To really test a Ram 1500 Laramie Crew 4×4, you need to do some heavy hauling.
Still, we all know there are plenty of people that drive such trucks almost purely for pleasure. Just go to any country or metal concert at Jiffy Lube Live and you’ll see those Rams — along with Ford F-150s and other big rigs just this side of commercial vehicles lined up like soldiers guarding the perimeter.
Suffice to say that I didn’t do any heavy-duty hauling or off-road excursions when I test-drove this monster truck that boasts a 26-gallon fuel tank, heavy-duty engine cooling and electronic stability control. But I did give it a fairly rigorous workout around town as a family car and it really does live up to the hype.
First, as you can immediately see, the Ram 1500 has big-rig exterior styling. Or as critics at Car and Driver said, “If you’re lookin’ for a manly ride, it gets no manlier than the Dodge Ram.”
One of the best exterior features for many is the giant bed that some report can hold 7.4 cubic feet of whatever you happen to want to throw in there. There are also a host of optional extras including (tailgater alert) a compartment that holds up to five cases of beer. Other extras such as auto dimming exterior mirrors are nice extras.
If you bristle at the “manly” description, consider that in some ways this truck may be too manly for a lot of men.
Let’s talk running board. Or lack of one, which was missing on my test model, anyway. I understand this is a truck built to work, but anyone under 6 feet tall may need a pogo stick to boost themselves up high enough to get into the cab.
Once you do make it in, you’ll find it spacious and filled with easy-to-read gauges, 40/20/40 split bench seats, heated front seats (heated rear seats are optional) and rear power sliding windows.
Arguably the best interior features are all the nooks and crannies — here there and everywhere. Tools, cell phones, snacks, books, flashlights — you have a thing to stash, this truck has a space for it.
You can even store up to 10 12-ounce beverages in the in-floor coolers (in case the space in the back is filled, presumably).
And don’t think these spots are the knee-bangers of the day. The rear seats have almost 40 inches of legroom. Nice.
Think cars have more options than trucks? The laundry list of options for the Ram 1500 includes such gotta-have features as a heated steering wheel and a remote automatic start. Tough to imagine those won’t be big sellers in Maine, Minnesota and even areas that have winters that don’t rival those in Siberia.
The question, of course, is just how this big truck performs. First, you should know there are three engines available — A 3.7-liter V-6, 4.7-liter V-8, and a 5.7-liter Hemi engine.
I test-drove the truck with the largest engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. All I can say is that it pulled with the force of a Clydesdale with all 390 horsepower straining at the bridle and moved as smoothly and nimbly as a thoroughbred.
It’s easy to see why this truck has racked up a room full of awards from critics at such diverse publications as MotorWeek to Kelley Blue Book.
Anyone looking for a big, bold truck with all the extras that still wins an acceptable fuel economy rating of 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway owes it to himself to look at the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew 4×4.
