Chrysler’s leaders were the darlings of the automotive press during the 1990s because of their willingness to take chances with distinctive styling. But how many of these vehicles truly succeeded with consumers? The Viper sold only to a handful of wealthy, hardcore enthusiasts. The large LH and midsize JA sedans failed to win people back from Toyota and Honda, and in recent years many have populated rental car fleets. The Neon was initially hot, only to be brought down by substandard interior materials, refinement, and reliability and then watered down in its second generation. The PT Cruiser, though functional and solid, was initially even hotter; but those that live by the fad also die by it, and its distinctive styling now holds it back. The two main pillars of the company, the Grand Cherokee and the minivans, were not risqué at all. They were well-researched, well-executed vehicles that sold based on their basic goodness rather than striking designs.
When all is said and done, Chrysler had one, true design-based success in the 1990s: the large Ram pickup. In the early 1990s Dodge sold about 80,000 large pickups a year, far fewer than Chevrolet and Ford. Then it introduced the 1993 Ram with styling that recalled a semi, and sales took off even though that truck was functionally not quite the equal of its competition. Today Dodge sells about 400,000 large pickups a year, giving it a significant share of this large segment.
The 1990s Ram was a much less refined vehicle than Chevrolet’s and Ford’s pickups. Even its evocative styling appeared crude to my eye. The headlamps that flanked the large grill seemed disproportinately small and tacked on. It seems I was not alone in this opinion. When Chrysler redesigned the Ram for 2002, it substantially refined how the truck performs and its styling. Later Seeking a basis of comparison for the new F-150, I took one for a test drive.
I could not have picked a better time, as only late in the 2003 model year did Dodge make its new 345-horsepower 5.7-liter “Hemi” V8 available on the half-ton Ram 1500. This engine replaced a 245-horsepower, 5.9-liter V8. The standard engine on SLT and/or 4WD Rams remains a 240-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 originally developed for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Since I prioritize driving enjoyment, I checked out the Hemi.
With the Ford F-150 I tested the SuperCab with rear-hinged half-doors rather than the SuperCrew with four conventional doors and a larger cab. Unlike Chevrolet and Ford, Dodge only offers two cab types, a regular cab and a Quad Cab that’s roughly the same size as the other’s extended cabs but with four forward hinged doors like their crew cabs. The others’ extended cabs can be difficult to get in and out of in parking lots, as the configuration of their doors limits room to maneuver when they are all open. Dodge’s use of rear conventional doors eliminates this issue. Since I have kids, this is the version I drove. Finally, as I live in Michigan I evaluated the four-wheel-drive version, which uses a slightly different front suspension than the two-wheel-drive version.
Dodge Ram Reliability
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Styling
The 2002 redesign carried over the semi theme but thoroughly refined it, yielding a much more attractive truck. The new headlights are much larger, such that they and the fenders behind them are now correctly proportioned vis-à-vis the Ram’s huge grille. In addition to the improved proportions, the new Ram is a bit curvier, which helps to integrate the headlights and fenders with the grille and hood. Overall, the new truck manages to look much sleeker without losing any of its macho quality.
The option of 20-inch wheels, almost cartoonishly large on even a large pickup, further enhance the truck’s brawny aesthetic. The one I drove had 17-inch chromed steel wheels, which even though they are as large as the largest wheels available on non-SS GM pickups look almost undersized on the Ram. Alloys of the same diameter are a $100 option. Something in between the two sizes might be popular. I cannot think of another vehicle where the two available wheel sizes are three inches apart.
In retrospect, the semi theme seems an obvious winner. Many people are drawn to the imposing size of 18-wheelers. And not just men. One of my good friends once had a girl friend who used to enjoy stopping by truck stops to check out the trucks. With the 1993 Ram, people could live out their fantasies of driving a semi. With the 2004 they still can, but look more upscale while doing so.
Inside the Ram is not nearly as sporty as outside. The instrument panel and doors are very plainly styled in the traditional truck idiom, where function is what matters. Those in GM's pickups look fussy and dated in comparison. The new F-150 puts both to shame with a more stylish, higher quality interior than can be found in Ford’s cars. The Ford even offers a full console with console-mounted shifter as an option. Despite such sporty exterior options as those large wheels and color-keyed bumpers and grille, on the inside the Dodge is all pickup, with the minor exception of white-faced instruments.
