2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Big Horn 57 V8 Review
The Car Connectedness Skillful Review
Managing Editor
June 6, 2017
Likes
- Base V-6 strikes the right balance
- Efficient turbodiesel V-6
- Functional interior
- Relatively good ride quality
Dislikes
- Crude air suspension at highway speeds
- Rebel's grille is just as well much
- $3,000 premium for diesel engine
Buying tip
features & specs
Big Horn 4x2 Crew Cab 5'7" Box
Large Horn 4x2 Crew Cab 6'4" Box
Large Horn 4x2 Quad Cab 6'4" Box
The 2017 Ram 1500 can agree its own among the Detroit Iii thank you to a good powertrain lineup and smart lineup additions.
Possibly thirty years agone, there was a greater differentiation among full-size trucks, just now we're not so sure.
The 2017 Ram 1500 is proof of that. As the oldest among its competitors, the full-size Ram is no dog. It offers a full complement of solid engines—each its own tool for a specific job, handsome interiors, intuitive features, and increased condolement.
It earns a 6.0 overall rating out of 10, an in a higher place-average score that reflects its skillful feature fix, good performance, and handsome style. Like other full-size pickups, it falls in fuel economic system and its age is starting to show in its federal prophylactic scores. (Read more than about how we charge per unit cars.)
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Styling and operation
The Ram 1500 ranges from basic to brash on the exterior. Piece of work trucks are plain affairs with a simple, black-clad crosshair grille and steel wheels. Ram Rebels sport a black, framed "Death Race 2000" maw and rear badging that'south subtle similar a stick of dynamite.
Same goes for the interiors that span bones vinyl benches to deep, power adaptable leather buckets. Throughout the range, we wouldn't be afraid to climb aboard in boots and gloves, and the Ram still sports a band-aid quality that'southward somewhat endearing.
Last year's engine lineup has remained in the Ram. The base iii.6-liter V-6 is the best residue between capability and fuel economy, and can booty up to 7,600 pounds. It'due south rated at 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, and is equipped with a smooth shifting eight-speed automatic.
The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 is optional on most models except Sport, Limited, Laramie, and Laramie Longhorn versions, where its standard. The engine makes 395 hp and 410 lb-ft and is skilful for up to ten,500 pounds of towing, dragging any more requires an HD model.
A 3.0-liter turbodiesel 5-6 is the efficiency champ and our favorite. Information technology'due south the merely full-size, light-duty oil burner around and its stiff 420 lb-ft of pull is enough to forget that it's only rated for 240 hp. It's rated to tow more than 9,000 pounds, and can get upwards to xxx mpg on the highway. It adds $three,000 more to the lesser line, but over the long life of a pickup, that cost may be justified.
Virtually engines will be paired to a shine shifting 8-speed automatic, although a 6-speed is bachelor in some configurations.
Condolement, safety, and features
Iii cab configurations—regular cab, extended cab and coiffure cab—and two bed options—short (5-pes-7) and long (6-foot-iv)—are available on nigh trucks. (Regular cab trucks can be fitted with an eight-foot bed; extended cab models can't accept a long bed pick.)
Well-nigh quad-cab pickups will be driven every bit substitutes for cars, and can haul upward to four adults comfortably. At that place'due south plenty of interior infinite and storage options, and the optional leather buckets upwards front can be downright luxurious.
Nosotros similar the layout and configuration of the 1500, although the Ram isn't every bit opulent equally upper trims of Ford or Chevy trucks.
The IIHS has given the Ram mostly "Good" scores, although the feds haven't been as kind. It was rated at 4 stars overall, with three stars for rollover safety.
Similar other modern pickups, the number of trims and layouts can be dizzying and enervating. When combined with axle ratios and a la carte options, the Ram 1500 tin can be trimmed in thousands of unlike configurations. That's expert for specific needs, but bad for buyers who don't do their homework.
The Ram 1500 is even so function offset, only its form isn't bad either.
The Ram 1500 has the virtually extroverted style of any from the Detroit Three, and every flavour has its ain blueprint—some y'all may similar more than than others.
