2013 RAM 1500 Review – Video

In our case, we tested a Ram 1500 Outdoorsman. The Outdoorsman package is designed specifically for hunters, fishermen, campers and boaters, and includes features like upgraded shocks, a towing package, Ram boxes and an appearance package.
To try and make it stand out the truck gets a blacked-out grille with body colored surrounds and a two-tone paint job. It works.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Powering this truck, Ram offers the 5.7-liter HEMI that makes 395 hp 410 lb-ft of torque, but our tester arrived with the more economical 3.6-liter V6 that produces 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. Hooked up to the eight-speed gearbox, this truck gets a fuel economy rating of 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. And this truck delivers.

Our time with the Ram 1500 returned an average of 19 mpg, pinning it right to where it needs to be. On the highway, it occasionally could be coaxed to give up to 25 mpg, though it took a light foot. Point is, this V6 Ram combo returns class-leading fuel economy.

Usually, that fuel economy would come with a torque tax, as manufacturers have to make a decision between power and consumption. Luckily, the eight-speed gearbox facilitates a strong feeling engine, making that 269 lb-ft of torque feel like a lot more.

It doesn’t quite surge ahead like a HEMI, but the engine doesn’t’ feel as though it’s wheezing to pull the truck up to speed like so many V6s in the half-ton market used to. Instead, it delivers a firm amount of power in the lower gears and comfortable cruising rpms.

Depending on configuration, V6-powered Rams are outfitted to tow up to 6,500 lbs, when fitted with the 3.55 rear end like our tester. This truck handles that weight quite well and we’d wager it could even take. Again, the combination of the eight-speed and the drivetrain pull the most out of the 3.6-liter working under the hood, providing smooth power. Towing does work this V6 quite hard though, and fuel economy predictably goes in the tank once weight is hooked up.

Helping to increase confidence is the air suspension system. Outfitted on all four corners of the truck, the airbags offer numerous advantages. First, and most important to someone towing, the bags will automatically level out the back end of the truck once a trailer has been hitched up, in essence acting as an equalizer hitch. That means that the weight is spread more evenly over all four tires, a factor which helps make this truck feel so solid under load.

Secondly, the different height settings that the airbags offer help make this truck more versatile on road and off. In off-road two mode, the 1500 picks up 2-inches of ground clearance, while on the flip side, entry/exit mode drops the truck by two inches, helping it squeeze into parking garages. Dropping the bags is also beneficial when loading or unloading something out of the bed.

Long-term longevity of the airbags seems to be about the only downside, though that may prove to be a non-issue.

Step inside and this pickup truck continues on its win streak. Ergonomics are done well, with large plastic buttons and knobs. Generally the cabin has a look that’s both modern and robust.

Storage is also placed well, with small rubberized cubbies and a large center console. Thanks to the rotary-knob shifter, no space is eaten up in the center console.

Also included on the dash is a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet, a very handy addition when it comes to using the truck as an office.

The trailer brake controller is the lone item that could have been placed better. It is close to the driver on the left-hand side, but it is low down on the stack, making it hard to grab in a hurry.