By Kevin Harrison
Confession: I have a slight adoration of pick-up trucks. And I don’t even know why. I don’t do anything on a daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly basis that requires ownership of one, I don’t like how they’ve gotten so monstrous that they essentially can’t be parked anywhere and I don’t like that they’ve singlehandedly wiped smaller, more sensible pick-ups off the map.
Generally I’m front row with popcorn whenever two companies duke it out over who’s best, whether it be the Americans competing for best muscle car, the Germans vying for best performance sedan, the Italians battling for best supercar, or even the Japanese for who has the best hybrid. But for some reason the battle between Ford, GM and Chrysler for best pick-up doesn’t stir up the same kind of interest.
So what is it about them? It’s clearly something since most half ton pick-ups are found on the list of the top selling vehicles in North America.
I’ve driven pick-up trucks before, I’ve even had them as press cars before. But when I found out that I’d be getting a Ram for a week, I was pumped. Yet I couldn’t really explain why.
It may have been because it conveniently fell at a time when I needed to help my girlfriend move – but it was more than that I’m sure.
The only way to find out was to drive one.
One reason why I might be fond of the Ram is because I personally think it’s the best looking truck out there right now. Which is odd, because there’s only so much you can do with the design of a truck anyway. The big front crossbar grille flows nicely into the bulging hood. Even though it’s a traditional and simplistic design (perhaps too simplistic in some ways… I’m convinced they spent about a minute on the tail light design) it works quite well at blending macho masculine tones with lines that appeal to mostly everyone.
Inside, there isn’t too much to write home about in terms of design but one thing you’ll notice generally is rich materials and plenty of decent tech, not least of which is Chrysler’s UConnect system. It’s housed inside a large 8.4 inch LCD screen and it is easy to use and clear to read – which is a good thing considering that’s where the information from the back up camera comes into play. While I don’t think most cars really need a backup camera, this truck definitely does – a very welcomed feature. The arm rest top is the largest I’ve ever seen and as a result there is plenty of room for anything – although there’s a tray the size of the length and width or the arm rest and I’m not quite sure what it’s for since it’s so shallow. For files maybe? To pick-up truck owners generally do lots of filing? Anyway, there’s plenty of storage available in little cubby holes, the dials are huge , chunky and easy to grip. The gearshift is in the form of a deal next to the radio controls. This helps clear up some space for cup holders but it’s very odd and takes a bit of getting used to. I know more premium cars like Jaguar use a similar set up but it seems a bit out of place in a large pick –up – especially with the other chunky dials. Speaking of those cup holders, The shiny trim surrounding it makes for massive glare into the eyes of the driver if the sun hits it at just the right angle.
There’s a step bar for easy entrance and egress, but my mom still found it a bit difficult to get in and out of despite that. If I had been thinking, I should have engaged the Ram’s air suspension to help her out. With one click of the key fob, the Ram will lower its ride height making it easier to get into and also to load the bed. It also adjusts itself automatically on the highway to achieve the ideal ride height, which minimizes drag. The Ram will bring up a message on each time letting you know that it has achieved this ride height, as if it achieved such a feat that you’re meant to give it a congratulatory pat on the head or something. That said, it’s a pretty cool and neat feature that, again, is usually found on more premium vehicles. The rear doors are longer than normal making entering the rear seating area much easier to get into.
Another neat feature is the RamBox, which essentially is two compartments on the side of the bed. You can store anything from toolboxes to fishing gear to small grocery bags. While I liked this feature, I wish they boxes were a bit easier to get into. You need to take the actual key portion out of the fob and then unlock them using the key and pushing at the same time. Very rarely did I get them open in one try. The other downside is they cut into the width of the bed overall. But, if you need a larger bed, there are plenty of other Ram configurations to choose from.
Power comes from a new V6 (yes, you read that right, a V6 not a V8) and while it is anywhere from blisteringly fast, it does the job well. It produces 305 horsepower and 265 pound foot torque. It’s also mated to a class first 8-speed automatic. That combined with less cylinders means the Ram does relatively well with fuel consumption. I was actually quite impressed. Officially the Ram is rated at 14.7 L/100 kms city and 10L/100 kms highway. In mostly city driving I averaged a decent 15.2 L/100 kms. Again, decent is relative. 15 L/100 kms is still a lot of fuel, just not that much for a heavy pick-up.
Okay so how does it drive? Quite well actually. If you’re never driven a pick-up truck before, let alone a half-tonne pick up before, it can be quite daunting at first, but you do get used to it pretty quickly. Around town driving is fine so long as you take wide turns so as to not jump the rear wheel onto the curb and so long as you keep in mind that those large wing mirrors, while great for letting you see what’s beside you (and that goodness for the mirrors set up to see your blind spot), they protrude outward from the vehicle. So going into parking spaces, drive-thrus or car washes requires special attention. The rear camera, as mentioned, helps with parking and outward visibility is generally good. The bottom line is, anyone can drive this truck if they pay attention, which they really should be doing regardless of the size of the vehicle. On the highway, the Ram does well – again just be aware of how wide it is. This means you have much less room to work with to keep it into the lane, but paying attention will get you home safely. It’s solid feeling and there is passing power when you need it.
I suppose the reason why I am attracted to the Ram is because there isn’t a whole lot with it that’s wrong. And as a result, it’s one of those vehicles where you really don’t want the manufacturer to mess with it too much when the time comes for a refresh or a redesign. That’s rare. Usually most people get excited when a new BMW M3 or Ford Mustang bows – they want to know how it could possibly get any better. But with this, I almost don’t want it to be better because there’s little to improve upon meaning changing anything would likely result in something worse. Sure, the Ram is a few niggles that are irritating, but overall it’s good. Very good.
Price As Tested: $49,230
Pros:
- Best looking exterior
- Quality interior, lots of space and storage
- Innovation such as air suspension and Rambox
- Relatively good fuel consumption
Cons:
- Can be difficult to open Ramboxes
- Gearshift is odd
- Bed is a bit narrow
Immediate Competition:
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Ford F-150
- GMC Sierra
- Nissan Titan
- Toyota Tundra
Overall: 8.5/10