Rocky Mountain Driving Experience 2024
#RMDE
The 2024 Rocky Mountain Driving Experience, organized by the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, is currently taking place in beautiful Frisco, Colorado. This year's event features an impressive array of new models from various manufacturers. Participants have the opportunity to explore cars, trucks, and SUVs from Fiat, Ram, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Hyundai, Mazda, Land Rover, Genesis, Subaru, Kia, Honda, and Acura.
Look for driving impressions on some of these from Unhealthy Obsession in the coming days
Chevy Bolt Continues
Chevrolet had told the world that their future was all Ultium and that spelled the end to the Bolt and Bolt EUV at the end of the current model run.
Chevrolet had told the world that their future was all Ultium and that spelled the end to the Bolt and Bolt EUV at the end of the current model run.
Today, Chevy reversed themselves and said a 3rd generation Bolt is on the way. This seems to be reflecting that upcoming Ultium models (Blazer and Equinox) with brand new Ultium platforms and powertrains were going to come in priced higher than existing Bolt buyers are used to.
So, what will a new Bolt be like?
GM is claiming that the new Bolt will be updated with Ultium technology. This likely means battery and motors at least inspired by the work on the new Ultium platform. This may also mean an update to GM’s new Ultifi software platform that will allow over the air updates, will bring more features to the Bolt’s existing SuperCruise autonomous system, and could show significant improvement to the Bolt’s current slow recharging performance.
What will keep the Bolt cost down, versus other upcoming Chevrolet EVs, is reuse of the current Bolt platform. The new Blazer and Equinox EV both are brand new and that means development costs that have to be amortized over the first few years…keeping costs higher than a new Bolt that will have quite a bit of its costs already paid off.
What is unclear is if we will see the current Bolt continue into the 2024 model year while we wait. Will we have a hiatus for the model while the updates are executed and the new Ultium=ified Bolt drops.
Either way, we could see a new Bolt by this time next year…but, if the current car stays in production and gives Chevy some breathing room with a cheap electric in the lineup…we wouldn’t expect a new Bolt until 2025 as a 2026 model year.
Rocky Mountain Driving Experience 2023
This week the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press held their Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.
This week, the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press assembled to test out a wide selection of the latest models on the market. We got a chance to drive several models and are working on reviews of a few of the more interesting cars in attendance.
Check back in the coming days for a review of the
Kia EV6 GT
Honda Accord Hybrid
and the Toyota Prius Prime.
We may also be able to bring you driving impressions of more cars there in the weeks to come as well.
The Denver Auto Show is Back
The Denver Auto Show is back after a 4 year hiatus.
Fun Fact: The Denver Auto Show is the 3rd oldest auto show in the nation, first put on in 1903 (just after shows in New York and Chicago).
So, it would almost be a crime if the Colorado Automotive Dealers Association didn’t find a way to put it back on.
Like many things lately, the show was put on hold by the pandemic and was last held indoors in 2019.
So, this year marks organizers first attempt in 4 years to bring out the crowds of automotive fans and shoppers to a show like we remember.
This year has a slightly smaller selection of brands than in years past…but still plenty to see. On display are products from:
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Fiat
Ford
Honda
Hyundai
Jeep
Kia
Lamborghini
Lexus
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Nissan
Ram
Rolls Royce
Toyota
This means that, in addition to traditional cars, trucks, and vans, exotics, and supercars…many electrics are on display and ready for you to get in and try on for size.
Hyundai has their popular IONIQ 5 as well as the electric version of their Kona crossover. Kia is showing their EV6 as well as the new EV6 GT that is the fastest car Kia has ever made (rocking a truly stellar 576hp…yes…in a Kia).
Ford has brought their F-150 Lightning…truly a sign that electrification is going mainstream…as well as their Mustang Mach-E SUV which is the second best selling electric SUV after Tesla’s Model Y.
Toyota Electric Concepts
Toyota even has a selection of electric concepts that show that the hybrid king is heading to electrification in a serious way.
Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, has their new RZ450e electric SUV on display which brings Lexus luxury to a 300hp, 200 mile range package.
Chevrolet has brought their electric twins, the Bolt and the Bolt EUV compact SUV. Though, if neither are quite big enough for you, take a walk deeper into their display to take a peak at their next generation of electrics in the form of the Equinox midsized SUV that will be on sale next year.
If you are not quite ready for the full-electric plunge…there are plenty of hybrid offerings.
Toyota has hybrid powertrains available in practically everything they make. This year they also brought a couple examples of their brand new Prius. If you haven’t seen it yet, the new Prius is genuinely sexy this time around.