The Insubordinate and Limited models have their own unique grille that replaces the Ram (nee Dodge) crosshair with large Ram nameplates. Those are more controversial, and we're nonetheless not sold on the idea—especially the Rebel's "Expiry Race 2000" look.
(Also, those models' tailgates are festooned with a Ram billboard that takes highway branding to a new level.)
Nosotros say the interior and exterior of the Ram 1500 are above average, but terminate brusque of going further. It earns a 7 out of 10 on our fashion-o-meter. (Read more near how we rate cars.)
HFE models become aerodynamically designed side steps, a grille with shutters that close when the engine is not hot, a seat between the bed and cab, and a rear lip on the tail gate, all designed to reduce wind resistance and meliorate fuel economy.
Somewhere in betwixt is an answer that'll work for most people: Sport and Outdoorsman models have trunk-colored grilles that look not bad without being flashy.
Chrome grilles, LED taillights and side markers further distinguish upper-level models. Some models take dual exhaust fared into the rear bumper for a finished wait.
The Ram 1500 cabin is comfortable and functional in lower trims, lavish and opulent in higher trims. The common thread throughout is that each Ram is still decidedly a pickup, and every control can however be manhandled with gloves on.
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In that location isn't a bad pick among the bunch, we just wish the diesel fuel wasn't so much more expensive.
Three engine choices are available in Ram 1500 models, which range from budget friendly to beastly. Most are paired to an excellent 8-speed automatic and can exist fit to part-time or on-demand four-bike-drive systems.
The Ram scores above average on our performance scale for its skilful engines and transmissions, which help it climb to a vii out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
The base 3.6-liter V-vi is our pick for shoppers looking for a good balance between fuel economy and capability. The V-six makes 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque and is rated to tow upwards to seven,600 pounds. It will haul a load without much effort, though the engine note moves from a V-8 sound just off idle to a strained 5-6 note at college speeds. The 8-speed automated works well with the Five-vi to proceed information technology in its proper power range without hunting for gears.
The 5.7-liter Five-8 makes 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque and can be paired with a 6- or 8-speed automatic. Variable valve timing and a cylinder close-off system are used to improve fuel efficiency, merely the engine still generates a throaty growl nether dispatch. The large Five-8 is predictably the towing gnaw: up to 10,700 pounds in certain configurations, but hauling a load any heavier than that and nosotros'd recommend looking at a heavy-duty truck instead. The 5-viii is the virtually popular engine choice, according to Ram, and it'southward not a bad pick for anyone not willing to bound for the diesel.
The 3.0-liter turbodiesel Five-6 is the mileage champ and the best available engine choice, if y'all ask usa. The engine is rated at simply 240 hp, but its prodigious pulling power of 420 lb-ft of torque is enough to fool anyone that it'southward the brawniest of the bunch. Information technology's rated to tow up to 9,200 pounds and can manage highway fuel economic system in the high-20s, but doesn't come up cheaply; Ram asks $iii,000 more for the diesel engine. That additional cost may be justified over a long life of a pickup truck, merely the initial pill can be too much for many to swallow.
One caveat: The EPA alleges that the EcoDiesel engine may have cheated its emissions testing. An investigation is ongoing, although the outcome is not yet clear.
Four-wheel bulldoze is optional on all models. A part-fourth dimension four-wheel-drive system is standard, but an all-wheel-bulldoze, on-demand system is available for V-viii models.
The Ram's ride and treatment are quite practiced for a full-size pickup, but nosedive and steering feel are still almost what you'd await from a truck. It'southward not fair to expect much feedback from a huge-wheelbase, 4-bicycle-drive truck, so don't. It's nevertheless about the best you'll detect in a full-sizer.
The Ram has a relaxed, comfy demeanor underway, though ride quality is greatly afflicted by the configuration of the model. The front interruption is contained, with coil springs on the rear beam.
An optional air suspension replaces the rear coils with air leap-damper units that give drivers a selection of 5 ride heights (Normal, Aero, Off-road 1, Off-road two, and Park modes). That allows a high ground clearance when driving off road, along with generous divergence and break-over angles. It also enables a lower step-in height. The air suspension smooths rough terrain and levels the truck when hauling or towing. At highway speeds, the HFE suspension goes into its lowest setting for meliorate aerodynamics and hence amend fuel economy, but there's less compliance left for bumpy surfaces and uneven textures; we thought it should be softer and more comfortable.
