Every car enthusiast has random vehicle cravings far more often than is comfortable to admit. Last year, I found myself wanting a pickup truck; initially a Ford Maverick, and then a Toyota Tacoma, before finally trading my BMW 330i wagon for a 2019 Ram 1500.
Redesigned in 2019 and now in its fifth generation, the Ram 1500 (previously the Dodge Ram) has improved significantly to the point of being one of the best full-size trucks on sale. Finished in Delmonico Red with the Big Horn chrome package and 20-inch wheels, it’s the most attractive looking truck in the segment in my eyes. There’s only so much design work you can do with the basic format of a pickup, but Ram has managed to make it look genuinely good.
My particular truck was a Big Horn Level 2 trim with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and four wheel drive. As good as the Toyota V6 and EcoBoost engines may be, I had to have a V8. It’s part of what makes an American pickup feel proper. Speaking of the competition, I chose the Ram over the GM trucks for its superior ride and interior quality. The latest F-150 and Tundra are both really nice trucks as well, but too far out of my budget due to having gone on sale in 2021 and not depreciating enough.
The Big Horn Level 2 provides a nice level of optional equipment, including remote start, LED head- and taillights, heated seats and steering wheel, power folding mirrors, and power adjustable pedals. However, a few key convenience items are missing, such as active safety tech and passive keyless entry.
Although base 1500s come standard with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, you have two variants of the Hemi V8 to choose from. The purely gas version of the 5.7-liter puts out 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, good for a roughly 6 second 0-60mph time. A mild hybrid eTorque version is also available, boosting performance and fuel economy slightly, but the long-term reliability of that system still remains to be seen. An EcoDiesel V6 was also available for the first few model years but has since been taken off the menu due to lack of popularity.
Things I Liked
On the road, the fifth generation Ram ties the new Tundra for best ride quality. Even without air suspension, it drives more like a big SUV than an old-school pickup truck. Without any weight on the rear end, it does still get shaken up sometimes, but that’s unavoidable. It’s also hilariously easy to spin the rear wheels in two-wheel-drive mode, giving the ability to do big loud V8 takeoffs.
As with any full-size pickup, rear seat room and storage space are plentiful. The 2019 Ram 1500 in crew cab configuration boasts more rear legroom than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which sounds impressive until you realize that almost every big truck does that these days. Still, you have no less than 14 cupholders dotted around the interior, two gloveboxes, a massive center console, and the handy Ram Bins hidden in the rear floor. The Ram Bins also feature a drain plug for use as a cooler. Additionally, Ram Boxes, lockable storage bins on the sides of the bed, are optional.
Technically, the purpose of any pickup truck is supposed to be hauling crap in the bed and towing heavy items. I own a small utility trailer that I previously pulled with my BMW wagon, and is therefore way below the 11,000 pound capacity of the 1500. Upon hooking it up to the Ram, I was pleasantly surprised that the blind spot monitoring system automatically detected the length of the trailer and adjusted its alerts as necessary. It also worked accurately with a larger U-Haul trailer, and the truck handled 4,000 pounds of metal and mulch with ease. Unlike towing with the BMW, the Ram also allows you to deactivate the parking sensors individually so they don’t activate for thinking you’re going to hit your own trailer.
Things That Annoyed Me
Despite being able to turn off the parking sensors when towing, the noise level created by them normally is way too high. Even on the lowest setting, the rear cross traffic alert is also uncomfortably loud. On top of that, the parking sensors also override whatever audio is playing through the speakers and I couldn’t find a way to correct that, short of turning them off.
In contrast to the storage practicality that I admired, I wish more cargo convenience features came standard. By default, you don’t get an extra step to help get into the bed, though one is optional. Most F-150s feature Ford’s trademark step built into the tailgate, while the current General Motors trucks have one designed into the rear bumper.
On the interior of the truck, it would have been nice to have more than just one 12v socket, or really any other power source for that matter. Front passengers get four USB ports, but the rear seat doesn’t have any power at all. Also, the only 12v socket in the truck is on the top of the dashboard, above the screen, which is a really terrible place for plugging in items with longer cords. Strangely, I’ve seen other Big Horn models with outlets in the back, so my guess is it must be a model year-specific detail.
Small complaints aside, the biggest drawback by far came in the form of fuel economy. It’s to be expected with a big V8 and the aerodynamic properties of a filing cabinet, but averaging 16 mpg combined became too much of a burden. Spending $400-500 per month on gas was simply not worth it for commuting and also not being able to enjoy chucking the vehicle around corners.
Summary
While I got good usage out of it on my family’s property, as well as various towing exercises, I ultimately decided I missed having a more fun daily driver. A smaller pickup, such as the Subaru Baja I bought to replace it, handled my towing and hauling needs perfectly fine. After 6 months and 7,500 miles, I traded the Ram for an Audi S4, which I still own.
Luckily, I got out of the truck right as the car market started to decline, meaning I didn’t lose too much money on it. I received a free oil change and tire rotation from the dealership as a purchase perk, so I didn’t spend any money on maintenance. Even though the truck had crested 50,000 miles at the time of sale, there were no mechanical issues present either.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with the Ram 1500. Aside from spending way too much money on fuel, it was an extremely nice truck to drive and live with. Just definitely one of those car guy cravings I should have held off on.
| Vehicle Tested | 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab |
| Color | Delmonico Red / Black Deluxe Cloth |
| Drivetrain | 5.7L NA V8, 8-spd automatic, four wheel drive |
| HP / Torque | 395 horsepower / 410 ft-lbs |
| Towing Capacity | 11,000 lbs |
| Curb Weight | 5,200 lbs (est.) |
| 0-60 mph | 6.1 seconds (est.) |
| EPA Fuel Econ | 15 city / 21 hwy / 17 combined |
| MSRP | $50,850 |
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