This week we are reviewing the 2019 RAM 1500 Sport Crew Cab 4X4. Our car was assembled at the Sterling Heights plant in the USA. The vehicle that we are testing had an MSRP of $76840 CDN this also includes destination fees.
Fun Factor:5
Can it Family: 7
Fuel-Friendly: 5
HWY-warrior: 8
Karaoke Friendly: 7
Baby friendly: 7
City Cruising: 3
I will not lie, I am personally not a fan of big SUV’s and Trucks. As most of them don’t handle that well on the road. This hasn’t stopped RAM to make a product that feels sporty and agile for its size, nor did RAM take any shortcuts to achieve this. Our RAM 1500 felt premium almost felt as if it had been thought of by a German brand with North America in mind. Our RAM 1500 was equipped with an air suspension on all 4 wheels and felt like a dream to drive, even on a pothole infested road. Yes, it was actually pleasant to drive on them instead of having to swerve around them. In our test 0-100km/h it took us 7.1 seconds to achieve 100km/h, our test results were obtained with massive 22inch winter tires. RAM announces 6.1 seconds to 60 MPH, we can easily see this being achieved with summer tires as V8 rumbles it’s raw power. Our model produced a whopping 395hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, continuously thrusting you around without having to worry that the V8 let you down. The RAM 1500 is mated an eight-speed transmission and EDS. The transmission can feel jerky at times when cruising around at lower speeds, however, at higher speeds the cylinder deactivation system and the transmission seems to be better programmed and respond quickly when an acceleration is needed. All in all the driving dynamics are pleasant on the road as well as off-road on your way to the cabin. The adjustable air suspension comes in handy when driving into muddy territory, easing out any imperfection on your adventure off-road. If Maserati had to build a pickup truck, it certainly would take a lot of its cues from this model, our model was so well equipped for a model that is situated between the Big Horn and the Rebel that people on the street were asking if this was RAM's higher-end model.
Now does it make sense to buy a truck if you have a family? In our test with our family, we could only find benefits, starting with being able to add all of our winter sport gear in the bed as well as being able to put several suitcases in the bed. Just for the fun of it, we tested the amount of stroller you can put in the bed, and the magic number is 6 without having to stack them on top of each other. The only fault we could find is that the protective bed cover can let in snow or rain. Hence, when transporting goods that could get wet, they should be put further back from the rear opening. The bed lining felt premium and kept larger items in place without having to tie them down. As for the cabin the drivers and co-pilot seats are treated to a thrown that includes headed and cooled seats. The drive will also indulge the joys of a heated steering wheel that is 3 level adjustable. Those can be turned off and on with a simple click of a button instead of having to browse through the infotainment. The back seat offering doesn’t offer all these amenities, however as do the front seats you’ll have access to 2 standard USB outlets and 2 USB-C outlets to future proof your vehicle. In our test the rear seats seat comfortably 3 adults, not only do they seat these 3 adults if you had to install 3 child seats they would fit in the back while still having enough space to place your children into these cars seats.
Now the fuel consumption on a truck isn’t something that will give breakthrough efficiency. Our model still has the Standard V8 with MDS without e-torque. The e-torque (a sort of mild-hybrid system) something we would like to see as an option on all RAM with a V8 and not on top end trims especially since the basic model with the V6 offers e-torque as standard. In our test over 500km, our average fuel consumption was 17.0L per 100km, as for HWY consumption our results were 12.8L per 100km. Our city consumption was a whooping 19.8L per 100km. The figures announced by RAM are the following, 13.8L per 100km for a combined average, 11.0L per 100km on the HWY and as for the city 16.1L per 100km. Our own results were achieved with temperature oscillating between -8c and +5c, including heavy traffic accounting 10% of HWY usage in stop & go traffic. As mentioned above we would love to see these figures lowered with a full hybrid version for those that will use their pickup in an urban environment.
The RAM 1500 is a fighter when it comes to HWY cruising. The ride is comfortable, even without lane keep assistants the pickup stays planned on the road, all that without being intrusive. The RAM also offers adaptive cruise control that can even handle stop & go traffic. In our test, we found that the system would overreact under bridges thinking that the car in front of us had slowed down. In a different instance, the system seemed to panic and started beeping as we hadn't engaged the brake immediately. This occurred when traffic slowed down in front of us on the HWY, and we decided to ease off the accelerator pedal and let the truck coast to a stop. Overtaking with the RAM 1500 will be uncomplicated even if you fill your bed with heavy items. Overall the RAM 1500 sport is excellent for long distance as it offers all the amenities you would expect for a luxury vehicle plus the possibility to toss everything in your cargo bed.
The sound system of the RAM 1500 is generally decent sounding some of the mid-range reproduction would need more polishing if you’re an audiophile. On the other spectrum, the Alpine system equipped with our pickup truck is mainly tuned for club bangers with heavy treble & bass. The 8.4-inch U-connect infotainment found in our truck isn’t the largest screen. However, most buyers might want to have the smaller version as it offers physical buttons for climate controls and heated seats. The system is quick to respond and never felt laggy, and its layout is user-friendly & straightforward. Besides that, Apple car play integration is well done; the only thing we could fault we could find is that it does not have a split screen functionality.
Now can the RAM 1500 actually haul child seats? Yes, not only did RAM make sure 2 child seats could be installed they made sure that every place in the rear has ISOFIX ports and that these could be easily attained. The rears seats will have enough room to fit 3 full car seats and have enough legroom to attach your child in the middle seat. The doors open wide making it easy to take out your child seats when needed if your truck is used as a business truck during the day. In our toddler test to enter the cabin, the lowering step will help your child going into the truck, accessing the child seats will be more difficult as the seats are raised up fairly high making it more difficult for a toddler to sit into his chair alone.
The RAM 1500 received a lower grade towards city driving in our review. However, it still achieved a higher rank then the middle offering found in Ford's F-150 that we tested last year. The city driving category is driven by 2 factors one is easy of parking, and the other one is fuel consumption in the city, which none of these two are a stronghold for trucks in general. What made us give the RAM 1500 a better grade is that it offers a selves parking feature and an unobstructed 360-degree view of the truck when parking. What we would like to see is that the 360-degree camera also to be available when engaging drive and not just in reverse. As for fuel consumption, a big truck with a big V8 will always have challenges being fuel efficient. Again a full-on hybrid model for those using it in the city would be great even if it is offered as an option so that the purist of V8 engines can still claim the road ahead.
What we've enjoyed on our RAM 1500 Sport: That it fits 3 child seats, That Pearl Red paint job, Excellent visibility, Air suspention on all 4 corners, Those massive 22-inch polished rim's, The gigantic panoramic sunroof, The sporty looks.
What we've enjoyed less on our RAM 1500 Sport: The high gas consumption even with MDS, a CD player in 2019.
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