Auto News 5

Tom Hoover, one of the original Ramchargers and the father of the second-generation Hemi V-8 engine, enjoyed his share of excitement during his 24 years as a Chrysler engineer, but a couple of incidents stand out. During the early days of electronic engine controls, Hoover had two brushes with runaway acceleration.inline_mediumwraptextright1957 Dodge Royal Lancer27037838/features/news/1003_sudden_acceleration_the_early_years1003_01_z+1957_dodge_royal_lancer+side_view.jpgTrue

Jeep wants this Compass to be a small SUV competitor, but I have a hard time seeing it as much more than a Dodge Caliber compact car. It may ride a little taller, drive all four wheels, and offer high-end features like navigation, but there's not much utility here. And as the Compass combines unparalleled levels of ho-hum and ugly, it is certifiable insanity that Jeep would build even one of these cars at a price of $30,130.inline_mediumwraptextright26939030/reviews/editors_notebook/1002_2010_jeep_compass_limited_4x41002_01_z+2010_jeep_compass_limited_4x4+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

On the Goldilocks scale for toy haulers, Chevrolet's HHR Panel wagon is much too small and the Dodge Sprinter is way too large. What hits the sweet spot is the new Ford Transit Connect, the just-right way to transport dirt bikes, ATVs, kayaks, and hot-air balloons.inline_mediumwraptextright32156622/reviews/driven/1003_2010_ford_transit_connect1003_06_z+2010_ford_transit_connect+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Dodge says that the Ram 1500 can tow 10,450 pounds. Ford claims that the F-150 can tow 11,300 pounds. Which pickup pulls more? Answer: It's impossible to say, because, believe it or not, there is currently no established standard for setting tow ratings. Manufacturers each can use their own criteria to come up with any figure they want. It's as if there were no EPA testing for fuel economy, and each carmaker could use any procedure it wanted (e.g., downhill, engine-off coasting) to establish and advertise its cars' mileage.inline_mediumwraptextright32110368/features/news/1003_dodge_ram_1500_vs_ford_f150_towing_capacity1003_01_z+dodge_ram_1500+towing.jpgTrue

Months in Fleet: Eleven
Mileage to Date: 35,904inline_mediumwraptextright26880263/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1002_2009_dodge_ram_1500_february_update1002_02_z+2009_dodge_ram_1500+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

If you’ve ever owned a toy Tonka truck and had even the slightest amount of fun with it, driving a big diesel pickup is incredibly fun. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to pull any trailers or really do anything to make this Ram break a sweat during the few nights I had it.inline_mediumwraptextright32217045/reviews/editors_notebook/1002_2010_dodge_ram_2500_heavy_duty1002_04_z+2010_dodge_ram_2500_heavy_duty+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The truly cool thing about internal combustion engines is there's always another creative way to skin the power/efficiency/emissions cat. Fiat's Multiair technology is a prime example. Even though variable valve timing (VVT) was first used here thirty years ago (by Alfa Romeo), Fiat engineers invented a clever twist on the idea which is already in production for Europe and will surely be used future Chrysler engines.inline_mediumwraptextright32058999/features/news/1001_fiats_multiair_engine1001_01_z+fiat+multiair_engine.jpgTrue

Months in Fleet: Ten
Mileage to Date: 34,966inline_mediumwraptextright30620718/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1001_2009_dodge_ram_1500_january_update0909_01_z+2009_dodge_ram_1500+top_view.jpgTrue