The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Is the McMansion of Pickup Trucks
As a motorcyclist, I’m no stranger to Ram pickup trucks. Not because I drive one to haul my 20-year-old Ducati to the mechanic with expected regularity, but because, far and away, if there’s one vehicle that consistently attempts to keep up with me on my bike, it’s the Ram. Ultimately, it’s a futile exercise of gratuitous diesel-roaring and turbo-spooling, but I admire the drivers’ optimism.
For 2019, Ram totally redesigned its half-ton pickups, and they’ve proven a hit so far. Sales in June were the brand’s highest ever (since forming in 2009)—up 28 percent through the second quarter. Considering Ram sold a record 597,368 pickups in 2018, I guess that means I can expect to see a fair few butting bovid logos looming large in my bike’s shaky rear-view mirrors.
Beginning in the fourth quarter, a new light-duty diesel engine, a $5000 option, joins the party. Available across all Ram 1500 trims, the third-generation 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6—designed by FCA subsidiary VM Motori—is more powerful, fuel efficient, and more refined than ever. Eighty percent of its parts are all-new. It has an updated turbo, pistons with revised bowl geometry and a .3mm-offset wrist pin that reduces piston slap. It also uses redesigned intake ports and fuel injector nozzles. The engine is stiffer and 50 pounds lighter than the second-generation unit. Ram claims the new design churns out 480 pound-feet of torque, 260 horsepower, and gives the Ram 1500 a towing capacity of 12,560 pounds. (Ram 2500 and 3500 models still offer the vaunted Cummins turbodiesel straight-six.)
While the base model Tradesman starts at $36,890, I spent my time driving a Crew Cab Rebel and a Crew Cab Longhorn with as-tested prices of $60,210 and $66,305, respectively. Optioned like crazy with 12-inch touchscreen displays, electric adjustable everything, and all the latest safety features, they’re luxury vehicles in disguise. But they’re still trucks—with fancy truck features like the new multi-function tailgate, air suspension, an off-road package, trailer brake control, and the RamBox cargo system. I always thought that last option was a bit frivolous until I learned they can hold as many as 240 beers. God bless America. And, in case your greatest fear is ever realized and Prohibition is revived, there are two concealed in-floor storage spaces that can hold even more valuable hooch.
Inside, both trucks display their own personalities. The off-road-leaning Rebel’s interior is as well-appointed as James May’s tool chest, and I thought it looked damned fine covered in Minnesota’s iron-rich dust collected during my stint scaling steep-as-hell hills and fording a muddy creek.
The Longhorn, on the other hand, is full-on Roy-Rogers-meets-Lil-Wayne, replete with blingy six-shooter-style etched-gold gauge surrounds and belt buckle rear seat pocket closures. If you think to yourself, "sure, I like Texas: BBQ, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Lone Star beer, all good in my book," you probably still don’t have enough skin in the game to opt for the Longhorn. If you’re not packing heat and two-stepping in gator skin boots at the Gruene Music Hall on the regular—the embodiment of several Texan stereotypes, in other words—look to the more subtle Limited trim. Although, in that guise you get tramp stamp stitching on the enormous armrest and doors, which may not be to everyone’s taste—James May’s least of all.
Come to think of it, the Ram is sort of the Texas McMansion of cars. It’s as cavernous as a basement-sized man cave, as cushy as one of those soporific sofas from Restoration Hardware, and costly enough to let your neighbors know you’re doing alright for yourself. Either that, or you’re in debt up to your Stetson.
But drive a Ram and you’ll understand why so many people are buying the things. If you weren’t looking down on the rest of traffic, or your partner wasn’t barely reachable in the passenger seat, you’d hardly know you were driving a truck. Such is the ease with which it barrels down the road, cosseting you in near-silent comfort. Indeed, the cabin features active noise cancellation, just like your favorite pair of headphones.
The diesel powerband is super linear, producing peak torque at 1600 RPM. Stomp down on the pedal and it quickly and smoothly downshifts through the 8-speed Torqueflite transmission as revs climb with just enough clatter to remind you you’ll need to fill it with diesel every 600 miles or so.
Handling is no heavier than a family crossover, with little slop in the wheel at cruising speed, and the air suspension gives a compliant ride quality consistent with the rest of the luxo vibe. Slinging it through corners, the truck shows minimal body roll considering the form factor. Brakes bring the party to a stop predictably and with adequate feel through the ol' gator skins.
Ram also pulled out all the stops to improve efficiency without sacrificing comfort or performance. Chief Engineer Rod Romain contends it’s about gaining fractions of an MPG here and there. To that end, an air gap dam (not available on the Rebel) and grill shutters deploy to make the pickup as slippery as possible. When the truck goes above 62 mph for longer than 20 seconds, air suspension-equipped models hunker down by .6 inches; dampers in the chassis help quell efficiency-harming vibes. On my test drive I was seeing an average of around 25 mpg. Ram says two-wheel drive models can achieve 32 mpg on the highway.
The Ram will do pretty much everything. It tows without breaking a sweat. It performs off-road like it’s trying to prove a point to its Jeep brethren. And all the while, it carries its passengers from town to trail in supreme comfort. For 2019, it does it all more efficiently than ever. So I suppose I can’t exactly blame the scores of Ram drivers who mistakenly believe they can keep up with a motorcycle with a racing pedigree. But still. Ram drivers, you get everything else. Let motorcycles pass you without getting all red in the face. Just turn up the vented seats and feel good about what’s coming down the road.
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