cars news 10: Ram 1500 is the 2019 MotorTrend Truck of the Year

Americans ask more of our trucks than we do of any other vehicle. In any given week, the average half-ton pickup might find itself commuting like a sedan, hauling a bed full of bricks and sand, towing some Jet Skis, navigating muddy ranchland, or exploring off-road trails. It’s no wonder that we bought 2.8 million of the things last year.

The best-selling pickup in the United States last year—and indeed in every year for the past four decades—has been the Ford F-Series. But our 2019 Truck of the Year should give pause to prospective Blue Oval loyalists (or buyers of any truck, for that matter) because there isn’t a truck out there that so precisely hits the diverse needs of the segment better than the 2019 Ram 1500.

The fifth-generation Ram 1500 is the latest in a long line of evolutionary leaps for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ bread-and-butter truck. The newest version, more than any other, seems poised to meet the needs of the 21st century truck buyer, with more variety, capability, comfort, convenience, and value than ever before.

Advancement in Design

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no arguing that Ram retains its reputation for stylish functionality. “Best-in-class: sophisticated without going over the top,” editor-in-chief Ed Loh said.

The 2019 Ram 1500’s clean-sheet redesign throws out many of the design cues we’ve come to expect from a Ram pickup—while still being unmistakably Ram. Gone are the crosshair grilles, mini-Mack fenders, and even the traditional Ram badge in most places. Instead, the 1500 provides buyers a choice of seven grilles and three head- and taillamp designs. Its 15 wheel designs feature stronger six-bolt hubs, ranging from an off-road-friendly 18 inches to an urban cowboy 22-inch style. And that’s on top of your typical pickup choices of extended or crew cab and bed sizes of either 5-foot-7 or 6-foot-4. A regular cab and 8-foot bed are expected next year.

“I love the styling,” road test editor Chris Walton said, eyeing the Ram 1500 Rebel. “It’s like the Viper of Rams.”

The interior updates, from the volume-grade Big Horn all the way up to the luxurious Limited, are even more impressive. Every Ram cabin has the tools needed for both work and play. The Ram’s configurable center console turns the space into an office, with room inside to swallow a bag and laptop, space for your phone and drinks, and a center console lid that can function as a desk.

When it comes to technology, Ram provides three versions of its Uconnect infotainment system, including a choice of an 8.4-inch or Tesla-like 12.0-inch touchscreen. “The center stack layout is a combination of Volvo (screen), Audi (switches), and Jaguar (rotary shifter),” Walton said. “The clever center console (phone charger/pocket, sliding bins, and side pockets) is something Honda would do. Ram has done its homework on picking the benchmarks for both design and packaging.”

Although a Silicon Valley–aping infotainment suite will certainly draw eyeballs in showrooms, the cabin’s functionality and furnishings are even more impressive.

Crew cab versions feature a flat floor in back and seats that flip up, allowing you to store valuables in the safety of the cabin. RamBins, hidden underneath the rear floormats, have grown in size to better accommodate hitch receivers or ratchet straps. In a first for pickups, the new Ram 1500’s higher trim levels have a rear bench seat that reclines up to 8 degrees and is heated and cooled, as well. Ever been chauffeured in a truck before? Now you can be.

We were particularly impressed by the level of fit and finish. Every trim, from the base Tradesman up to the Limited, furnishes at least one two-tone cabin treatment, injecting a bit of personality and style into the cabin at any price point. Unlike some of its competitors, Ram took the profitable luxury market seriously by offering two flavors of luxury trucks—the saddlebag-equipped (seriously) Laramie Longhorn and the thoroughly modern Limited.

“GM has to be kidding, going up against this with the High Country and Denali,” features editor Scott Evans said. “This is a luxury interior. Look at this wood! This leather! The metal, stitching, design, attention to detail! The leather on the grab handles! Cadillac could learn a thing or two by spending an afternoon in this cabin.”

Hyperbole aside, he’s right. The Ram’s cabin ain’t just good for a truck. It’s good, period.

