The guys over at edmunds don't usually have a lot of nice things to say about US autos, but they picked the new Ram as their truck.
Pickups ride significantly better with weight in the bed than without. Virtually everyone who has driven a loaded pickup has observed this and accepted it as mantra. Yet this is not the case with the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500. Instead, it just rides well all the time.
Its newfangled (well, for pickups anyway) five-link coil-spring rear suspension for the solid rear axle in the 2009 Dodge Ram raises the bar for pickup versatility by providing a supple and refined ride no matter the terrain. Rough roads that send the solid rear axles of other trucks a-skitter don't even faze the Ram, even when there's no payload in the bed that would help keep the axle planted on the ground.
The Ram SLT's interior is also a success. The front seats, steering wheel and optional extending pedals adjust to accommodate nearly any humanoid, and the four bins in the rear seating area are a neat touch. The rear seats flip up in one motion. The road noise that finds its way into the cabin is minimal, enhancing the Ram's overriding impression of chassis refinement.
Under the hood is a 390-hp 5.7-liter Dodge V8. With its 407 pound-feet of torque, the Ram reaches 60 mph in 7.6 seconds (7.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and does the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds at 87.7 mph.
Silverado, pass your torch. Chevy's pickup has been the touchstone of chassis composure among half-tons since it was introduced in 2007, but the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 changes the pecking order. This is an impressive truck, one that bridges the divide between capability and comfort in a way that is sure to be the envy of other manufacturers. — Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