No, really…it is okay to drool over the styling of a Prius now…
If a sexy Toyota is too much to take, Chrysler has their plug-in hybrid Pacifica minivan.
Ford is showing off their new compact Maverick pickup which is available in hybrid form in the base, 2-wheel drive, form. Though don’t forget you can get hybrid power in everything from the F-150 and Explorer to the Escape SUV.
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
Chevrolet is also showing a hybrid, but you might miss it on your first glance. It is the all-wheel drive Corvette E-Ray. It uses hybrid technology to make for the quickest Corvette ever sold while also making it a possible choice for Colorado winters.
A display of custom and classic cars, a separate area for race cars, as well as a lifestyle pavilion round out the things you might want to see while you are at the show.
Though looking at and sitting in cars isn’t all you can do at the show this year. Don’t miss the electric vehicle test track for rides in the F-150 Lightning. Remember…the Lightning is also the fastest version of the F-150 that Ford has ever sold.
If you want to get tickets - act fast as the show runs through Sunday April 16, 2023 @ 6pm.
Not Horsing Around - 2024 Jeep Wrangler
It isn’t uncommon for Jeep to update the Wrangler in the middle of a model run.
The JK, which came out in the 2007 model year, saw a 2011/12 update that updated the interior as well as replaced the 3.8L V-6 with the Pentastar 3.6L. Since Jeep likes to run with a version of the Wrangler for a decade or more, it only makes sense to update things a little to keep the model appealing.
It isn’t uncommon for Jeep to update the Wrangler in the middle of a model run.
The JK, which came out in the 2007 model year, saw a 2011/12 update that updated the interior as well as replaced the 3.8L V-6 with the Pentastar 3.6L. Since Jeep likes to run with a version of the Wrangler for a decade or more, it only makes sense to update things a little to keep the model appealing.
But, that’s not the whole story with the 2024 refresh of the JL Wrangler.
Some updates were already pushed out over the last couple years. For one, the JL, which maxed out originally with 32” tires from the factory now has 35” available in some trims and the new 20th anniversary Wrangler Rubicon has available 37’s.
The JL started out with both the 3.6L V6 from the JK and a turbo 4-cylinder with mild-hybrid assist. But, in the first half of the model’s run, we have seen a diesel option (dropped after 2022), the mild-hybrid replaced by a plug-in hybrid 4xe, as well as a hemi V8.
If Jeep has seen fit to give us quite a few options and changes to the Wrangler even before its mid-cycle refresh, look no further than the good folks over in Dearborn and their Bronco for the reason why.
The Bronco brought a fair amount of refinement to the retro-styled off-roader game. 35” tires were part of its initial option list. A turbo V-6 in the Bronco Raptor dropped recently and is a not so subtle reason why Jeep decided to finally give the Wrangler the hemi treatment.
So…it should come as not surprise that the mid-cycle update to the Wrangler is also a little deeper than a light freshening to the dash.
Out front, Jeep is bringing a new grille to the Wrangler. This is a departure if you consider that the JK Wrangler maintained the same grill treatment (though occasionally with contrasting colors) for its entire 12-year run. The new Wrangler updates the 7 slot grill with some additional visual interest that surrounds the grill bars with matte plastic and extends the grill itself to include the headlight ‘buckets’ and stretches well under the headlights themselves. There is also updated texturing within the slots. Overall the look is a bit more sophisticated while maintaining the Wrangler’s tough good looks.
Also tough, but not just for looks is Wrangler’s first factory installed winch. 8000lb capacity isn’t quite what some folks would option as they upgrade their rig, but 8000 lbs is plenty for the sort of person who would want their Wrangler optioned for off-roading directly off the showroom floor. We’d expect that to be really popular for all those Rubicon buyers who like their 35” tires and steel bumpers but don’t want to spend countless hours pouring over the Quadratec/Northridge 4x4/Extreme Terrain catalogs.
All the wheel designs for the ‘24 Wrangler are new. Impressive when you realize that encompasses 10 new designs.
Where those wheels hit the ground, there is a new story as well. The rear axle is a updated version of the Dana 44, a ‘full float axle’ that now allows the Wrangler to top out at 5000lbs of towing. This is quite a jump from the 3500 lbs that the Wrangler has maxed at for many years.
But, despite style and functionality improvements - the real story of the new Wrangler is inside the cabin.
Most of the changes to the interior seem centered around making the Wrangler quieter and more comfortable for road use. This is one place where the Bronco has outpaced the Wrangler since day one, so this would be a good way for the Wrangler to attract some of the customers that have jumped ship to the Ford’s stable.