Engineering Excellence

Looks can be deceiving, and you’d be forgiven for thinking the 2019 Ram is a bit old school in its approach. Freed from the obligation (and expense) of chasing maximum payload and towing capacities with all-aluminum construction, the Ram team instead invested in a shotgun approach to improve capability, efficiency, and performance. Underpinning it all is a new high-strength steel platform, 4.0 inches longer and about 17 percent lighter than the old chassis. The aerodynamic sheetmetal is largely built from steel but with the strategic use of lighter metals for a total weight decrease of about 200 pounds.

Like the previous version of the Ram 1500, our 2019 Truck of the Year continues to come standard with a coil-spring rear suspension (now with frequency dampers), which slightly sacrifices towing and payload capacity in favor of a better ride when compared to leaf-sprung competitors. A four-corner air suspension with five ride heights and load leveling is available, giving the best of both worlds when it comes to ride and performance.

“It’s really a surprise on the road,” testing director Kim Reynolds said after a stint in an air suspension–equipped 1500. “It’s way more refined and sophisticated than the GMs. Steering is fluid and quality-feeling.” The standard suspension won praise at the expense of its competitive set, too. “The coil-spring suspension is better in the Ram than the ride in any of the GM trucks,” MotorTrend en Espanol managing editor Miguel Cortina said.

Despite the minor diet, maximum payload is up to 2,320 pounds, and max towing capacity rises to 12,750 pounds, besting Chevrolet, GMC, Nissan, and Toyota’s half-ton offerings (though shy of Big Daddy Ford’s max towing by 450 el-bees).

Things get even more impressive under the hood. Embracing global realities, two of the three available Ram 1500 engines come with supplemental electric motors to improve fuel economy and performance. These mild-hybrid powerplants, dubbed eTorque, use small starter-generators and a tiny 0.43-kW-hr battery stashed in the rear wall of the cab to aid the stop/start system and provide torque assist to allow the engines to lug around at cruising speed in four-cylinder mode longer and without having to downshift.

The eTorque system is standard on the base 3.6-liter V-6, which makes 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque, and is also available for a small premium on the top-level 5.7-liter V-8, which turns out 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. A non-eTorque 5.7-liter V-8 generating the same output as the eTorque version slots between the two electrified mills. (Because these motors aren’t assisting when the engines’ are generating peak power and torque, they don’t affect those figures.) An eight-speed automatic is standard across the line, as is rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive, limited-slip or locking rear axles, and three final drive ratios are also available.

The base eTorque V-6 is a lot of engine for the money. It makes its torque higher in its rev band, but it makes good use of the power it has. “It feels powerful even though it’s a V-6,” associate online editor Kelly Pleskot said. Evans agreed, adding that it “doesn’t have the torque of the V-8s, but it has plenty of power; the deficit only manifests itself when passing on Arizona’s 75-mph freeways.”

In back-to-back driving of our otherwise identically equipped V-8 Ram 1500 Longhorn and Limited models, Evans was one of the few judges who could feel the Limited’s eTorque assist at work. “I find the eTorque drivetrain a bit smoother through the revs and shifts and when accelerating up steep grades,” he said.

The fuel economy benefits of the eTorque V-8s show up in our data, but towing performance is a bit of a wash; all of the Ram V-8s, eTorque or not, performed nearly identically in both instrumented tow tests (where the Rams towed between 6,600 pounds and 11,400 pounds) and in our Davis Dam frustration test, which saw our V-6 Ram tester tow 4,020 pounds and the V-8s tow 7,780 pounds.

Performance of Intended Function

Despite the many hats we expect our trucks to wear, at their heart, they are beasts of burden. To that end, the 2019 Ram 1500 excels.

The most important part of any pickup is its bed, and Ram continues to deliver. The bed rails have been raised 1.5 inches to increase cargo volume, and the optional RamBoxes grow in size with minimal impact on bed space.

Some previous Ram innovations carry over, including the segment’s best combo bed extender and cargo divider, which stashes against the cab when not in use, and a CHMSL-mounted camera that looks down into the bed so you can triple-check your tie-down work while on the move.

The one area where the Ram’s bed could be better is its use of tie-downs, or lack thereof. GM changed the game this year—providing 12 standard tie-downs in the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra (three in each corner) and the ability to expand with movable optional tie-downs. Ram offers the standard four (one in each corner), plus another four optional moveable rail-mounted tie-downs. Ram would do well to follow GM’s lead here.

