Overview & Reviews

Ram is a recently formed subdivision of Chrysler. Its lineup consists chiefly of full-size pickups that were formerly called Dodge Rams. This offshoot brand was created in 2009 as part of a reorganization by Fiat, Chrysler's new owner, to increase awareness for the company's trucks. It all became official for the 2011 model year. The slightly renamed vehicles didn't change, and as such Ram trucks and vehicles are well suited for both work and play.

The Ram name itself was first used back in 1981 on Dodge's then-redesigned pickup trucks. Previously, Dodge pickups had more typical (and mundane) naming conventions, with a letter indicating drivetrain, and numbers indicating capacity. For example, a Dodge D150 was a two-wheel-drive ("D"), half-ton ("150") pickup, whereas a Dodge W150 was a four-wheel-drive ("W") half-ton pickup.

Though the Dodge Ram offered cab styles (standard and extended), powertrain options (inline-6,, V8, turbodiesel) and features similar to its Ford and Chevy competitors, it always trailed them in the sales race. A complete redesign for 1994 gave the Ram pickup line a huge boost in image and popularity. The aggressive styling -- featuring a big-rig-style grille and flared fenders -- was a huge factor in the Ram's increased appeal. Highlights for this generation included the debut of the popular Quad Cab with its reverse-opening rear doors that eased the loading of passengers and cargo. The Quad Cab (along with more luxury features) also signified the ever increasing use of pickup trucks as daily drivers and family vehicles.

Another redesign of the Ram pickup took place for 2002 (2003 for the heavy-duty models), giving sharper edges to the truck's already macho styling, which was backed up with the debut of the burly 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The current version of the Ram 1500 was introduced for 2009, boasting a much-improved interior as well as a unique coil-spring rear suspension. The latter offers notably more refined handling and ride characteristics compared to the more traditional leaf-spring setup used on the Ram's rivals.

In addition to the popular full-size Ram pickup lineup detailed above, the Ram brand also incorporates the midsize Dakota pickup as well as the Dodge Grand Caravan-based Ram C/V (Cargo Van).

User Reviews:

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  Engine Failure @ 16000 - 2011 RAM 1500
  By jfwill82 - October 8 - 4:20 pm

  I purchased my ram new in july 2011. Up until recently it has been perfect. It has 16064 miles on it and the check engine light came on but i didnt notice any performance issues. I took it to the dealership to get scheduled in and they hooked it up to the computer and said it was only a missfire. I kept driving my truck and it only got worse. Loud knocking and backfiring and missing and valve noise. I took it back to the shop and they actually did a little bit of diagnostics on it and found the cylinder head had broke where the rocker shaft bolts to it. I have also had a grinding noise when losing traction when braking.

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  Finally got the Ram I wanted - 2011 RAM 1500
  By patrickcraven - April 29 - 1:59 pm

  I bought the 09 TRX4 crew cab and enjoyed the truck a lot. I didnt have any of the nice features I really wanted and being a new gen truck there were recalls to tweak this or fix that. Now that the Ram has a few years under its belt, I can tell it is much more refined and composed. I wanted chrome and 20" rims, so I opted for the Longhorn. I am extremely pleased with it. It has the center console and back up camera that is more helpful than I would have thought. Im also very happy with the factory spray in bed liner.

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  Like it but... - 2012 RAM 1500
  By tylerg4 - December 28 - 3:30 am

  I bought this truck in October (I live in maine), I think the truck is good but I really do use it as a family truck and a work truck. Its is the best family truck but lets see what you get when you take it off road. Make sure to see pros and cons.

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  Love it, Hate it - 2011 RAM 1500
  By mmacht - August 15 - 8:26 am

  The performance, comfort, and looks of the truck are amazing. The coil springs and small bed limit real hauling if your truck is actually a truck. Service departments are horrible. A defective tire turned into a battle. Since I bought it water has leaked into the cab and Im being told thats normal. Over 7 efforts have been made to repair it and Im now filing a lemon claim on it. Apparently, the water issue is a problem for Ram with people all over the internet trying to band-aid the issue. My dealership has told me to stop washing my truck. Im not sure how theyll handle a response to the rain.

