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New EnglandCDJR

New England CDJR · Independent research

From mud season to beach season.

New Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram prices, specs and buyer guides for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Jeep CherokeeJeep Grand CherokeeJeep WranglerRam 1500
2027 Jeep Wrangler
Pictured: the 2027 Jeep Wrangler.

The 6 states

Before you buy

A New England checklist

New England punishes vehicles in ways the rest of the country mostly doesn't: salt for five months, frost heaves, a mud season that swallows dirt roads, and old streets and garages built long before SUVs. We start with those limits, then match each Jeep, Ram, Dodge or Chrysler to the road, driveway and winter it will actually live with.

  1. 1

    Measure the garage before you shop

    Get the inside length, width and door opening, then compare with real dimensions. A Compass is 173.4 inches long, a four-door Wrangler 188.4, a Durango about 201, a Grand Wagoneer 216.1 (228.1 for the L) and a Ram 1500 Crew Cab up to 241.3. Remember mirrors: the Pacifica is 90.4 inches wide with them out and the Grand Wagoneer 94.0. Leave room to open doors and store shovels.

  2. 2

    Match the drivetrain to your actual road

    All-wheel or four-wheel drive gets you moving, but it does not help you stop, so budget for winter tires in any case. The Compass, Cherokee, Wrangler and Gladiator are 4x4 on every trim, and the Charger and Durango are AWD on every trim. The Pacifica offers AWD only on Select, Limited and Pinnacle, and the Voyager is front-drive only. Read the trim list, not the brochure.

  3. 3

    Check clearance for dirt roads and frost heaves

    If you live on an unpaved town road, treat ground clearance as a requirement. A Pacifica (5.1 inches, 5.4 with AWD) or Charger (5.5) is a plowed-pavement vehicle. A Compass is 8.1 to 8.6 inches, a Cherokee Trailhawk 9.0, a Wrangler 9.7 to 12.9. Ram 1500 air suspension ranges from 6.7 to 10.7 inches by mode. Drive your own road before you sign.

  4. 4

    Price the cold-weather equipment trim by trim

    Heated gear is bundled differently on every model. The Ram 2500 Heated Steering Wheel and Seats Group is $445 on the Big Horn, and its Cold Weather Group (block heater, grille cover) is $245. The Gladiator Convenience Group ranges from $195 to $1,795 depending on trim and includes heated front seats and steering wheel. The Wrangler Convenience Group adds remote start. Prices change, so confirm current figures.

  5. 5

    Plan for salt from the first week

    Buy all-weather mats before the first storm: Mopar's All-Weather Package for the Compass is $345, the Durango's is $495 and the Pacifica's Interior Protection is $995. Rinse the underbody on warm days through winter, especially after brine-heavy storms. Ask separately about rust protection and what any warranty covers, since terms differ and are not part of the sticker price.

  6. 6

    Ask which length class your ferry charges

    Cape and island ferries price vehicles by length, and some have height limits. A two-door Wrangler is 166.8 inches, a Gladiator 218.0, and a Grand Wagoneer L 228.1. Add anything on a hitch, roof or rack. Get the operator's current length classes and rules directly, because fares and categories change by season and we do not list them.

  7. 7

    Sort out charging before buying an EV

    Small-town charging is thin, so home charging decides the purchase. Jeep lists the Recon at about 6.8 hours on Level 2 and 52 hours on Level 1. The Wagoneer S is about 6 hours and 32 hours. The Charger Daytona has a standard NACS port and an 11 kW onboard charger. Check panel capacity, outlet location and nearby DC stations along your usual routes.