The interior rocks a much larger center screen that supports a built-in off-road navigation system as well as support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you opt for the High Altitude, Rubicon X, or Rubicon 392 models, the Wrangler brings acoustic glass up front, thicker carpet, and sound deadening foam in the windshield header, A and B pillars, and cowl - making these more expensive Wranglers also a quieter place to be for their higher price-points. Not having the added sound deadening in the lower models is almost certainly recognition that people who buy a Wrangler and immediately start adding and removing parts to make a more trail-focused rig don’t care as much about the luxuries and wouldn’t be happy paying for them.
Another addition to the new interior is side curtain air bags for both front and second row seating. It will be interesting to see exactly how that is integrated into the Wrangler’s roll cage in a way that allows modifiers to make their changes as well as not interfering with the Wrangler’s iconic removable doors.
Also part of the safety story is the Wrangler’s first implementation of adaptive cruise control - with the ability to also bring the Jeep to a stop if traffic in front demands it. This is far from autonomy - but it is nice to see Jeep finding ways to make on-road use a little bit nicer.
When the JL came to market, they impressed with the option of a button panel that would allow add-on lights and accessories to work without cobbling together a button or switch panel. In the new interior, Jeep raises the stakes by also offering a bank of 4 - 110v outlets (in 4xe equipped models - since they also posses a high-capacity battery that can power these outlets through an on-board inverter).
What we have here is the most impressive mid-cycle refresh the Wrangler has ever seen. This should certainly go a long way to attracting the group of potential buyers that Ford has been winning with the Bronco. The impressive part is that, while adding luxuries and sophistication, Jeep has obviously not ignored the kinds of features that the Jeep faithful would enjoy. It should keep Wrangler relevant and successful for at least another 5-6 years to come (when the -next- Wrangler should bow).
Expect the new Wranglers to go on sale this summer.
Ram Announces 1500 REV Specs
At today’s New York Auto Show press day, Ram showed off the 1500 REV full-sized pickup and dropped several key specifications.
The truck, which is expected to go on sale late in 2024 as a 2025 model takes advantage of being the last of the classic truck manufacturers to announce specs that beat trucks from Ford and Chevrolet/GMC.
At today’s New York Auto Show press day, Ram showed off the 1500 REV full-sized pickup and dropped several key specifications.
The truck, which is expected to go on sale late in 2024 as a 2025 model takes advantage of being the last of the classic truck manufacturers to announce specs in order to announce numbers that beat trucks from Ford and Chevrolet/GMC.
Specifically, Ram announced that the REV will have a base range of 350 miles with its 168kWh battery, with a long-range battery pack (229kWh) that will make it the first full-sized electric truck to crack the 500 mile range barrier.
In addition, Ram teased an even longer range option, the REV XR.
We expect this will be the rumored range-extender version that would pair a gas engine and generator with the electric powertrain to be able to extend range beyond what the batteries can power alone. This would promise an electric truck that could tow heavy loads without destroying its range like tests have shown happens to pure-electric trucks like the Lightning.
Ram isn’t quite ready to tell us about the XR - though there are plenty of auto shows or other opportunities between now and late 2024.
The 1500 REV will be ready for truly high-speed charging with an 800V system that can accept up to 350kW of charging power at DC fast charging stations. This allows the REV to add 110 miles of range in 10 minutes (an approximately 33% increase in charge if the truck is rocking the 350 mile range standard pack). It will be interesting to see if this is still competitive in a couple years given how quickly other brands are advancing.
Other technical specs Ram was ready to promote today were tow rating of up to 14000 lbs. This is quite competitive, while falling short of Chevrolet’s promise of a Silverado EV work truck spec that they think will be able to tow 20000 lbs. Though the extended range Lightning and the normal-spec Silverado EV both have tow ratings around 10000 lbs.
Payload limits for the REV max out at 2700 lbs. This beats the Lightning’s 2000 (standard battery) or 1800 (extended range battery) as well as the Silverado EV’s 1300-ish lbs.
Up front, the REV trades its gas engine for a front trunk. It’s stated 15 cubic feet of volume beats out the Lightning’s 14.1 and Silverado EV’s 10 cubic feet.
One place where the 1500 REV does not beat the competition is it’s 0-60 time. 4.4 seconds is still seriously quick, but recent tests of the Ford Lightning with extended range battery showed it performing the same trick in 4.0 seconds. Chevrolet has yet to deliver any of the Silverado EVs to customers, so we’ll have to wait to see what it is really capable of (though they predict about 4.5 seconds in their promotional materials). The GMC Hummer pickup with triple motors does that feat in a class leading 3.0 seconds flat. Though the Hummer to compare the REV to would be the dual motor version that has yet to go on sale and will probably be more in line with the Silverado and REV’s predicted acceleration.
