Months in Fleet: Eight
Mileage to Date: 29,858
In a typical Four Seasons test, our goal is to get to 30,000 miles by the end of one year. Our 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 will have no trouble reaching that milestone. In fact, it's knocking on the 30,000-mile mark after only eight months in service. In just the last month we've added 4744 miles to our total. That's pretty amazing given our supposed predisposition to sporty cars.
Web producer Evan McCausland helps explain why: "It's one of our best long-haul vehicles, and the fact that it literally can haul is icing on the cake," said McCausland. What makes the Ram so appealing to those who have never owned a truck before is that the unladen ride quality approaches that of an SUV and the fuel economy has been excellent for such a big, powerful truck. McCausland notes, "The Ram is more willing to shut off half the cylinders in the name of mileage than a Chevy Silverado with the 5.3-liter V-8, even though it will occasionally sound like a U-boat at full-tilt while doing so."
What don't we love? Well, like all modern pickups, the Ram quickly enters luxury-sedan pricing when you pile on the options, as we've done. Even a "moderately" equipped SLT 4x4 crew cab with the 5.7-liter V-8 is pushing the $36,000 mark before other options are added. It's still possible to get a work truck in the $20,000 range from any of the major pickup manufacturers, but many people aren't willing to live with the regular cab configurations that can dramatically reduce the price of a truck.
Assistant editor David Zenlea doesn't think the price for our truck's optional equipment is totally unreasonable given the intuitive nature of the technology in the cabin: "Chrysler doesn't get much credit for its navigation/audio interface, but it's one of the better ones out there. I especially like how easy it is to set up and use Bluetooth -- worked on the first try and every time after that." Zenlea recently took the Ram on a trip to Chicago and again mentioned the "quiet, comfy interior, smooth ride, and enormous gas tank" so many other staffers have noted.
Eight months into our year with the Ram, we seem to have answered our original question: A modern truck with luxury touches like leather seats, navigation, an innovative bed, and coil springs in the rear suspension can move transform a pickup into a legitimate replacement for an SUV while giving the owner more options for hauling thanks to the open bed. Now we're preparing for the first snow of the season which will give us a chance to exercise our Ram's four-wheel-drive system and justify all that extra weight we've been dragging around all year. ...next page >>