evaluating which vehicles had lower-than-expected ownership costs, given their market segment and price. Each vehicle was evaluated in all 50 states plus Washington, DC, using a range of annual mileage intervals and insurance profiles. Best CPO Value awards The Jeep Wagoneer was awarded for having the Best CPO Value in America in the  Luxury Large SUV category.  Contributing factors include: Outperformed 9 Competitor Models 6.1% below expected ownership costs For the second time, the Chrysler Voyager won the award for the Best CPO Value in America in the minivan category.  Its contributing factors include: 3.8% below expected ownership costs Lowest Total Cost of Ownership in its Class Outperformed 4 Competitor Models "We know consumers consider many factors when purchasing a vehicle, not just the initial cost, but also the overall cost to own, operate, and drive,” said Matt Thompson, Head of U.S. Retail Sales. “These awards are significant because they highlight a range of Stellantis vehicles that offer long-term value retention and peace of mind, from minivans to sedans, to commercial vans and full-size SUVs." Lowest Ownership Cost Recognition With their data on ownership costs, Vincentric also recognizes models that have the lowest in their respective categories. As a result, they recognized these five models for having the lowest total cost of ownership in their class: Chrysler 300 Sedan Ownership costs over $1,856 lower than the nearest competitor Outperformed two competitor models Chrysler Voyager minivan Ownership costs over $1,673 lower than the nearest competitor Outperformed four competitor models Dodge Durango SUV Ownership costs over $1,673 lower than the nearest competitor Outperformed four competitor models Ram ProMaster City Passenger Van Ownership costs over $1,186 lower than the nearest competitor Outperformed seven competitor models Ram ProMaster City Commercial Van Ownership costs over $2,083 lower than the nearest competitor Outperformed two competitor models While it is relatively easy to compare vehicle prices when shopping, comparing the overall cost of ownership is more challenging.  Consequently, Vincentric's work and its awards are valuable tools for anyone looking for a new or used vehicle. We invite you to check out all the Vincentric’s winners, at Benna CDJR.