Local notes

Six models through a New England lens

All models
Jeep CherokeeFrom $35,130*The Cherokee fits New England distances. Its 1.6-liter turbo hybrid makes 210 hp combined, runs on regular fuel and needs no plug, which matters in towns where charging stations are rare.Jeep Grand CherokeeFrom $39,730*The Grand Cherokee is the do-it-all choice for New England: roomy enough for a family weekend on the Mohawk Trail in foliage season, with trims that range from a $39,730 Laredo to the air-suspension Trailhawk. Standard suspension clears 8.4 inches, and air suspension raises that to 10.9 inches, or 11.4 on the Trailhawk, helpful for heaves and rutted camp roads.Jeep WranglerFrom $36,635*A Wrangler is how many New Englanders enjoy a foliage weekend with the top off, then plow through mud season on Monday. Clearance runs from 9.7 inches on the Sport to 12.9 on a four-door Rubicon with LT315 tires, and Jeep rates fording at 30 to 34 inches.Ram 1500From $42,575*A Ram 1500 can be a plow-pushing job truck in Maine or a Hartford suburban commuter, and engine choice matters more than trim. The 3.6L V6 eTorque tows up to 8,100 pounds and carries up to 2,340, and Ram lists optional 2 kW of onboard power with two 120V bed outlets, handy for tools or small loads in an outage.Chrysler PacificaFrom $41,595*A ski-town family does not need an SUV to carry seven people, and the Pacifica is the sensible alternative. AWD is available on Select, Limited and Pinnacle, and it costs some fuel economy: 17 city and 25 highway, against 19 and 28 for front-drive.Jeep CompassFrom $29,990*A Compass is the cheapest way into a Jeep with 4x4 on every trim, and that suits college-town and in-town New England driving, from Burlington to Providence. It starts at $29,990 before destination, with a 200-hp turbo four and a 173.4-inch body that fits almost any garage and turns in 36.3 feet.

*Manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, taxes, title and fees. Prices change; confirm with a dealer.

Why it fits New England

Old roads, old houses, long winters

Mud season, dirt roads and frost heaves

Spring thaw turns unpaved town roads into ruts, and winter leaves heaves on paved ones. Clearance is the first number to read. The Jeep Compass lists 8.1 inches in 4x4 form and 8.6 on the Trailhawk. The Cherokee Trailhawk offers 9.0 inches and a 24-inch fording figure when properly equipped. The Wrangler runs from 9.7 inches on the Sport to 12.9 on a four-door Rubicon with LT315 tires, with fording rated at 30 to 34 inches. The Grand Cherokee sits at 8.4 inches on standard suspension and rises to 10.9, or 11.4 on the Trailhawk, with air suspension. Compare that with 5.1 inches on a Pacifica or 5.5 on a Charger, and you can see which vehicles belong on gravel.

Old towns, narrow driveways, small garages

Many New England houses predate the family car, and garages and lots were sized accordingly. Length and turning circle matter more here than almost anywhere. The Compass is 173.4 inches long and turns in 36.3 feet. A two-door Wrangler is 166.8 inches with a 32.7-foot turning diameter, which suits harbor towns and college-town parking. The Cherokee is 188.1 inches and the Pacifica 204.3. Step up to the Gladiator at 218.0 inches, a Grand Wagoneer at 216.1 (228.1 on the L) or a Ram 1500 Crew Cab at up to 241.3, and a tape measure becomes part of the shopping trip. Ram lists the ProMaster City at just under 77 inches tall, a real advantage in older parking structures.

Nor'easters, long winters and power outages

A storm that drops a foot of snow and takes out power for two days is normal, so standard traction and cold-weather hardware count for more than horsepower. Four-wheel drive is standard on every Compass, Cherokee, Gladiator and Wrangler, and all-wheel drive is standard on every Charger and Durango. Ram's Cold Weather Group for the 2500 and 3500 is listed at $245 and adds an engine block heater and a winter grille cover. The Cherokee hybrid is rated at up to 37 mpg combined by Jeep with a 13.7-gallon tank, which suits long Maine drives. For outages, the Ram 1500 V6 eTorque can be ordered with 2 kW of onboard power and two 120V bed outlets.

From the research desk

Buyer guides for New England

All guides
November 5, 2026 · OwnershipSmall-Town EV and Hybrid Ownership in New EnglandHome charging in an old house, cold mornings and long gaps between fast chargers, with listed range and charging specs for Wagoneer S, Recon and Charger.