2009 Dodge Ram Review

Specifications

In the past two years, the midsize truck segment has become incredibly competitive. The redesigned Toyota Tundra nailed home a message that the Japanese were serious about running with the big three, while Chevrolet and GMC introduced their GMT900-based trucks that picked up North American Truck of the Year for ‘07. Things are going to get even tougher throughout 2008, and the year is starting off with a bang with the launch of two of the most important trucks in the segment – the new Ford F-150 and this, the fully-redesigned Dodge Ram.

Since 1994, the Ram has been about big-rig styling. It’s a bold, in-your-face, love it or hate it sort of look that has really done well for Dodge, setting it apart from other pickup trucks on the market. The next level for Dodge’s stylists isn’t necessarily to make the Ram any bigger, but, if you can believe it, to make the truck more aggressive. The big, crosshair grille still sits center stage, but instead of being set vertically, it’s canted inwards at the bottom to give it an almost shark-like appearance. Dodge likens the look to a ram lowering its head and preparing to charge. Dodge has also paid attention to some of the finer details, such as integrated turn signals in the side view mirrors and new rear bumpers that feature insets for the tailpipes. The body, as a whole, has a smoother appearance which translates into a much-improved drag rating, allowing the Ram to be quieter and more fuel efficient when cruising at higher speeds. There is little question that the new Ram will sit well with those who like the current truck’s styling.

Modern pickup trucks offer an unusually wide assortment of configurations effecting cab, bed and wheelbase lengths. The new Ram can be had with either 120- or 140-inch wheelbases, with Regular Cab, Quad Cab (four-door) and Crew Cab (extended length four-door), and with three bed lengths, 6-foot, 4-inch long for Quad Cab and short-bed Regular Cab, 8 feet for long-bed Regular Cab and 5 feet, 7 inches for the Crew Cab. Dodge is also introducing a new feature called the RamBox, available on Crew Cab models. This clever lockable storage system consists of a pair of 5-foot, 7-inch boxes as wide as the rear wheel wells that are also illuminated and drainable. Together, the two boxes create additional covered space of 8.7 cubic feet, and are big and wide enough to accommodate a set of golf clubs, sports gear, and, if you’re in need of some serious refreshment, 240 cans of soda. With the RamBox system in place, Dodge says that the standard 5×7 sheet of plywood can still fit flat on the floor of the truck’s bed, and the package includes a bed extender and a cargo management system to keep things organized and safely tied down.

The new Ram will certainly get some folks talking about what’s going on underneath. Through hydroforming and greater use of higher-tensile steels the Ram’s chassis is more rigid than ever, but the big news is that the truck’s rear suspension setup contains coil springs rather than the standard leaf springs. Dodge says that some of the heaviest-hauling equipment on the planet, like cargo trains, use coil springs, so it isn’t as if they’re any less capable of carrying loads or durable over the long haul. Other advantages of the coil setup include a better and more controlled ride and reduced weight of up to 40 pounds. The all important numbers to pickup truck owners, payload and towing capacity, are still very high with the new Ram; it can tow up to 9,100 pounds and haul up to 1,850 pounds in its bed. To maintain safety while under load the Ram packs the biggest-sized brakes in the business, with two-piston calipers that bite down on discs all-round. They are assisted by ABS and ESC stability control, both of which are standard. The Ram also includes front and side-curtain airbags as standard equipment.

Improving quality is one of the biggest goals of the new Ram. If you watch rivals’ ads and demonstrations, they often poke fun at the Ram for its less than stellar fit and finish and cheap materials, particularly within the interior. Dodge is putting its best foot forward with the new Ram’s interior, starting with the materials that Dodge cites as being of much higher quality than before, including the use of soft-touch plastics on all models, not just the higher-end ones. To differentiate the upper classes, like the Laramie and Sport, Dodge is offering them with two-toned interiors that have contrasting stitching along the dashboard for a hand-crafted feel, with accents of wood and metal effect trim. All Rams will receive better, more comfortable seats that additionally have greater bolstering for more lateral support, while the Laramie can be had with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a Chrysler first – a heated steering wheel. Regarding the physical layout of the instrument panel and console, Dodge is now offering the Ram with an optional floor shifter featuring a T-Bar layout, while the dashboard’s design includes new HVAC controls and LED-illuminated instruments. Features like a dash-mounted 115-volt power source, YES essentials fabrics, Sirius Backseat Television and MyGig will be offered on the Ram too.

A pickup just wouldn’t be a pickup without ample storage, and with the Ram you get the feeling that the cabin designers went to town. There are twice as many bins and cubbies to stow things away inside (a whopping 38), from the ultra-wide armrest to the door pockets. And Dodge figures Ram drivers must be a thirsty bunch – if the RamBox weren’t enough there are also two “store in the floor” drainable lockers that can hold six cans plus ice each, as well as a dash-mounted, cooled ChillZone.

As is currently the case, Dodge is offering three different engines for the Ram 1500, a V6 and two V8s. The entry level engine, the 3.7-liter Magnum V6, is pretty much unchanged from before, making 215 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque, and can be fitted with a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Things get more interesting when you step up to the V8s, however, as the new 4.7-liter engine, overhauled recently for the Dakota, makes an impressive 310 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque while using less fuel. But the most important engine is the new second-generation 5.7-liter Hemi, which now features variable valve timing and an active intake manifold, while the MDS cylinder deactivation system has been extended to run in four-cylinder mode for longer periods of time. Output is up to 380 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque, while overall fuel consumption is down four-percent. The Hemi also happens to make the Ram 1500 the fastest truck in its class, with the ability to hit 60 mph in less than seven seconds. A five-speed automatic is exclusively used on the Hemi and is an option on the 4.7. Rams can be had in 2WD and 4WD, with part- and full-time transfer cases, and new for ‘09 will be a limited slip rear differential.

Dodge will be launching two “green” versions of the Ram in the not too distant future, taking alternative paths to saving both fuel and the environment. A clean diesel engine will become available after 2009, echoing what many of its domestic rivals will be doing. Dodge will also be equipping the new Ram with its 2 Mode hybrid system, which made its Chrysler debut on the Durango and Aspen midsize SUVs. The application of the 2 Mode hybrid system will benefit buyers, as it’s a hearty system capable of taking the payload and towing loads that Ram buyers need while delivering vastly better fuel economy than the brand’s equivalently powered conventional gasoline engines. The new Ram is set to arrive for model-year 2010.