South CDJRIndependent research for the South
Made for long, hot miles.
Prices, specs and straight-talking buyer guides for every new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, written for drivers from the Texas Panhandle to the Carolina coast.
The latest from our research desk
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Buyer guide
Driving a Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator on Southern Beaches
Sand basics, tire pressure, recovery gear and a salt-air rust routine for Wrangler and Gladiator owners, plus why beach access rules must be checked locally.
6 min read
- 2Buyer guideElectric and Plug-In Jeeps and Dodges for Long Southern Drives5 min read
- 3Buyer guideGooseneck and Fifth-Wheel Hauling: Ram 2500, 3500 or Chassis Cab5 min read
- 4Buyer guideHurricane and Flood Season: Range, Water Depth and Flood-Damaged Cars5 min read
- 5Buyer guideRanch, Lease and Hunting Trucks: Ram 1500 Off-Road Trims vs Jeep Gladiator5 min read
- 6Buyer guideStaying Cool: Ventilated Seats, Remote Start and Rear Climate by Trim5 min read
- current models covered, with trims and prices
- 18current models covered, with trims and prices
- lowest starting price (2027 Jeep Compass)
- $29,990*lowest starting price (2027 Jeep Compass)
- top tow rating (2027 Ram 3500)
- 37,020 lbstop tow rating (2027 Ram 3500)
- South state guides
- 14South state guides
The lineup
Every model, sorted by the job it does
Pickups 5
Jeep GladiatorA Wrangler-tough midsize pickup with a 7,700-lb tow rating$43,895*
Ram 1500Half-ton pickup, from work truck to 777 hp$42,575*
Ram 2500Three-quarter-ton muscle with Cummins diesel$48,040*
Ram 3500One-ton pickup built for fifth-wheel loads$49,340*
Ram Chassis CabBare-frame trucks for upfitters, 3500 to 5500$49,170*
SUVs 8
Jeep CherokeeA hybrid-only compact Jeep with standard 4x4$35,130*
Jeep CompassJeep's entry-level SUV, all-wheel-drive and turbocharged$29,990*
Jeep Grand CherokeeTwo-row or three-row, V6 or turbo four$39,730*
Jeep Grand WagoneerJeep's full-size flagship, now with the Wagoneer folded in$65,000*
Jeep ReconThe fully electric, Trail Rated Jeep with removable doors$66,995*
Jeep Wagoneer SJeep's midsize, all-electric Wagoneer with up to 600 hp$65,200*
Jeep WranglerOpen-air 4x4 on solid axles, with a V8 option$36,635*
Dodge DurangoThree-row SUV with HEMI V8 across the line$43,875*
Cars & minivans 3
*Manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, taxes, title and fees. Prices change; confirm with a dealer.
Why it fits the South
Heat, water, distance and weight
Most Southern driving comes down to three jobs: keeping the cabin livable in August, towing something to the water or the pasture, and covering long interstate miles. The Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram lineup handles those jobs very differently, from a Compass with remote start on every trim to a diesel Ram 3500 with a preliminary 37,020-pound tow rating. We match each model to that kind of driving, using published specs rather than sales talk.
Heat is the first test, so look for cooled seats and remote start
From May through September, a vehicle parked outside in Georgia, Texas or Louisiana turns into an oven, so comfort equipment matters more here than a spec sheet suggests. Ventilated front seats are standard on the Ram 1500 Laramie, Limited and Tungsten, the base Grand Wagoneer, the Durango GT Plus and R/T 392 trims, and the Charger Scat Pack Plus. Remote start is standard on the Wrangler and Gladiator Sahara, Grand Cherokee Laredo X, Cherokee Laredo and every 2027 Compass, and it comes in option groups on several other Jeeps and the Ram HD pickups. The Charger Plus trims can add a $350 Mopar sunshade package for the windshield and glass roof. Check for these items before chasing a lower sticker price.
Boats, horses and hay: the tow ratings that matter
Southern towing is mostly water and livestock: bass boats and pontoons on lake trailers, bay boats on the Gulf, horse and cattle trailers, and flatbeds of hay. Ratings in this lineup run from 2,000 pounds on the Compass to 8,700 on the Durango, 10,000 on one Grand Wagoneer setup, 11,530 on the Ram 1500, and up to 20,000 on the Ram 2500 and 37,020 on the Ram 3500 with the Cummins diesel (preliminary 2027 figures). Those are ceilings, not promises. Tongue or pin weight comes out of payload, mountain grades in Tennessee, North Carolina and West Virginia punish an undersized engine, and a heavy gooseneck needs the right hitch prep. Weigh the actual rig before you choose a model.
Long interstate miles, evacuation range and high water
Southern distances are big, and a hurricane evacuation can turn a short drive into an all-day crawl, so fuel range is a real buying factor. The Voyager is quoted at up to 532 highway miles, the Cherokee hybrid at more than 500 miles per tank (Jeep estimates), and the Power Wagon diesel at about 600 miles on its 31-gallon tank (per Ram). The electric models run shorter: the Recon at an estimated 222 miles and the Charger Daytona at up to 267, so plan charging stops. On flooded roads, only a few models publish a fording depth: 30 to 34 inches on the Wrangler, 31.5 on the Gladiator (Jeep's 2026 figure) and 24 on the Cherokee. Treat those as a puddle limit, never permission to cross a flooded highway.
Editor's picks
Where most Southern shoppers start
State guides
Find your state
Roads, weather, towing habits and the models that make sense where you live.
- AlabamaBirmingham · Huntsville · Montgomery
- ArkansasLittle Rock · Fayetteville · Fort Smith
- FloridaJacksonville · Miami · Tampa
- GeorgiaAtlanta · Savannah · Augusta
- KentuckyLouisville · Lexington · Bowling Green
- LouisianaNew Orleans · Baton Rouge · Shreveport
- MississippiJackson · Gulfport · Hattiesburg
- North CarolinaCharlotte · Raleigh · Greensboro
- OklahomaOklahoma City · Tulsa · Norman
- South CarolinaCharleston · Columbia · Greenville
- TennesseeNashville · Memphis · Knoxville
- TexasHouston · Dallas · San Antonio
- VirginiaVirginia Beach · Richmond · Norfolk
- West VirginiaCharleston · Huntington · Morgantown