The ability to access the bed is arguably as important as its construction. Missing GM’s standard bumper steps, Ram makes up for it with its option sheet. One of the air suspension’s many benefits is its access height mode, which lowers the bed’s step-up height to match that of the bumper step. For those who skip the air suspension, Ram also offers a kick-down rear step that stashes up and away behind the rear bumper.

Ram made towing improvements, too. For those who simply want to hitch up and go, Ram makes life easy. The rearview cameras have high resolution, making it easy to hitch up without a spotter. Trucks equipped with blind-spot sensors have an extra party piece, too; after you hitch up and make a couple of turns, the blind-spot sensors will determine the length of your trailer and increase the size of the alert zone to include the trailer length.

As for straight-up towing, the Ram 1500 is rock-solid, especially when equipped with the air suspension. Towing the exact same 8,300-pound trailer as the GMC Sierras and Chevrolet Silverados, the Rams feel so much more confident and just plain happy while at work.

Efficiency

Pickups aren’t traditionally known for fuel efficiency, but that didn’t stop Ram from easing the pain at the pump. Lots of credit goes to the lineup of eTorque engines, but Ram also worked hard at ensuring the new 1500 is as aerodynamic as possible without sacrificing the utility of its pickup body. Its segment-best 0.357 Cd is achieved using grille shutters and spoilers integrated into the trailing edges of the roof and tailgate. On trucks without air suspension, an air dam deploys automatically at 35 mph; those with air suspension get an aero-mode ride height.

The result is that Ram has the most efficient V-8 in its class; the V-8 eTorque is EPA-rated at 17/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined with rear drive or 17/22/19 with four-wheel drive. Non-eTorque Ram V-8s net 15/22/17 (rear drive) or 15/21/17 (four-wheel drive) mpg. Our Real MPG testing of the V-8 models generally falls in line with the EPA’s results, but our eTorque V-8-powered 1500 Limited 4×4 beat the feds’ numbers with an 18.7/22.6/20.3 score.

The one weak point would be the hard-working V-6 eTorque powerplant. EPA-rated at 20/25/22 mpg with rear drive and 19/24/21 mpg with four-wheel drive, our Big Horn 4×4 model achieved an unimpressive 15.4/19.7/17.1 Real MPG score.

Safety

The NHTSA has not crash-tested the 2019 Ram 1500 yet, but the IIHS has. The new Ram achieves top scores with a Good rating (the highest possible) in all six crash tests, with its only demerit a Marginal headlight illumination score. The 1500’s new chassis is built of high-strength steel and includes octagonal front-frame rail extensions designed to protect occupants in often-deadly small-overlap front crashes.

The Ram 1500 is also available with forward and reverse collision warning systems, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitors, and 360-degree camera systems, with the ultimate aim of helping the driver avoid accidents in the first place. That’s the true measure of safety.

Value

With pickup trucks, value is ultimately relative over a life of hard knocks and long miles. But we were impressed by the breadth of the Ram lineup. The base Tradesman model starts at $33,390 and should need little more than a spray-in bedliner and tow hitch to be ready for work. The volume Big Horn model is even more impressive. One step up from the Tradesman and starting at $40,090, the Big Horn models offer two-tone interiors, a smartphone-friendly 8.0-inch touchscreen, and more. Editors lauded our two Big Horn testers for their premium-feeling materials and high amount of content for the dollar.

Where Ram makes the biggest value argument is surprisingly in its two most expensive trims: the $52,685 1500 Laramie Longhorn and $55,285 Limited. These two luxe trucks simply blow the competition out of the water. They offer the tech that contractors and civilians alike require and expect, and quite a few luxury automakers could learn a thing from the way Ram matches colors, textures, and materials in these cabins. And it’s a bargain, considering our loaded Ram Limited tester stickered for $68,340, about the price of a comparable GMC Sierra Denali and less than an equivalent F-150 Limited.

