The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Just Got More Expensive

by Gabrielle DeSantis

We have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the best-selling plug-in hybrid in America right now. This is according to Jeep, at least. But the bad news is that the Jeep Wrangler 4xe is quickly increasing in price. 

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is getting more expensive 

2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe | FCA US LLC.

Say it isn’t so! The price of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is increasing. The price has been creeping up since it made its debut at the beginning of the year. At first, the Wrangler Sahara 4xe was the cheapest model with a starting price of $49,490. This price included the $1,495 destination fee. 

But now CarsDirect has shared that the new price is going to be $52,520. This is the second price increase for the Sahara model. It was increased to $51,300. It’s now $3,030 more expensive than the original price sticker. Also, the higher-end Wrangler Rubicon 4xe has increased in price from $55,000 to $56,220. 

Why is the price of the Wrangler 4xe increasing? 

Earlier in the year, Jeep CEO, Micheal Manely, claimed that the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the best-selling PHEV in America after reviewing second-quarter sales. This means that it beat the Prius Prime and Toyota RAV4 Prime. 

This means that the Wrangler 4xe is in high demand. Also, all of the Wrangler 4xe models for the year are sold out. When something becomes harder to get, it can become more expensive. Plus, Jeep put out a pretty significant lease deal. 

With $3,985 due at signing, you can get the Wrangler 4xe for $265 a month for 36 months. That’s a great deal for an SUV that was about $51,300. The Toyota RAV4 Prime retails for $39,425, including the $1,175 destination fee. But you need to put down $3,094 at the signing, and then the payment is $444. So, why not pick the cheaper option? 

It’s unclear how many units were leased compared to being purchased outright. The sales report lists Wranglers as a whole. But it’s fair to estimate that leases represent about 69,020 units we’re sold. 

Is the semiconductor shortage affecting Jeep prices? 

A 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe driving through the city
2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe | Jeep

Maybe. Despite facing a significant shortage of chips, Ford has made a profit. They have 60,000 to 70,000 incomplete Ford F-150 models waiting for chips. But by taking cost-cutting measures and increasing transaction prices, it managed to come out ahead. 

The average price of a Ford vehicle in the United States is now $47,961. This is a 6.3 percent increase compared to last quarter. But production of Jeep Wrangler models in the plant in Toledo, Ohio, hasn’t been affected. 

Stellantis has been saving their chips for their most popular and profitable models, such as the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. But the ongoing semiconductor chip shorage is still hitting the auto industry pretty hard. 

The production of the Jeep Gladiator is being stalled for an entire week due to not having enough computer chips. The Gladiator is also built in the Toledo, Ohio, assembly plant. But Stellantis will continue to work closes with supplies to mitigate the manufacturing impacts causes by various supply chain issues.

RELATED: The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Should’ve Made This List

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What’s the Best-Looking Cop Car? Troopers Cast Ballots

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Every year the American Association of State Troopers puts out a calendar with the best-looking state trooper cruisers. The votes are tallied through the group’s Facebook page, with the top 13 cop cars getting a spotlight in the calendar. Money from the sale of these police car calendars goes to scholarships for AAST member’s dependents. So the effort is worthy and the selection fun and unknown until the winners are released.

Though the calendars don’t go on sale until next month, we have the list of the top cop cars now. Under normal conditions, these are the cars you hate seeing in your rearview mirror. But here, you can enjoy these 13 cop cars from a different perspective. 

13. New Hampshire 9,855 votes

State trooper cop cars| AAST

This Dodge Charger Pursuit looks clean and classy in British Racing Green and gray. It’s an unusual color combo, but it does look good together. 

12. Michigan 11,021 votes

State trooper cop cars Tahoe
State trooper cop cars| AAST

With a lake in the background, this monochromatic blue Chevy Tahoe PPV is what the future of police cars looks like. More and more police are going with commercial vehicles.

11. West Virginia 11,375 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

West Virginia’s State Police also chose the Chevy Tahoe PPV for its force. The simple double yellow stripes running diagonally across the body help to make these dark cruisers stand out. The state capital is behind the Tahoe.

10. Mississippi 11,506

State trooper cop cars Dodge Charger
State trooper cop cars| AAST

The Mississippi State Troopers ride around in these blue and black Dodge Charger cop cars. They even sport hubcaps which you rarely see on these Chargers.

9. New York 11,713

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

A familiar cruiser from so many TV shows and movies set in New York, these dark blue cars run a simple gold strip from front to back. Of course, Manhattan is shining in the background. 

8. Tennessee 12,529 votes

State trooper cop cars Ford Explorer
State trooper cop cars| AAST

Tennessee goes with black and white for its black and whites. Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility SUVs are their vehicles of choice, as are Harley Davidson FLHTP bikes. The yellow stripe outlined in black helps with visual enforcement. 

7. California 14,603 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

LA’s concrete river is the setting for its Dodge Charger Pursuit car. You’ve seen this setting in movies like Grease and Terminator 2. California’s Highway Patrol has been painting its cop cars in this combo forever.

6. Indiana 16,865

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

The State of Indiana goes with fleet white Dodge Charger Pursuit cop cars for its state troopers. The large shield on the doors is a plenty-big police presence. 

5. Nebraska 16,933 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

Even in the dark as shown these all-black State Trooper Dodge Chargers stand out with “State Trooper” emblazoned on the doors. 

4. Texas 17,474 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

While keeping the Chevy Tahoe black the painted white hood helps to identify Texas State Trooper cruisers. 

3. Georgia 19,030 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

The blue in this photo almost looks neon and is accentuated with a two-tone of silver on top of the Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicle. 

2. Ohio 65,529

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

With a State Patrol helicopter lighting the way Ohio’s silver Dodge Charger cop cars run reflective white stripes along its sides. The cop car is lit up like Christmas in this shot.

