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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  Awesome Luxury Truck with Econo-Box Mileage - 2016 RAM 1500
  By Rod Reichardt - November 17 - 11:08 am

  This review is for a 2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn 4 wheel drive crew cab with the 56" bed with the 3.6 liter turbo diesel motor. This is my 3rd Ram truck in the past 10 years and easily my favorite of the bunch. I live in Texas and I like driving a truck. In the past I have had difficulty justifying the purchase price and the poor fuel economy because I really dont NEED a truck that often. It is useful to have a truck sometime but I dont need one on a regular basis. I do occasionally pull a trailer that is around 5000lbs but I only use it 4-5 times a year. My 2013 Ram 1500 with a Hemi pulled the trailer easily but mileage took a nosedive into the single digits. With the Italian built 3.0 liter diesel my new Ram gets 17+ mpg doing the same job. Overall without the trailer I am getting 25-26 mpg in mixed driving. This is just amazing for a 6000 pound 4 wheel drive truck. It seems that with the EcoDiesel you can have your cake and eat it too. In my case that means I can use a big heavy truck as my daily driver and still get fuel economy that is solidly in the 20s. In highway driving it is possible to aver 30-31mpg as long as you stay below 70mph. You can probably tell that I am a fan of the V6 diesel option in the Ram. So what is the downside? Initial cost is one issue. The diesel is a premium over the gas V6 or even the Hemi V8. Maintenance cost is also higher. Oil changes happen at 8000 miles for the diesel versus 10,000 for the gas motors. If you want to DIY the oil changes youll find that the filter runs about $50 and the sump holds 11.5 quarts of synthetic oil. Youll also need to replenish the 8 gallon DEF tank every 9-10,000 miles. The fuel filter also needs to be changed every 20,000 miles or so. So if youre considering the Ram EcoDiesel purely to save money then you might want to do the math first. It will take quite a few gallons of low sulphur diesel to offset the additional costs associated with the diesel. If you can make the equation work out in favor of the diesel I think you will enjoy the ride. The range is usually well over 500 miles from the 26 gallon tank. Its not as punchy off the line as the hemi (I havent driven the gas V6) but doesnt feel slow either. There is some definite turbo induced lag from a dead stop but once underway there is no trace of lag and you feel like youre riding a wave of torque. In normal driving the truck feels plenty quick. In full throttle runs it runs out of breath sooner than the hemi. If you dont do a lot of full throttle sprints the diesel will feel as quick or quicker than the V8. Part of the credit for the seamless torque from the EcoDiesel goes to the 8 speed auto transmission. Shifts are smooth and quiet. I have yet to catch it hunting for the right gear. The rotary dash mounted shifter takes some getting used to. After 3 weeks and 1300 miles I dont notice it much anymore. Compared to my 2013 Ram this frees up a lot of space on the console. The Ram 1500 has coil springs at all 4 corners and the ride benefits from this. The truck handles well given its size. I am amazed by how large half-ton trucks have gotten these days. I think the interior of this truck is something special. I looked far and wide to find a truck with the black/cattle tan interior. It has various wood trim panels that are actually made of real wood. I know that wood trim in a truck sounds silly but I think it looks great. My truck does have heated front and rear seats along with a heated steering wheel. I have really appreciated that the last few days with the temps near freezing here in Central Texas. The front seats are ventilated but I havent really used those as I bought the truck in December. The crew cab has a really roomy back seat though my son has complained that the seat backs are too upright for him. The rear seat folds up and there are foldout panels underneath to give a flat load floor. There is some storage under the seats but on my truck much of that space is taken up by the subwoofer that comes with the Alpine sound system. Sound quality is better than the base system but seems a bit harsh to me. The UConnect system with 8.4 inch screen works great. I would love to see Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration but the Garmin based nav works well as does the bluetooth. It works nicely with my iPod touch and my sons iPhone. Messaging works well with my Galaxy Note 5. I love the Sirius TravelLink with weather (reports and radar) and traffic. Driving through Dallas the day after Christmas it warned me of tornadoes and at one point gave me a message that there was a tornado reported in my location. My son looked up and we were directly under a large funnel cloud. The ParkSense system and rear camera are a must IMO. You can probably tell that I love this truck. It was not cheap with an msrp of $56,184 and only time will tell how the EcoDiesel holds up. Go drive one and see for yourself.

