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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  The best and worst - 2013 RAM 1500
  By janix - June 30 - 9:36 am

  Hemi. Ive owned 3 hemi vehicles: Charger, Challenger, Ram. Ive put a lot of miles on the hemi and know how reliable they are, very! Never once had an issue. Yes, they make noises such as ticking and will from day one. They are bullet proof. No burning oil, no cut-outs, lots and lots of power. In the Ram with the windows up, its very quiet. I mean VERY quiet. Compared against our Porsche Cayenne and Infinity G35; the Ram is the most Quiet, I kid you not. The ride is very smooth. This is easily our favorite car. Nothing like working hard, loading that truck up with supplies to finish our yard, and still having more power and better gas mileage than our Cayenne. Grows on you!!!

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  Best in Class! - 2011 RAM 1500
  By tomn04 - June 16 - 8:37 am

  1st full size pickup Ive owned and Im very impressed. Dodge definitely has its act together. Highly recommend. A blast to drive. Solid and great interior.

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  6.7 Ram 2500 Laramie with Black Appearance Package - 2016 RAM 2500
  By David - June 11 - 1:27 am

  Sold my toy hauler and had no need for my 2012 F350 with 8 bed. Had a few problems with the ford and after owning a 2005 dodge 2500 decided to give Ram a chance. I will admit I do miss the tailgate step, this is my only complaint. This truck has almost as much technology as the wifes luxury SUV. This is my daily driver and no problems with mirrors if you set them up correctly. With the 6.7 Cummins 370HP/800 TQ and 3.42 rear axle ratio I get 21 mpg at 70 mph and my average with all driving is 17.8 mpg. I can pull my #14,000 trailer without a strain. So if you have to tow and need a comfortable daily driver go test drive a new ram.

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  2011 Longhorn Crew - Great truck for the Money! - 2011 RAM 1500
  By ajh57 - April 26 - 1:34 pm

  This truck delivers great looks, great ride, decent fuel economy, and real truck versatility. Job job by the Dodge boys

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  Awesome Truck! Worth checking out! 5.7L Hemi - 2011 RAM 2500
  By Brett - April 18 - 2:06 am

  I have owned this truck just shy of 5 years. This has been by far the best truck I have owned. I have had 3 issues with it since I purchased it, one was the tie rod end recall that Chrysler put out a few years ago. Had an exhaust manifold bolt break, fixed under warranty, and my heater blower motor died. Easy fix there as well. I own a lawncare/landscaping/snow plowing company. This truck does everything for us. We tow trailers all summer long and then slap on snow plows during the winter season. For the use and abuse we put this truck through, it is never in the shop! Ram makes maintenance really easy on their trucks as well. (Not sure how the diesel ones are for maintenance) The interior layout is really nice and comfortable (even after plowing snow nonstop for 12 hours). I cant say enough good about this truck! Im starting to wish my old one with close to 210,000 miles would die so I could by another like this one. I am a 100% repeat customer for ones of these trucks!

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  I love my truck! - 2011 RAM 1500
  By sgilbert - April 8 - 11:35 pm

  My 2011 Dodge Quad Cab 4X4 has the Hemi. I find the initial quality to be excellent. No squeaks or rattles, and a beatiful, smooth quiet ride, almost like riding in a luxury car. The seats are very comfortable and supportive (better than the Ford I also drove). The hemi performs beautifully and I get about 13 mpg around town and cruising 60 -65, steady, produces around 20. Everything works. Havent had it back to the dealer for anything, and Im quite fussy. The media center provides a ton of information Ive never seen before in a vehicle, and the satellite radio is great (love that Sinatra channel). Overall very pleased - I love to drive this truck!

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  So far so good! - 2011 RAM 1500
  By cyoung6 - February 3 - 12:49 pm

  This is my husbands truck but since I have driven it on numerous occasions, I thought I would write a review. First of all, I am a petite woman (5ft) and this big truck is moderately comfortable for my small stature. My husband is over 6ft tall and it suites him just fine, as well. The truck is an animal in the snow with great traction control and handling. We have 4 wheel drive and hemi option. The mileage is great for a big truck with a big engine. We average about 20mpg and the eco mode urges economical driving habits. Love the dark green color we have.

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  Beats my F-150 Ecoboost any day of the week! - 2014 RAM 1500
  By cpercha - December 22 - 9:59 am

  Wow!!! After 3 years and 88,000 miles in a 2011 Ford F-150 Ecoboost I can tell you that the Ram makes it look like a glorified golf cart. I had driven several Rams before making my choice on which one to get. I ended up going with the Hemi attached to the 8 speed automatic and 3.92 gears. At first I was concerned that I would pay the price at the pump for the 3.92 gearing but I have found that this has not been the case at all. When driving models with 3.21 gears I had to get into the gas more to get the response I was looking for. With the 3.92 not only am I getting better performance but I dont need to hit the peddle much to get it to move which ended up resulting in better gas mileage.

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  Made the switch - 2014 RAM 1500
  By johneb09 - November 29 - 5:19 pm

  We traded our 2012 Silverado in on this new Ram a few months ago, and so far, love the truck. The Chevys 5.3 ltr had very sluggish acceleration, and an irratic shifting 6 speed transmission. I test drove another new 2014 Silverado, a 2014 F150, and then the Ram. The 2014 Chevy was once again, sluggish. The Ford was ok, but the Rams performance and handling, IMO, was the one that was the most enjoyable to drive. The acceleration is amazing, and the 8 speed transmission is precise. The Hemi engine is powerful, yet we have been getting 25 MPG on the highway. Pretty amazing truck all the way around, plus it was priced thousands less than the Ford & Chevy.

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  Excellent Truck! - 2012 RAM 1500
  By bsalberts - October 6 - 1:56 am

  I purchased the Ram 1500 ST Quad Cab 4x4 (Black). Ive had the truck for 3 months now. No complaints. I love it. I owned a 2007 Chevy Silverado 1500 before this and I must admit there is no comparison. The Ram is better in ride, comfort and in my opinion, performance. I love the sound of the 5.7 Hemi (390 hp) engine. Very aggressive. The outside of the vehicle looks great as well. I got the 20" chrome wheels, dual rear exhaust with bright tips and I also added a tonneau hard cover for the bed. Looks absolutely fantastic. Its perfect for commuting to the office or hauling toys on the weekend. Take one for a test drive. You will not be disappointed.