Inside, the REV did have one new trick up its sleeve…
The passenger gets a 10.25” dedicated display directly in front of them. This provides access to the cameras all around the REV, ideally to allow the passenger to truly ‘co-pilot’ in situations where the Ram is maneuvering tight environments or moving a trailer. Additionally, this display allows for monitoring of vehicle functions, such as power flow from the electric powertrain. Also, passengers can connect to this display via HDMI to display their own media for entertainment.
We have at least a year and a half before REVs start to hit the road, so more details are sure to follow. We are also looking forward to a rumored mid-sized electric truck that Ram may announce in the interim.
For now, though, the Ram 1500 REV looks to be a solid offering in the growing electric full-sized truck segment.
Hyundai Announces IONIQ 6 EPA Mileage
Hyundai’s goal with the IONIQ 6 sedan is to have a mass-market sedan built on their existing E-GMP platform (that serves as the basis for the IONIQ 5, Kia EV6, and the Genesis GV60) but with a super-slippery body that will give incredible range in a cost effective package.
Hyundai’s goal with the IONIQ 6 sedan is to have a mass-market sedan built on their existing E-GMP platform (that serves as the basis for the IONIQ 5, Kia EV6, and the Genesis GV60) but with a super-slippery body that will give incredible range in a cost effective package.
So, it isn’t any surprise when their EPA range numbers were announced today that the long range version of the IONIQ 6 is rocking a solid 361 miles of range (in rear-drive form).
But, it is also a lesson in how options like wheel size and all-wheel drive can impact the distance you can go.
Interestingly, the all-wheel drive version of the ‘long range’ trim drops from 361 miles to 316, a reduction of 12.4% or 45 miles.
Range drops even further for the non-long-range trims. They come with 20” wheels (up from the long range models’ 18”) and the same battery capacity. This less optimal rolling stock goes a long way to drop the range of a rear-drive IONIQ 6 to 305 miles (rear-drive) and 270 (all-wheel-drive). This shows a drop this time of 35 miles for all-wheel drive (11.4%) which is roughly in line with the drop we see on the long range trim.
It does suggest that merely going with the bigger wheel and tire package drops range by about 15.5%. This is probably due to a wider and/or stickier tire on those 20” wheels more than any inherent inefficiency in the shape of the bigger wheels.
Given that the IONIQ 6 will come with all the tricks we’ve seen in the other E-GMP models (800V charging) - this should make for a great road-trip car along highway corridors where you have a better chance of finding DC fast chargers that can provide the power the car needs. Combined with the lower prices than other ‘long range’ offerings from Tesla and Lucid…this could be a solid choice for the middle of the market that wants a good car that runs on electric power.
Ford Drops Prices on Mustang Mach-E
Ford announced today that they are doing something most companies never do…
They are lowering the prices on their Mach-E battery electric crossover.
Ford announced today that they are doing something most companies never do…
They are lowering the prices on their Mach-E battery electric crossover.
They are also significantly increasing the production rate of the electric Mustang crossover in order to reduce customer wait times, though they did not provide details of how many they expect to build after this change.
The price reductions will go into effect automatically for all customers still waiting for their car to be delivered and any customer who purchased their Mach-E since the beginning of the year.
Ford is pushing hard for the Mach-E to grow its market share against competitive products such as Tesla’s Model Y (which also recently saw a price drop and anger from the Tesla customer base who paid thousands more for their cars in recent months). The Model Y dropped the price of the Y Long Range (equivalent to the Mach-E with extended range battery) with it now costing $52990 compared to its previous $65990. That is a reduction of $13000 and kind of explains the ire the company has drawn from their customers.
Ford’s reductions amount to $600-$5900 depending on model, Ford is also reducing the price of the extended range battery option from $8600 to $7000.
Prices drop as follows:
Select Standard Range - price drop of $900 for rear-drive and $600 for the eAWD (to MSRPs of $45995 and $48995, respectively)
California Route 1 eAWD Extended Range - price drop of $5580 (new MSRP of $57995)
Premium Standard Range - price drop of $3980 for rear-drive and $3680 for the eAWD (to MSRPs of $50995 and $53995, respectively)
GT Extended Range - the largest price drop of the range with a reduction of $5900 (new MSRP of $63995)
These lower prices will definitely keep the Mach-E competitive with the Model Y for the foreseeable future. We are hoping to hear that Ford’s stated improvement to their EV supply chain will also result in a price drop of their popular F-150 Lightning soon - but time will tell.