Good Genes for Jeans: The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500

As a journalist, I have the distinct pleasure of putting a different new vehicle in my driveway every week. Sharing the space with my various classic cars and motorcycles, these new vehicles often stick out by virtue of their shiny paint and reliable nature, and thus engender a plethora of questions from neighbours and passerby, ranging from “can I touch it?” (Audi R8) to “why?” (Subaru Baja). Most questions are simply asked in passing as a form of easy conversation, but once in a while, a vehicle shows up that really gets people interested. And while you’d think it would be the sporty exotica that piques the most interest on Canada’s west coast, I’ve found the opposite to be true; because during my test period with Dodge’s new Ram 1500, I fielded more pointed questions than I ever had with any other vehicle.

But of course, who can blame John Q. Public from being intrigued by what is undoubtedly the best looking truck on the market today. Sufficiently updated and yet still bearing a striking resemblance to Ram’s of years past, the new model boasts what Dodge themselves are calling “get-out-of-the-way” styling; and I don’t think anyone would argue otherwise. With a unique “grille-forward” design that places the signature crosshair grille front and centre, the front fascia is a perfect blend of aggression and class, with finely detailed headlights that are a huge improvement over the gigantic Fisher-Price inspired units of the last generation. Out back, the first-in-segment dual exhaust sports nice chrome tips under a pair of stylized and sculpted cutouts in the rear bumped. In a nod to aerodynamics, the tailgate sports a long plastic spoiler to reduce drag while simultaneously providing a long pad upon which delicate payload can rest. Interestingly, for all its frontal area and aggression, the Dodge Ram 1500 is actually the most aerodynamic truck in its class; beating out both the F-150 and GM offerings.

That excellent coefficient of drag conspires with the surprisingly thrifty 5.7L Hemi V8 to reward those with light right feet with unforseen fuel economy figures that are 4% improvements over last year’s. Even more impressive is that this newer, more efficient Ram is also more powerful; doling out 380 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque to the wheels through a familiar five speed automatic transmission. Obviously the most popular engine choice, the 5.7L is joined by a 4.7L V8 (310 horsepower, 330 lb-ft) and a 3.7L V6 (215 horsepower, 235 lb-ft). Out back, a range of rear end ratios from 3.21 to 4.10 are available, with the 4.10 rear end giving a regular cab, 4x2 Dodge Ram 5.7L Hemi the ability to reach 60 miles per hour in just 6.1 seconds!

However, the big news for the Ram isn’t its surprising speed or its increased efficiency; it’s the rear suspension. For the first time ever, Dodge engineers have done away with the familiar leaf springs and developed a new multi-link rear end that incorporates some seriously heavy duty coil springs instead. This should place the rear end under the truck more securely, and should help control movement in every direction while obviously providing a smoother ride by virtue of the coil spring’s greater compliance. Somehow, they’ve managed to package all that together with no reduction in payload (1,850 pounds), however, under extremely rugged and corrugated roads, there was some side-to-side movement of the rear end that felt distinctly like flex in the rear control arms and/or bushings. But, it was a worthy tradeoff for the increase in on-road compliance over irregularities and bumps.

Inside, the Ram’s interior will impress those ex-pats coming from previous-generation GM’s, and downright astound owners of previous Dodge Rams. While the outgoing truck had a lot going for it, interior comfort and styling simply weren’t. This new one takes a page out of the Ford book and recognizes that driving a truck shouldn’t be a punishment. So, the new Ram features huge, recliner-esque seats matched with equally massive places to rest your arms; with the center console lid also being tastefully adorned with the Ram’s head icon. Lift the lid, and a cavernous storage bin with various dividers and formed areas give you a place to put just about everything. Likewise, the area between the center console and dashboard is populated by a plethora of deep, soft storage bins and one very satisfying shifter. The now ubiquitous dual glovebox is there too, although truth be told, there’s not much need for it with the amount of storage space in the interior.

Which brings us to the most talked-about feature of the Ram: the Rambox cargo system. One of the first of the new Ram’s thus equipped, my tester’s bedside storage bins were an undeniable hit. At a local shipyard, mechanics and fibreglass guys alike loved the ability to throw dirty coveralls and dusty respirators in a secure storage bin without getting the interior all dirty. At a gas station, a guy buying innumerable bags of ice commended the engineers’ decision to put a drain plug in each Rambox, making them perfect iceboxes. Yours truly found them fantastic for storage of various camping, bonfire, and fishing sundries such as axes and kindling. And although they do eat into the bedspace, the inner walls do not extend past the wheelwells anyway, so the bed appears quite a bit smaller, but in reality maintains 99% of the usable space. Also, the Ramboxes also preclude any stake holes in the bedrails, necessitating the use of the in-bed tie downs.

And those Ramboxes epitomize the new Ram perfectly. Is it the same rugged, do-anything, go-anywhere value leader that it was last year? Yes, and then some. With a sufficient dose of luxury mixed in, in the form of the first heated steering wheel ever seen in a Dodge product and both heated and cooled seats, it’s closing the gap with Ford’s downright luxurious F-150, and has surpassed GM’s Silverado and Sierra in the process. It drives fantastically, has every feature you didn’t know you wanted, and does a great job of helping you get the job done, whatever the job may be. And perhaps best of all, it retains the old Ram’s fantastic price scheme. With a bargain basement starting price, even moderately equipped examples are still incredibly reasonable. Dollar for dollar, you’d be hard pressed to find any vehicle that surpasses the massive value the Ram represents. Which brings us to the most oft-asked question I heard during my time with the Ram: “So, what’s it like?” The answer: Fantastic.