2009 Dodge Ram 1500 loaded with new features

• By STEVE WHEELER
• Advocate WHEELS editor
• Published: Mar 6, 2009 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Things are happening amazingly fast in the automotive industry these days. American car manufacturers Chrysler, General Motors and Ford are in serious trouble.

But the simple fact remains — bailouts notwithstanding — building quality vehicles at an affordable price is what will ultimately save the Big 3.

And the best thing going right now for all three American carmakers is this: nobody — and I mean nobody — builds better pickup trucks.

This week, Dodge takes the spotlight with its Ram 1500 — the biggest-selling vehicle made by Chrysler.

If you look at the amount of time spent in development, the new Ram is probably the best truck ever built by Dodge. The company invested nearly 40,000 hours of durability/reliability testing and 200 hours of wind-tunnel tests in coming up with the new 2009 Ram.

Loaded with new features, including the popular RamBox cargo management system, Ram for the first time comes in a crew cab size. The truck has won numerous national awards, including the Texas Auto Writers Association’s best full-size pickup truck. The group also named RamBox as the most outstanding new feature of the year.

The Ram will come in three cab configurations, five trim levels and with new styling inside and out. Regular cab models start at $22,170, Quad Cab models start at $26,225 and Ram Crew 1500 models start at $32,530. Those prices include a $900 destination charge. Three engine choices are available: a 5.7-liter, 390 horsepower Hemi; a 4.7-liter V-8 with 310 horsepower; and a 3.7-liter V-6 that generates 215 horsepower. Four- and five-speed automatic transmissions are available. My test truck was the Ram 1500 Laramie Crew 4x4 with the 5.7-liter Hemi. The upscale Laramie edition is as roomy and luxurious on the inside as it is rugged on the outside. 

Dodge has come to appreciate that truck buyers tow, haul and otherwise move lots of stuff around. The new Ram makes that easier with a payload capacity of up to 1,850 lbs. and a towing capacity up to 9,100 lbs. And for hauling the smaller things, the new Ram now has 42 storage locations in the 2009 model.

No. 1 on the list has to be the new RamBox, a lighted, lockable and water tight storage box built into the side walls of the bed. Dodge says the box is large enough to hold up to 120 beverage cans in each bin. That translates into enough space for hand tools, chain saws and other things that you want to keep out of sight and securely locked in your truck.

RamBox is actually a storage system that includes bed dividers, a 2-foot bed extender and a cargo rail system with sliding cleats.

And since the Ram spent so much time in the wind tunnel, the exterior of the truck has small but critical design elements that reduce drag. Gaps are smaller for a better fit and finish. Wind dampers help to smooth the air flow over the truck, and even the tailgate has a new spoiler, which helps keep the air out of the bed and flowing over the tailgate.

EPA estimates for the test Ram are 13 miles per gallon in city driving and 18 miles per gallon on the highway.

Premium amenities include heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, available heated rear seats, one touch up and down windows, automatic head lights and dual-zone climate control.