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  Cross-Shopped with Ford, Loved the Ram - 2012 RAM 1500
  By notafraid11 - July 11 - 3:52 am

  After extensive shopping for a full-sized truck - mainly comparing it with the Ford F-150 XLT, I chose the Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Big Horn. It had the perfect mix of features I wanted (back-up camera, navigation) without having to have features I didnt necessarily want to pay for (leather, two-tone paint) that are available in the higher trim lines. Had to jump up to higher trim lines to get these features in the Ford. I also like the look of the Ram better than the Ford (as most seem to), and like its power delivery versus the Ford as well - EcoBoost in the Ford was not very smooth. This is an excellent truck - very high quality, great power, and a great mix of useful mid-line features.

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  Used 2011 Ram 1500 Quad - 2011 RAM 1500
  By jbredbug - March 9 - 6:41 pm

  I bought a 2011 used Ram 1500 Quad (SLT). Ive had it 8 weeks now, so Im still in the "honeymoon stage". That said; so far its a great truck. The ride is exceptional in the front seats. The rear seat is cramped (its a quad not a crew). The quad has more bed length. I have the 4.7, not the Hemi (5.7). On the highway, I get 22mph. With easy city driving, Im avg. 17 (with the AC off). It has a quiet, smooth ride. The quality apppears to be there inside and out. I have not towed with it yet.

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  Thoroughly Drive This Beast Before You Buy - 2011 RAM 1500
  By jclaeys - November 22 - 3:21 pm

  If you dont mind a "growly" engine and a vibration in the undercarriage in the "constantly seeking eco mode"..this is your truck. If you dont mind poor sight lines over the fenders, this is your truck..if you dont mind poor gas mileage, ( and, Im talking 11mpg pure city and 16mpg max on long trips), this is your truck. If you dont mind poor paint quality, and poor customer service at the dealership, this is your truck. Never mind the deal youre going to get....it will cost you dearly when you go to sell it a few months later, when you dont enjoy even driving it anymore.

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  Still early, but "Wow." Bye-Bye F150 ! - 2014 RAM 1500
  By dallasdon - September 21 - 9:19 pm

  Coming off of three-straight F150 platforms (07 Lincoln Mark-LT, 09 Loaded Lariat, 11 Platinum) I decided to take a break, but that triumvirate set the bar high (11 Plat was the nicest half-ton I ever drove.) Well, the past is the past. This 14 Longhorn simply outclasses the Fords across the board (for now, until FoMoCo stops resting on laurels.) Gorgeous, comfortable, luxurious, powerful, intuitive technology...it has it all. The "Western" themed interior is a little over the top (a bit long on badges and saddle-stitching) but its crafted so finely, its hard to say that theres something else youd prefer.) Heres the new bar for Ford, Chevy and Toyota to jump over. Good luck boys!

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  Much Better Truck than my Old Tradesman - 2016 RAM 1500
  By Jeff Lawton - January 14 - 12:33 pm

  Mostly my comparison is to the 2012 Trades I had before purchasing the Sport. I saw this blacked out optioned truck on the lot and fell in love with it. It looks great and I get lots of compliments! The bucket seats are far more comfortable than in the Tradesman. Acceleration off the line isn’t as good due to the higher gearing in this specific Sport. The new 8 speed tranny is so much better than the old 6 speed. Very smooth shifting, very little of it trying to find the right gear. The 6 speed in the Tradesman was always clunking around, always looking for the right gear to be in. I didn’t like the way it shifted from the beginning and did have to take it in at 65K to have transmission work on it. I was really nervous about the warranty running out and having to pay for a new tranny. But I got the lifetime power train warranty on the new truck which was the primary reason for going back to the Ram. Gas mileage has been in the 17-18 MPG range. Although I live in a hilly area I still cant imagine getting 21 MPG. The Uconnect system can be a little distracting. The high beams are awesome. The truck came with a big subwoofer that sits under the passenger side rear seat and takes up 2/3rds of the rear under seat storage. With 700 miles on it I am loving it!

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  More of a muscle car with a bed - 2012 RAM 1500
  By lawman1967 - December 7 - 10:00 pm

  I went to my Ram dealer to buy a modern pickup truck, but came home with a 1960s muscle car instead. This thing is very fast, handles well in normal driving, but is crude and ponderous on twisty roads, just like those muscle cars of the 1960s. It even makes proper muscle car noises and wears one of the most famous muscle car badges. Of course, it IS a modern pickup truck, with all of the payload, towing ability and that commanding driving position that trucks have always provided. The quad cab actually has decent rear seat room, and all versions are very smooth and quiet on the highway. Ford makes a better truck, but doesnt come close to the actual market price.