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No one will error it for a luxury car, just the Ram is still a comfy place to be.
The Ram 1500's interior is on par with others from Chevy and Ford in critical dimensions, just features more storage and cubbies, and its controls are the easiest to translate and use. Like all trucks, there'due south a broad spectrum of cab and bed configurations, and varying levels of comfort establish in its motel.
We gave it a 7 out of 10 for good front seats and infrequent utility that merely a truck can provide. (Read more near how we rate cars.)
The virtually bones trucks are two-door, regular cab models that accept a sliver of in-cab storage infinite behind the bench or optional fabric bucket seats. Nominally relegated to work-truck detail, regular cabs tin skimp on interior storage and comfort in favor of price.
Next up are iv-door, Quad Cab models that have iv front-hinged doors, but aren't platonic for carrying four adults for long distances. They're essentially extended-cab versions of the Ram 1500 and have more than interior storage capacity, but only ane long (6-foot-4) box configuration.
Bigger 4-door, full-size pickups are called Crew Cabs and are the nearly popular size for the Ram. Offered in brusque (5-foot-vii) or long (6-foot-iv) bed configurations, the Coiffure Cab models make sense for most looking to carry four adults in their trucks. They may be the best replacement for a standard car, but most long-bed versions won't fit within standard garages.
Every Ram has a wide stance, which can make the standard demote seat seem to stretch on forever. Three adults will fit hands across, with a decent amount of leg support. The seats themselves are wide and flat, doing an honest false of their Midwestern roots, for better or worse. Bench seats comes with a large fold-downwards console that tin exist used when no heart-seat passenger is present. A bench seat tin can be a proficient choice when a dog is in the back seat considering the seat provides an unbroken barrier separating it from the front end.
The rear seat can flip out of the way and a platform flips downwardly in the rear motel for cargo or dog transport, though the cupholders remain in place, and can be an encumbrance.
Optional saucepan seats can supercede front benches and identify a huge center console in the middle that can swallow huge devices, file folders, or small bags. Padding on the driver's door makes for comfortable elbow resting, a feature expensive sedans don't ever become right. The power saucepan seats offer lots of adjustment, letting taller drivers lower the seat and tilt the steering column for the best driving position. Power-adjustable pedals are likewise available.
The Ram's interior ranges from plain to palatial, with attending to detail in superlative-range models that y'all'd expect in luxury sedans. For example, Laramie Longhorn Limited models sport cross-stitched leather-covered handgrips and Rebels have two-tone red trim stitching and soft cloth floor mats that tin be removed in foul-weather.
It's an artillery race for pickup buyers between Ram, General Motors, and Ford, and while the latter two have gone beyond luxury with upper trims, the Ram exhibits a crude-and-tumble nature that's still endearing to usa.
Gas-powered Ram models tin be tranquillity downwards on the road, only diesel fuel versions of the Ram still have a off-white amount of clatter. 4-corner air intermission helps shine over choppy terrain, and even unladen trucks offering a relatively smooth ride.
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Safe ratings are in, and they're mixed.
Last twelvemonth, the IIHS comprehensively rated the top-selling pickups in the U.Southward. for condom for the first time.
Ram'south 1500, the relative oldest of the bunch, escaped with mostly "Good" ratings except in the pocket-sized-overlap forepart crash and rollover protection, where it earned a "Marginal" score.
That'southward the good news. The bad news? The feds weren't as kind and gave the Ram a four-star overall score, including three stars for rollover protection in 4-wheel-drive models.
It'south those results and lack of standard rearview camera that nets the 1500 a 3 out x on our safety score. (Read more than almost how we rate cars.)
All Ram 1500 models come with airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, colina-start assistance (which maintains braking until the gas is pressed when starting on an uphill), and trailer-sway command (which uses the brakes and stability control to mitigate the wagging outcome induced when towing).
Front and rear parking assistants are bachelor, but no blind-spot monitors are offered. All trucks come equipped with the standard complement of front and side pall airbags.
