You say you think a truck ain't a truck unless it looks like a truck? Well, you're not
alone. Judging by the macho assertiveness of the full-size Ram pickup, the folks at
Dodge seem to think so, too.
When the Ram was introduced in 1994 it set the truck business on its collective ear;
here was a pickup truck that looked like it was styled by the same people who design
long-haul big rigs. With its bold snout and distinctive front fenders, the Dodge Ram
(even its name sounds like a tough-guy product), was the epitome of the he-man look.
As it turned out, it became so popular that one of the biggest problems facing early
customers was simply finding one in the preferred trim, equipment level and color. In
the 1995 model year, Dodge added a Club Cab body, with seating for six. For 1996 there
are refinements in powertrains and detail changes in features and trim.
Contributing to the Ram's macho image is the availability of the gorilla-like V10
engine, with 8.0 liters, 300 hp and 450 lb.-ft. of torque. To drive a Ram with the V10
is to develop whole new perspective on pickup truck truck power, and the Ram V10 upped the
stakes at the upper end of the pickup truck power struggle.
In answer, General Motors improved the output of its big 7.4-liter V8 and Ford is
readying a V10 of its own. But even with those two new choices, the Dodge V10 will
remain the biggest and strongest engine available to pickup truck truck buyers this year.
Most Ram pickups will be powered by something other than the V10, however, and Dodge
offers a wide range of good performers--a base 3.9-liter V6 with 170 hp, a 5.2-liter V8
with 220 hp, a 5.9-liter V8 with 230 hp and 330 lb.-ft. of torque (this makes a very
good trailer-towing choice), and then There is the Cummins turbodiesel, a 5.9-liter
6-cyl. that makes fair horsepower and a mountain of low-speed torque--440 lb.-ft. at
only 1600 rpm. The Cummins is noisy and rough and we suggest you choose it only if you
really, really gotta have it, because the V10 is cheaper, stronger and smoother.
If you sort it out by 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive, regular cab or Club Cab, short
or long cargo box and engine choice, there are 68 possible iterations of the Dodge Ram
pickup--and that does not include your choice of four trim levels, manual or
automatic transmission, options and colors.
There are three "duty" levels; 1500 for lighter duty, 2500 for medium duty, 3500 for
heavy duty. For this review we had a 1500 Club Cab in Sport trim; ours was powered by
the 5.2-liter V8, had a 5-speed manual transmission and 2wd, and the short cargo bed
(6.5 ft.). Its curb weight was 4529 lb. and its rated towing capacity was 4600 lbs.
While there are versions of the Ram that are of a more heavy duty nature (depending
upon engine and chassis, maximum towing capacity can go as high as 13,300 lb!), our
test vehicle represented the kind of truck a lot of people will buy.
Ours had a base price of $17,851, but was outfitted with options that brought the
bottom line to $23,798. The Laramie SLT Advantage Package #23G includes premium decor,
air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, tilt wheel,
AM/FM/cassette stereo, tachometer, larger tires, chrome wheels and other convenience
features.
The Sport Appearance Package adds body color front bumper and grille, raised white
letter tires and fog lamps. The trailer package features a travel convenience group,
antilock brakes (at $500, a worthwhile option), limited-slip differential (another
worthwhile choice, for only $257), CD player with Premium Infinity sound system, and
other little touches and other luxury items. All in all, a pretty nice truck, even if
it did include some extra-cost options many buyers can do without.
Output of the 5.2-liter V8 is 220 hp at 4400 rpm and an ample 300 lb.-ft. of torque at
3200 rpm, so There is plenty of punch for whatever load or trailer might be in this
truck's future. Fuel economy, as rated by the EPA, was 14 city, 19 highway, but it
would probably beat those figures in a steady highway cruise under light load.
Driveability around town or at highway speeds was predictable, with the generous
torque providing good, smooth acceleration.
The Dodge Ram has independent front suspension on 2wd models, but the 4wd versions
have a solid, live front axle. We think the ride quality is better with 2wd and the
independent suspension, so if you'll be driving mostly on pavement and do not need 4wd
we'd recommend saving the additional expense and weight and giving yourself a better
ride in the bargain.
