Review: Dodge Ram 1500

With Chrysler LLC currently in bankruptcy and seemingly on the road to becoming the North American arm of Fiat, several of the company’s current models will soon be dropped from the automaker's lineup. Don’t expect the redesigned-for-2009 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck to be on the endangered species list, however.

GM and Ford pickup aficionados may not want to hear this, but the redesigned Dodge Ram is arguably one of the best full-size pickups ever produced. It retains the previous generation’s broad-shouldered appearance, albeit in a more refined looking form, highlighted by a truly enormous and intimidating front grille. By comparison the Chevy Silverado is more-sedate looking, though Ford’s new F-150 comes close in terms of testosterone-infused styling.

All told, the truck comes in five trim levels with three cab configurations and three cargo box lengths, which means the Dodge Ram 1500 truly offers something for everyone. The most workman-like Standard Cab models come with a single bench seat and an eight-foot cargo bed that can accommodate full 4 x 8-foot sheets of building materials.

Our tester was a four-door Club Cab version that included a three-passenger rear-seat area that was large enough to double as a family vehicle on the weekends, though it only comes with a six-foot bed. Though we were able to carry home a few sheets of drywall from the home center store with the back end leaning up atop and over the tailgate, we suspect this would be the Dodge Ram of choice for those needing a big truck more for recreational needs – like taking an ATV camping, hauling a pair of dirt bikes down to the trails or towing a boat or trailer – than for professional use.

Performance wise, the Dodge Ram 1500 affords a smooth ride and handles better than its sheer girth might otherwise indicate. A fuel-saving 215-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine in 2WD regular cab and extended Quad Cab models, but that’s barely sufficient. Other versions offer a choice of a stronger 310-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 or, like our test model, a lusty 390-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8 that’s good for a 0-60 mph run around six seconds. We suspect this would be the powerplant of choice for many buyers, at least until gasoline gets back to selling at $4.00/gallon.

Our Dodge Ram came with the available 20-inch wheels, but unfortunately, not with side steps or running boards. Even at nearly six feet tall we could barely pull ourselves up into the cab. Once inside the cabin, we found it to be an accommodating environment, with large and legible gauges and easy to operate switches. Storage was plentiful and included a configurable center console between the front seats that’s large enough to hold vertical files and a laptop computer and two “store in the floor” bins with removable liners that are large enough for ten 12-ounce cans and ice. Myriad options include a rear DVD entertainment system on Crew Cab models, hard-drive media storage for digital music and a dealer-installed “uconnect web” system that turns the truck into a rolling Wi-Fi hot spot for Internet surfing.

Taking the rolling cooler idea a step further, the Dodge Ram offers an optional “RamBox” cargo system with weatherproof, lockable, illuminated and drainable storage bins built into the cargo bed rails that can hold up to 10 cases of 12-ounce beverages. We might still prefer a separate cooler to that effect, but having concealed and secured storage areas in a vehicle that’s otherwise without a locking trunk is a big plus.