The 2016 Ram 1500 has received mixed scores from both major U.South. testing agencies. In the IIHS' comprehensive testing, the Ram managed "Expert" scores in most crashes, except the small overlap crash and roof force tests, where information technology earned a worrisome "Marginal" score.
Federal safety officials gave the 2016 Ram 1500 iv stars out of 5 overall. That included five stars in side crash, four stars in frontal crash and iii stars in rollover.
Features and trim levels abound in the Ram, just pack a tiffin before you begin to order—you'll be a while.
Like most modern pickups, the Ram 1500 comes in endless configurations and specifications, ranging from piece of work-focused to downright lavish trucks.
Its excellent range for customization and good optional equipment are reasons the Ram 1500 earns a seven out of 10 on our ratings scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
Three cab configurations are available with three bed sizes. Regular cab trucks tin can be fitted with a long (8 feet) or short (vi-foot-4) boxes. 4-door trucks, called Crew Cabs, can be fit with long (6-human foot-4) or short (five-foot-7) boxes, while extended-cab models, called Quad Cab, come simply with a long (6-foot-4) box.
Starting with Tradesman work trucks, the Ram 1500 can exist trimmed into Express, SLT, HFE, Big Horn, Alone Star, Sport, Rebel, Laramie, and Laramie Longhorn Limited packages with varying levels of comfort or utility. Ram folded the R/T models and their 22-inch wheels into the Sport lineup.
Tradesman trucks come sparsely equipped with merely the bare essentials: vinyl seats, manual windows and locks, 17-inch wheels, and an AM/FM radio.
Spring for a peak-of-the-line Laramie Longhorn Express truck and an viii.4-inch touchscreen, leather upholstery, chrome everywhere, power adaptable heated seats, 20-inch wheels, vii.0-inch configurable estimate brandish, rearview camera, Bluetooth, and navigation are standard.
Predictably, all 11 trims have varying levels of equipment and options to adapt private buyers.
For 2017, Ram has added a Night package to Sport-trimmed trucks that adds a blacked-out grille, large 20-inch wheels, apartment-black lettering, and yup, a black stamped Ram badge on the tailgate.
Some of our favorite features for trucks are institute in the 1500, including integrated storage bins that Ram calls "RamBox" (on 5-pes-4 and half-dozen-foot-seven beds just), and the seven.0-inch multifunction instrument cluster.
Chrysler'due south UConnect multimedia and connectivity organisation is aging, but still amid the best in the manufacture. Its configurable display and easy readout make it clear and hassle-free, merely the lack of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto back up is frustrating. The eight.four-inch touchscreen is optional on SLT models, standard on Large Horn trucks and higher. The 5.0-inch touchscreen that'southward standard on SLT and optional on Tradesman and Express trucks is helpful, but a little small in the big truck.
The Ram's cargo camera is handy, same goes for the in-cab wi-fi broadcasted from a built-in hotspot that uses Sprint'south data network that requires a monthly subscription after a free trial. Mobile apps let drivers lock or unlock or kickoff their Ram with their phones.
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xxx mpg in a total-size pickup? Information technology's possible. Merely fifty-fifty base models manage respectable numbers.
With an 8-speed automatic that coerces a thirsty Hemi V-8 into 17 mpg combined, we remember virtually buyers will be somewhat surprised past the Ram's fuel efficiency. That rating is good enough for a 5 and the footing for our rating. (Read more about how nosotros charge per unit cars.)
The EPA is taking a longer look at the diesel, so official numbers for 2017 aren't all the same in.
The base three.half-dozen-liter 5-six is rated at 17 mpg urban center, 25 highway, xx combined in rear-bulldoze configuration. Adding four-wheel bulldoze drops that to sixteen/23/19 mpg.
The bigger 5.7-liter V-8 is the volume engine and its rated at xv/21/17 mpg with iv-wheel drive. (Rear-bulldoze models gain 1 mpg on the highway.)
That diesel was tops terminal year, and rated at 21/29/24 mpg in HFE models, xix/27/22 mpg in iv-wheel-drive versions.
The about efficient versions of the Chevy Silverado and Ford F-150 superlative out at 20 and 22 mpg respectively.
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