The SLT I drove had cloth, not the optional leather. This cloth is very soft to the touch and this plushness together with the pattern in it recalled domestic cars of decades past. A rugged, outdoorsy weave would be more in line with the truck's character. The “Laramie” package includes faux wood on the dash and doors; the truck I drove thankfully lacked it.
Accommodations
Getting in and out of the Dodge is more difficult than with the others because its seat is mounted higher off a higher floor. Running boards would be a very good idea for all but the tallest people. Because the seat is so high off the floor, I found that the most comfortable position for my left foot was resting flat on the floor almost directly in front of the seat. No legs-out driving position in this big truck. Power adjustable pedals are an option. The large driver's seat cushion is softer than those in the GM and Ford pickups. Together with the cloth this softness makes the seats the most dated aspect of the truck. I found the seat fairly comfortable on my test drives, but wonder if such a soft seat would provide adequate support over long distances. The seat provides little lateral support, but large pickups are not intended for taking curves at speed anyway.
Every time a new full-size pickup is introduced it trumps its predecessors in rear seat room and comfort. The Dodge is newer than GM’s large pickups but older than Ford’s, and the roominess and comfort of its rear seat similarly falls between those of the rear seats in the others’ extended cabs. Knee room becomes tight if the front seats are much of the way back, but the backrest is comfortably angled unlike those in previous generation pickups.
The major interior innovation of the 1993 Ram was a storage compartment in the front seat’s fold-down center armrest large enough to hold a notebook computer. This has been carried over to the new truck. Unlike that in the Chevrolet but like that in the new Ford the stowable rear seat is split 60/40. Unlike in the other trucks this seat sits atop storage compartments. Consequently, interior storage volume has been sacrificed to provide more covered storage. A fold-out steel floor to provide a raised level load floor when the seat is folded up is a $100 option. This feature was not on the truck I drove.
To provide more space in the cab Dodge shrunk the length of the short bed by three inches when it redesigned the Ram for 2002. Even down three inches relative to the competition the short bed provides plenty of carrying capacity. An eight-foot bed is available, but in combination with the extended cab makes for a very long truck. For non-commercial uses the short bed is much more popular.
On the Road
The Hemi’s specs suggest that it is roughly equivalent to the base Corvette engine, just in a truck application. Turning the ignition dispelled this evaluation from my mind. When first started the Hemi produces a great deal of mechanical noise even at idle, such that I half-seriously asked the salesman if he’d pulled the keys to a diesel by mistake. Once warmed up the engine is quieter, but remains far from a model of refinement. Chrysler will be offering the Hemi in a new family of rear-wheel-drive sedans next spring. My test drive left me wondering how an engine that sounds and feels so trucky will come across in a car.
Not only does the Hemi trump the GM and Ford engines by 50 and 45 horsepower, respectively, but it is hooked up to the light duty pickup segment’s only five-speed automatic. Between this and ads for the truck I expected fierce acceleration. This was not to be. With the pedal at or near the floor the Hemi moves the truck well enough, but it doesn’t feel substantially quicker than GM’s trucks. (Ford’s are the pokiest of the three.) In normal driving the transmission and throttle mapping conspire to make the Hemi feel merely adequate. You can always floor the throttle, but subtle tactile and aural feedback from the accelerator, transmission, and engine suggest this is an extreme act that should not be engaged in lightly. Unlike a powerful sedan the Hemi Ram does not accelerate with quiet confidence. Instead, it roars when called upon. The powertrain in GM’s trucks feels more responsive in normal driving, while Ford’s overhead cam 5.4-liter is the quietest.
Even when first moving from a stop the Ram gives off a big truck aura. As in the Hummer H2, in these initial moments a deep mechanical engine note and short gearing create the impression of a great deal of mass being set in motion. This sensation was not present in the Chevrolet and Ford trucks I drove for comparison. I liked this sensation in the H2, and I found something appealing about it here as well. It suggests an unstoppable force.
With the 17-inch wheels at least the Ram’s ride was better than I expected, hardly luxurious but not at all punishing either. The Chevrolet rode more smoothly, while the Ford felt at once more composed and more jittery, but none of the three is the brute all pickups were not so long ago. Of course I drove all of these trucks unloaded. They are all designed for optimal ride quality over a wide range of loads, and I suspect that some weight in the bed would benefit the ride quality of all three. I have read that the 20-inch wheels lend the truck a much rougher ride, but did not check this out. Noise levels are moderate, higher than in the Ford but (aside from the prevalent engine noise noted above) close to the Chevrolet.