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  I Love My New Ram! - 2011 RAM 1500
  By kmartin25404 - October 9 - 2:24 pm

  I purchased a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie. I looked at Ford, Chevy, GM and Dodge prior to my purchase. I have been very happy with my new truck. I like the interior features and amenities. The ride is very nice. It has plenty of storage. So far, Ive been pleased with the fuel economy being a full size pickup. The leather is elegant and plenty of leg room, even for it being a quad cab. I highly recommend this truck.

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  No comparison! - 2012 RAM 1500
  By jseejr - October 1 - 7:27 pm

  This is my 3rd week with this truck, and I still havent wiped the smile off of my face from the first test drive. I drove the F-150, GMC Sierra, and the Toyota Tundra. None of these trucks compare to the Ram. Hemi performance is second to none. Nav, back up camera, Ram Box are all great features that other trucks charge an arm and a leg for. Pulls my trailer with ease. Great value for a great truck!

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  I tried the Chevy, came running back to the Hemi - 2012 RAM 1500
  By eillob - August 18 - 5:47 pm

  Im a former Chevy guy had an 05 Chevy silverado Z71. There really is no comparison here. The Chevy was a great truck but it doesnt hold a candle to the Dodge. I went to look at the newer Chevy prior to buying the Ram and the Ram just outclasses the Chevy everywhere. Better interior, more features, better ride and WAY more power. The silverado feels like something is wrong under the hood after you drive the Hemi. You get way more for your money with the Dodge hands down.

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  Most comfortable, economical truck ever - 2011 RAM 1500
  By atraveler - August 13 - 10:25 pm

  I bought my truck used, with about 20k miles, I have driven it around 4 k with absolutely NO problems. Driving the speed limit on the highway, using cruise, very little hard acceleration or braking, I am getting around 23 mpg. I have owned 4 Dodges and several Fords and Chevys, and so far, this is the best. I would recommend it to anyone.

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  Excellent Truck - 2014 RAM 1500
  By dino29 - August 2 - 12:56 am

  This is one nice machine - I went from a Avalanche & was concerned if it would be less of a truck. Not so, very pleased so far w/more power & equal mileage. Havent done any towing as yet but it seems more powerful in general driving. It is a big truck w/the crew cab but very serviceable. No hint of bear-tracking in snow & no problems w/control at high speeds on rough road surfaces. no vibrations & very smooth drive train

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  2012 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman 4.7L - 2012 RAM 1500
  By berobbins - June 15 - 5:16 pm

  Bought the truck a few days ago after shopping Ford, Toyota and Ram. My first two choices were the Toyota and Ram because of their more aggressive style. The dealership offered such a good deal on the Ram it was difficult to pass up, so I didnt. I ended up getting more interior bling with Ram than I was going to get with Ford or Toyota and the ride is great. The truck is clean, drives well and very comfortable. My Outdoorsman came equipped with remote start, which will come in handy when I move to IL. Nice feature with it, is when you remote the truck, it locks the doors just in case you forgot to do so when you parked it. Plenty of room in the front and back seats even for me at 61

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  See Guss at Dick hannah - 2017 RAM 1500
  By Robert - May 7 - 3:00 pm

  I had a great buying experience with Guss and Aladdin from Dick hannah. The 4X4 truck handles well and has excellent fuel economy. The truck also has great acceleration for a 6 cylinder. The options are also an excellent value for the cost of the vehicle, it is loaded, including:back-up camera, lots of chrome trim, tilt wheel, alloy rims, spray in bed liner and 1 year XM radio. The gear selector knob is also a great feature and easy to use. The only complaint I have is getting the right seat adjustment because the manual controls are not as precise as electric. I enjoy driving the truck, working with the truck and looking forward to many years with it.

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  2013 Laramie Longhorn - 2013 RAM 1500
  By bparisi - March 28 - 11:47 pm

  Beautiful and comfortable, purchased as executive transport and winter vehicle. Handling in snow is excellent with 4WD Auto.

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  RAM TOUGH - 2011 RAM 2500
  By rbwhite - February 19 - 2:28 am

  2011/ SLT/ Bighorn/ crew cab/ 4X4/short bed/ Diesel/ 6 speed auto/ 800 Ft. Lbs. torque. Wonderful Ride Styling Out pulls 1 Ford and 2 Chevys