Bringing Home the Gold

No segment is more competitive or more important to Detroit’s automakers and blue-collar American workers than half-ton pickups. These trucks are the face of their brands—purchased, driven, and loved by millions. They’re dependable commuters, tools, and toys that form the backbones of our families. With such a diverse skill set needed, it’s easy to just miss the target. But the Ram 1500 hits the bull’s-eye. No pickup in the segment better balances capability, efficiency, value, and quality. The Ram 1500 retains its old-school appeal while being refreshingly modern in style and substance. It’s refined and sophisticated without surrendering its dirty-fingernails roots. For that, the Ram is our 2019 Truck of the Year.

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READ ABOUT 2019 TRUCK OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:

2019 RAM 1500	Big Horn 4×2 (Quad)	Rebel 4×4	(Crew Cab) Big Horn 4×4	Long Horn 4X4	Limited 4×4
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD	Front-engine, 4WD	Front-engine, 4WD	Front-engine, 4WD	Front-engine, 4WD
ENGINE TYPE	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads	60-deg V-6, alum block/heads	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads	90-deg V-8 alum block/heads
VALVETRAIN	OHV, 2 valves/cyl	OHV, 2 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	OHV, 2 valves/cyl	OHV, 2 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT	345.0 cu in/5,654 cc	345.0 cu in/5,654 cc	219.9 cu in/3,604 cc	345.0 cu in/5,654 cc	345.0 cu in/5,654 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO	10.5:1	10.5:1	11.3:1	10.5:1	10.5:1
POWER (SAE NET)	395 hp @ 5,600 rpm	395 hp @ 5,600 rpm	305 hp @ 6,400 rpm	395 hp @ 5,600 rpm	395 hp @ 5,600 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET)	410 lb-ft @ 3,950 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3,950 rpm	269 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3,950 rpm	410 lb-ft @ 3,950 rpm
REDLINE	Not indicated (5,800-rpm limiter)	Not indicated (5,800-rpm limiter)	Not indicated (6,400-rpm limiter)	Not indicated (5,800-rpm limiter)	Not indicated (5,800-rpm limiter)
WEIGHT TO POWER	12.9 lb/hp	14.1 lb/hp	17.9 lb/hp	14.7 lb/hp	14.9 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE/LOW RATIO	3.92:1/2.63:1	3.92:1/2.64:1	3.55:1/2.38:1/2.64:1	3.92:1/2.63:1/2.64:1	3.92:1/2.63:1/2.64:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, adj air springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, adj air springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, adj air springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, adj air springs, anti-roll bar	Control arms, adj air springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, adj air springs, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO	16.3:1	17.8:1	16.3:1	16.3:1	16.3:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK	3.1	3.4	3.1	3.1	3.1
BRAKES, F; R	14.9-in vented disc; 14.8-in vented disc, ABS	14.9-in vented disc; 14.8-in vented disc, ABS	14.9-in vented disc; 14.8-in vented disc, ABS	14.9-in vented disc; 14.8-in vented disc, ABS	14.9-in vented disc; 14.8-in vented disc, ABS
WHEELS	9.0 x 20-in cast aluminum	9.0 x 20-in cast aluminum	8.0 x 18-in cast aluminum	9.0 x 20-in cast aluminum	9.0 x 20-in cast aluminum
TIRES	275/55R20 113T (M+S) Nexen Roadian HTX RH5	275/70R18 125/122R Goodyear Wrangler Duratec	275/65R18 113/110S Falken Wildpeak A/T AT3WA	275/55R20 113T (M+S) Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza	275/55R20 113T (M+S) Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE	140.5 in	140.5 in	144.6 in	144.6 in	144.6 in