1. Kentucky 77,944 votes

State trooper cop cars
State trooper cop cars| AAST

The only Camaro cop car in the bunch, Kentucky won this year’s calendar contest. The simple blue diagonal stripe running across the doors ties in with the blue lights in both the top and bottom grilles. This one is also sporting a rear spoiler on the deck. 

RELATED: What Is the Most Popular Type of Police Car?

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The Frunk on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Is Ridiculously Useful

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you aren’t aware of what a frunk is, it is a front trunk. Many cars that don’t have an engine in the front of the vehicle will have a frunk. Since the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is an electric vehicle, it offers a roomy frunk area. If you haven’t experienced a front trunk before, get ready to use the frunk to power your party.

The front trunk on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is quite roomy

The frunk on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is ridiculous | Ford

There is a lot of hype surrounding the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning truck. Sure, pickup trucks have room in the actual truck bed. But that doesn’t always cut it during inclement weather. The frunk on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning offers even more covered storage for whatever buyers might need to keep safe and dry.

MotorTrend notes that one of the added benefits is that drivers can access the front trunk without actually opening the hood. While the idea of a front trunk might seem frivolous at first, it is a big selling point for some electric vehicles. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning has a similar lining to a regular truck, which makes it durable.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning front trunk design

Frunk design | Ford

Ford was pretty serious about this design to the point where the front trunk design is actually patented. You can read the official patent design on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. The actual terminology mentioned that the grille moves out of the way to open the front trunk. The front and rear bins also move. The front bin can pivot out of the way to allow access to the rear bin. There are also lights for added convenience.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is only offered in one body and bed configuration style, so it is crucial to have a few extra features. Due to the frunk, a longer bed is not necessary. In addition to the benefits of a frunk, drivers have a few ways to access the area. You can use the touchscreen, the keypad on the door, or use the FordPass app.

More fun frunk features on the EV truck

Since the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is an electric vehicle, after all, it is based on a skateboard chassis design. That means that getting heavy items in and out of the frunk doesn’t require extra effort as it is relatively low to the ground. Plus, the locking bin is an additional safe space to keep stuff when you might be away from the truck for a bit.

With a 400-pound payload rating, 120-volt outlets, and USB ports, you can use your new Ford F-150 Lightning frunk friend to your advantage. Use a crockpot while camping and charging your phone, plug in lights, or even a blow-up mattress. You may not have known that you needed a frunk before now, but you also might not be able to live without one once you experience it.

RELATED: Ford F-150 Lightning Trim Pricing Released to Reservation Holders

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Roundabouts Are Good, Don’t Hate Them, Embrace Them

by Gabrielle DeSantis

A roundabout is a circular intersection where cars can merge into traffic and follow it around until their exit. Many people have a love/hate relationship with these intersections. In terms of car safety, they’re much more reliable than most would think, in addition to being effective, economical, and efficient. However, if you aren’t familiar with them, they can seem like a dangerous way to approach an intersection, especially when you don’t have to stop. So, let’s see why, despite drivers’ concerns, roundabouts are statistically safer than stop signs or signals. Here are a few reasons why more places in the U.S. should consider adopting roundabouts.

How to use a roundabout

A car about to enter a roundabout | Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

To properly use a roundabout, there are a few key things to remember. Yield to other drivers, stay in your lane, do not stop within the roundabout, and avoid driving next to oversize vehicles. As you approach, slow down and yield first to pedestrians. Then, continue to enter and yield to drivers that are currently within the roundabout. When there is a gap in the traffic, enter and proceed to your desired exit. Continue watching for pedestrians and signal as you exit. Additionally, above all else, make sure to stay in your lane.

Roundabouts are just safer

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, roundabouts reduce accidents by 75%, which is a huge improvement since car crashes are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. If roundabouts could be incorporated more in the U.S., car crash injuries would improve overall. 

The biggest problem would be the transition period. Most drivers in the U.S. are used to stop signs or traffic lights. Roundabouts would definitely be a new way of driving, but once fully adopted, the benefits would be worth the initial transition and pushback that is expected. 

According to Kittelson & Associates, several places in the U.S. have adopted roundabouts in exchange for lights and stop signs at intersections. The reception has been relatively warm because people can see the benefits, including safety, less congestion, and drivers are forced to slow down, which also reduces the risk for head-on collisions. 

Another benefit is the long-term maintenance costs compared to traffic lights. Traffic light maintenance can be upwards of $5,000 to $10,000 yearly. Roundabouts have very little maintenance and can last as long as 25 years.

Where are roundabouts being adopted in the U.S?

As of 2019, there are about 7,000 roundabouts across the country. The greatest concentration appears on the eastern seaboard, the state of California, and densely populated areas in the north. Florida currently has the highest concentration of any state. However, many of the roundabouts in Florida have stop signs at the entrance, which is not how they are generally set up. 

One theory is that roundabouts have flourished in the U.K. because they tap into the British values of cooperation and compromise. In contrast, the U.S. is a more aggressive and confrontational atmosphere. Perhaps this is one reason many states are hesitant to adopt roundabouts. Novel ideas generally do better in states that are more open to trying new things. Perhaps when some statistics are gathered about the safety of roundabouts, there will be some national legislation adopted that would encourage states to use them as an alternative to intersections with stop signs and traffic lights.

Love them or hate them, roundabouts are a safe and more economical alternative to stop signs and traffic lights. They are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to dangerous intersections and have started to gain momentum in the U.S. One of the main barriers is that people aren’t sure how to use them. With a little advocacy on state and local governments, roundabouts may become the new standard nationwide.

RELATED: Is It Bad for Your Car to Drive in the Heat?

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