Every year, Autotrader hands out awards for the best certified pre-owned vehicles that are made within the past five years or so. This year, Autotrader has handed out awards to three Chrysler Group vehicles: the Jeep Wrangler, the Ram 1500, and the Chrysler Pacifica. So what is it about these vehicles that made the judges take notice, and why are they such a good value?
The Requirements
First of all, it’s important to understand how Autotrader judges the vehicles on its list, beginning with the price tag. A certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle can’t cost more than $40,000 for regular cars and $65,000 for luxury cars, and it must have a strong warranty. After all, warranty coverage is one of the biggest reasons why you would want a CPO vehicle over a regular used car.
Something else to note is that Autotrader doesn’t use categories for this award. Three trucks and two midsize sedans made the list, so it’s strictly about which models are best.
Jeep Wrangler (2013-2017)
In 2018 the Jeep Wrangler got an all-new design, and when a car enters a new generation it helps drive down the price of the older models. In this case the new Wrangler brought some important improvements to the off-road SUV, but you can still find plenty to love about the CPO Wrangler vehicles. They still come with the unique Wrangler features like removable doors and a removable roof, and you can wash the floors with a garden hose thanks to the hidden drains. Old Wranglers are also all Trail Rated and come standard with four-wheel drive.
Ram 1500 (2015-2018)
Ram trucks are another vehicle that got a new redesign in 2019. New models come with interesting new features like a light hybrid engine, but older models can come with options that include RamBoxes conveniently built into the sides of the bed, an adjustable rear suspension that lets you keep the bed level when it’s loaded, and one of the only diesel engines in the light-duty class. Autotrader was also impressed by the warranty coverage, which includes up to 7 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
Chrysler Pacifica (2017-2018)
The Chrysler Pacifica made Autotrader’s luxury CPO list, although the Chrysler brand is considered more upscale than luxury. Still, it takes more than a relatively low price to reach the top 10. The Chrysler Pacifica is a new design that replaces the old Town and Country, but despite having no major design refreshes yet, the Chrysler Pacifica earned a place on the list thanks to clever features like the Stow ‘n Go seats, the available Stow ‘n Vac vacuum cleaner, the premium backseat entertainment system, and the same 7-year warranty as the Ram 1500.
The Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and Chrysler Pacifica all represent the kind of quality you can expect from FCA US vehicles. Not only do they offer great options and many of the modern features you’ll find in new cars, you can also expect value and durability from used and certified pre-owned vehicles.
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