Like the Ford’s, the Dodge’s steering is a rack-and-pinion design. This helps it provide more precision and accuracy than I expected. Though I would hardly describe the Ram’s handling as car-like—it is not—I felt much more comfortable changing lanes and making turns than I expected to in such a large vehicle. (As large as these trucks look, they feel even larger once you're in that high driver's seat within that wide cab.) Once upon a time driving full-size pickups required much more concentration and stamina. These days even the brute of the bunch, this Dodge, is easy to drive.
Unlike the Ford and Chevrolet, on the Dodge four-wheel anti-lock brakes are not standard. Instead, a rear-wheel system is standard and a four-wheel system is optional. Last near a package discount reduced the cost of the four-wheel option to $145. This year this discount is gone, such that the full $495 must be paid. Perhaps for this reason none of the 2004 Rams on the dealers lot appeared to have this option. Unlike the others the Ram is available with side curtain airbags.
Dodge offers a full-time four-wheel-drive system on the Ram for the first time this year. It costs $545. None of the trucks on the lot had this new option, though some had the $150 electronic shift-on-the-fly option. The truck I drove had the traditional manual lever on the floorboard. GM’s large pickups offer full-time four-wheel-drive, which can be left engaged even on dry pavement, but Ford’s do not.
Update: I drove a second Ram with this option. It performed well. Flooring that torquey engine from a dead stop, even with the wheels turned, elicits not a chirp from the tires. There is no setting for 2WD, just Auto, 4 Hi, and 4 Lo. If Auto is like this setting in other trucks it sends torque to the rear tires until slippage is detected, and then some torque is transferred to the front tires. If so, this operation was totally seamless. Given pickups' propensity to spin their rear tires from a dead stop in 2WD because of an extremely front-heavy weight distribution when unloaded and live rear axle, this option seems very worthwhile. Especially for people living where it snows. Without it, the truck must be left in 2WD except on loose surfaces.
This second RAM also had the 20-inch alloys ($895 with the sport appearance package), but I was not able to evaluate their impact on ride quality because the roads I drove on were smooth. Handling seemed unaffected, but then I don't push large pickups nearly as hard as I do performance cars in my test drives.
Pricing
I would have preferred to drive a Ram with full-time 4WD, four-wheel ABS, the sport appearance group, leather, and so on, but with so many options available the chances of finding the exact truck you want on a dealer’s lot is miniscule. In this way large pickups are a relic of that bygone era when cars were available with so many options that consumers often had to buy a few they did not want to get those they did want without placing an order and waiting. The Ram 1500 4X4 Quad Cab SLT I drove included the $895 Hemi engine, the $1,170 5-speed automatic and 3.92 axle ratio this engine requires, a $285 limited slip differential, the $455 premium cloth bench with storage armrest and power driver’s seat, the $465 trailer tow group, a $420 Quad Cab Value Group (Infinity stereo and leather wheel), and $140 sliding rear window. In other words, little beyond the basic SLT truck with Hemi engine. The tally came to 33,780. Edmunds suggests that the typical discount and a $1,000 rebate often bring this price down to about $29,800.
For 2004 Chrysler appears to have eliminated many of the 2003's option group discounts. A way to have an invisible price increase to cover those heavy incentives?)
As detailed in my Ford F-150 review, a comparable Ford currently runs about $400 more, while a Chevrolet runs about $3,000 less. The last is clearly the bargain of the bunch right now. If you want the Ram’s styling or the Ford’s refinement, you’ll have to pay dearly for them.
Last Words
Chrysler’s most durable styling-based success of the 1990s was the Dodge Ram pickup. A 2002 redesign added some much needed aesthetic and mechanical refinement, while the new Hemi V8 makes the truck’s performance at least competitive. Ultimately, the major advantage of this truck is its blatantly trucky character. It looks, sits, and drives like a big truck, and that is bound to appeal to many people. Those wanting the most luxurious interior will prefer the Ford, while those wanting to minimize the sense of bulk or the lowest price will prefer the Chevrolet. That said, the new Ram is a much more refined vehicle than its predecessor, and I found it a surprisingly easy vehicle to drive.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 33,780
Model and Options: SLT Quad Cab 4X4 Hemi
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