CAR SUMMARY
The completely new for 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is a bit of a revolution for the full-size pickup world, in large part thanks to its shunning of a traditional leaf spring rear suspension setup in favor of a multi-link coil affair. That upgrade yields real dividends in the realm of ride quality for the Dodge, though it remains to be seen if the suspension will be durable enough to deal with the realities of a working pickup truck. Overall, Dodge has made huge strides with this Ram compared with the last model, but it still may not be quite up to the world class standard set by Ford’s new F-150. Pickup trucks may be falling a bit out of vogue for the mainline consumer (real working truck sales are still mighty strong though) but, with competition like this, there has really never been a better time to buy one.
PROS
- Multi-link coil rear suspension really breaks with pickup truck convention (leaf springs), and delivers very car-like responses as a result.
- RamBox cargo bins on the sides of the bed are a real first and offer an innovative storage system that should be a big hit in this segment.
- Potent 390 horsepower Hemi makes the top-line truck a fun one to boot around.
CONS
- No six-speed transmission means lower fuel economy numbers than the best in the full-size pickup world.
- Box and cab variations are less diverse than some competitors, aka the Ford F-150.
- Interior refinement isn't on par with the best competition, aka the Ford F-150.
Read more about the Dodge Ram 1500 on the vehicle's Buyer's Guide page, where you'll find our driving evaluations, previous road tests, galleries, and more. You can find Buyer's Guides to other vehicles in the NextAutos Car Search database.