1. Frugal fueler
This Ram pickup uses the same diesel V6 as the Jeep Grand Cherokee I wrote about a few weeks ago. This is a bigger, heavier vehicle, so it wasn’t quite as thrifty, but I averaged a tick below 11 L/100 km in a near 50/50 mix of city and highway driving.
2. Torque for the whole family
That’s like driving a family sedan that can tow 3,900 kg (8,500 pounds). Towing requires torque, and this engine makes 420 lb-ft of it. In simpler terms, this guy would dig it.
3. A huge truck that’s somehow still not big enough
If you order a Ram 1500 with the Crew Cab, you’re limited to a cargo bed measuring either five-foot-seven or six-foot-four. My test truck had the smaller, and less-useful, of the two. When you run out of room in the box for big stuff, fold the back seat up and the stowable cargo platform down to turn the back half of the cab into a large cargo area.
4. Boxed in
For smaller cargo, check out the optional Rambox compartments built into the side of the truck bed. Ostensibly, these were designed to carry tools and other work-related items, but after you’re done doing “manly” things, they’re also good for a decent load of groceries.
5. Dodgy
Fit and finish in my test truck wasn’t fantastic. Some of the dashboard panel fits were a bit dodgy, and the headliner looked unfinished where it ended above the rear window.
6. Tune into gear
Why does the radio dial say P R N D above it? Just kidding: the Ram 1500 is the unlikely one of a few vehicles to ditch a conventional automatic transmission shift lever in favour of a rotary dial.
7. Riding on air
Ram is the only maker of full-size trucks to offer an adjustable air suspension. It’s neat for its smooth ride, and allows the truck to be lowered for easy entry and exit, or raised for extra ground clearance.
8. Price chopper
Chrysler, Ram’s parent company, is notorious for generous discounts and incentives, which, if you were buying one of these trucks, would take some of the sting out of an as-tested $65,000 price tag.
Chris Chases Cars 