TRACK, F/R	68.5/68.1 in	68.5/68.1 in	68.5/68.1 in	68.5/68.1 in	68.5/68.1 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	228.9 x 82.1 x 77.6	228.9 x 82.1 x 77.7 in	232.9 x 82.1 x 75.8-79.6 in	232.9 x 82.1 x 75.8-79.6 in	232.9 x 82.1 x 75.8-79.6 in
TURNING CIRCLE	45.1	46.2 ft	46.2 ft	46.2 ft	46.2 ft
CURB WEIGHT	5,111 lb	5,575 lb	5,456 lb	5,820 lb	5,876 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R	58/42%	58/42%	55/45%	56/44%	57/43%
SEATING CAPACITY	5	5	5	5	5
HEADROOM, F/R	40.9/39.2 in	40.9/39.2 in	40.9/39.8 in	40.9/39.8 in	40.9/39.8 in
LEGROOM, F/R	40.9/35.6 in	40.9/35.6 in	40.9/45.2 in	40.9/45.2 in	40.9/45.2 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R	66.0/65.7 in	66.0/65.7 in	66.0/65.7 in	66.0/65.7 in	66.0/65.7 in
CARGO VOLUME, INTERIOR †	42.2 cu ft	42.2 cu ft	64.5 cu ft	64.5 cu ft	64.5 cu ft
PICKUP BOX L x W x H	76.3 x 66.4 x 21.5 in	76.3 x 66.4 x 21.5 in	67.4 x 66.4 x 21.4 in	67.4 x 66.4 x 21.4 in	67.4 x 66.4 x 21.4 in
PICKUP BOX VOLUME	61.5 cu ft	61.5 cu ft	53.9 cu ft	53.9 cu ft	53.9 cu ft
WIDTH BET WHEELHOUSES	51.0 in	51.0 in	51.0 in	51.0 in	51.0 in
PAYLOAD CAPACITY	1,789 lb	1,525 lb	1,444 lb	1,280 lb	1,224 lb
TOWING CAPACITY	SAE: 11,640; VIN: 11,443 lb	SAE: 11,370 lb; VIN: 11,176 lb	SAE: 7,460 lb; VIN: 7,323 lb	SAE: 11,190 lb; VIN: 11,058 lb	SAE: 11,190 lb; VIN: 10,860 lb
TEST DATA *
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30	2.1 sec	2.3 sec	2.9 sec	2.1 sec	2.2 sec
0-40	3.1	3.4	4.4	3.3	3.3
0-50	4.5	4.9	6.1	4.7	4.9
0-60	5.9	6.4	8.5	6.3	6.5
0-70	7.7	8.5	11.2	8.3	8.5
0-80	9.7	10.7	14.6	10.5	10.7
0-90	12.3	13.8	—	13.4	13.8
PASSING, 45-65 MPH	2.9	3.3	4.6	3.3	3.3
QUARTER MILE	14.4 sec @ 97.6 mph	14.9 sec @ 93.1 mph	16.5 sec @ 84.5 mph	14.8 sec @ 94.4 mph	14.8 sec @ 94.4 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	122 ft	135 ft	130 ft	126 ft	132 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.76 g (avg)	0.76 g (avg)	0.71 g (avg)	0.74 g (avg)	0.74 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	28.1 sec @ 0.62 g (avg)	27.7 sec @ 0.73 g (avg)	29.7 sec @ 0.54 g (avg)	29.0 sec @ 0.57 g (avg)	28.3 sec @ 0.60 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH	1,700 rpm	1,600 rpm	1,600 rpm	1,700 rpm	1,700 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE	$37,390	$46,390	$43,590	$55,390	$57,890
PRICE AS TESTED	$46,240	$55,400	$55,485	$68,385	$68,340
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain	6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain
BASIC WARRANTY	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles	3 yrs/36,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles	5 yrs/60,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY	26.0 gal	33.0 gal	23.0 gal	26.0 gal	26.0 gal
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	19.2/23.1/20.8; 14.0/19.4/16.0 mpg	19.2/23.1/20.8; 14.0/19.4/16.0 mpg	15.4/19.7/17.1 mpg	14.7/21.6/17.2 mpg	18.7/22.6/20.3 mpg
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON	17/23/19 mpg	15/21/17 mpg	20/25/22 mpg	15/21/17 mpg	17/22/19 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	198/147 kW-hrs/100 miles	225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles	169/135 kW-hrs/100 miles	225/160 kW-hrs/100 miles	198/153 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	1.01 lb/mile	1.13 lb/mile	0.88 lb/mile	1.13 lb/mile	1.02 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL	Unleaded mid-grade	Unleaded mid-grade	Unleaded regular	mid-grade	mid-grade
* All trucks were tested in extreme-heat conditions and performance was adversely affected. We will attempt to retest and update these results at a later date.
† Floor-to-ceiling volume with rear seat cushions folded.

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Ram 1500 is the 2019 MotorTrend Truck of the Year