The chip shortage issue has impacted car lots in a big way: it has led to empty showrooms, less than interested potential customers, and an overall feeling of doom surrounding the industry. What this means is, not only is the auto industry not able to sell the cars they planned to, but it means people either have to settle for something else or wait for things to improve in factories where the needed chips get made before buying a new SUV or even a sports car.
You may be wondering what these chips are and what they do. The chips used in cars are silicon devices that also make items such as smartphones, computers, appliances, and, you guessed it, vehicles function. This semiconductor business happens to be a $500 billion industry. The materials used to construct the chips come from Japan and Mexico, and the chips happen to get made in three places; Taiwan, China, and a certain percentage in the U.S.
Many people are getting anxious about the thought of buying a new car due to the 'chip shortage'. To make this process easier, we put together a list of three cars whose production has not gotten interrupted due to the chip shortage. We should note that some regions may have shortages of these vehicles as well. Also, their inclusion on this list does not ensure that these cars are always the easiest to find; it simply means that, on average, these cars have more availability on car lots and in showrooms.
Without further ado, here are three rides that you can still find despite the current chip shortage.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2022: The chip shortage is set to continue for a while yet and continues to affect a certain number of manufacturers with others seemingly in the clear. We check back in on the situation to see how it is evolving.
You Can Find The 2022 Jeep Compass By The Dozen
According to Cars.com, one of the cars interested buyers can still find with relative ease is the 2022 Jeep Compass. This option from Jeep is great for many reasons. It’s reliable, it’s stylish, and it’s a general vehicle, which means it can get used for many circumstances.
This Jeep gets powered by an inline four 2.4-liter engine. It’s a 9-speed automatic that can achieve a horsepower of 180 at 6,400 rpm and a torque of 175 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm. This car has a single overhead cam.
This for sure will not be the fastest ride you find on the car lot, even with the chip shortage. The 2022 Jeep Compass can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 10 seconds. It also has a top speed of up to around 120 mph. Looking for a fast jeep - this is not the one for you, but we understand that supplies of other vehicles are getting limited currently.
Being that Jeep has become known for stacking their vehicles with features, it’s no surprise that this one comes with all you’ll ever need. It has six speakers, all the safety features required to keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way, and it also comes with six months of satellite radio.
The 2022 Nissan Altima Is A Great Option During The Shortage
For those who are looking for a new mid-size sedan during the current chip shortage, you may be in luck. The 2022 Nissan Altima is one of the cars that you will still likely find in stock at many car lots. This is a great thing because the Altima is a competitive and rewarding Japanese car
This version of the car comes standard with a 2.5-liter inline four engine. It produces up to 188 hp at 6,000 rpm and a torque of 178 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm. Not only is this car pretty powerful for its type, but it is also fuel-efficient. It gets an estimated 28 MPG in the city and 39 MPG on the highway. Both numbers are impressive, especially with the uncertainty of fuel prices in today’s time.
In terms of speeds, the Altima is also impressive. It may not compete with a sports car like a Porsche 718 Cayman, but it’s still pretty fast. The 2022 Nissan Altima can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in as little as 7.4 seconds. It has a top speed of 119 mph.
You Can Also Find Available The 2022 Ram 1500 Classic
If you’re in the market for a truck, all hope is not lost. There are a few options out there that are still plentiful on car lots. One of them is the 2022 Ram 1500 Classic. It's a full-size truck fan-favorite from Ram because it truly gets the job done. This means that not only is it a beast-to-be-reckoned-with on the road, but it’s also stylish in a classic way, as the name suggests. It’s a really awesome truck, and we’re glad it can be easily found for people who need more room and the ability to tow items.
This option from Ram gets powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine. The transmission is an 8-speed, and this machine has a max of 305 hp, enough to get most jobs done; otherwise there's an optional 5.7-liter V8 HEMI option with 395 hp.
Towing ability matters a great deal when it comes to trucks. This one can tow up to around 5,000 lbs with the smaller engine and more than 10,000 lbs with the V8 option making it pretty versatile.
Weird Times: The 2022 Semiconductor Shortage And Cars
Finding the things we need has become increasingly more difficult since early 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. This has impacted every industry, and the chip shortage is only one way the auto world has felt it. These are only a few of the vehicles that you can easily find with the state of the world today, and we can only hope things improve in the coming months and automakers can continue business as usual.
Since this article got published there has been some recovery but many automakers are still struggling and the chip shortage is still in full flow for many.
Automakers still include a statement regarding limited supply on most online vehicle builders, warning us that our favorite cars may not be available for some time, that features may get removed, and of course prices are higher than before for many cars.
As we already mentioned, and as reported by the Observer in March 2022, there are manufacturers selling cars without chips to keep production and sales flowing along; they promise to fit them later when they are available too in a somewhat surprising act of goodwill.