2013 Ram 1500 ST
It is rare—and refreshing—to get a basic model of any new vehicle to test. Most of the time, car manufacturers send journalists loaded versions of their wares, hoping all the lashing of luxury, power and cool trimmings will make our reports more positive. So when a “work truck” spec half-ton Ram showed up, I was taken aback. But this turned out to be a great way to assess the fundamentals of the Chrysler truck division’s updated 1500 model, replete with independent rear suspension, V6 power and an eight-speed automatic.
Having spent a good portion of my youth on the family turf farm, and working myriad low-wage delivery and gopher-type jobs through high school and college, I’ve done plenty of miles in basic trucks. But not like this. If we’d had this on the farm a quarter century ago, no one would have wanted to drive their own cars home. It’s simply amazing how far body-on-frame trucks have come. The Ram 1500 is super quite, generally very smooth riding and undeniably refined. Its structure feels incredibly solid, it goes around corners like a large sedan, and stops and steers with a precision that is so comparable to a unibody car that it is quite amazing, really.
The new powertrain is interesting. Comprised of the corporate 3.6-liter V6 (here with 305hp/269lb-ft) and the eight-speed auto, it is quiet, refined and pulls hard up to highway speeds—at least unladen. It is hard to justify on fuel economy grounds though, unless someone does lots of highway driving. My normal route is comprised of mainly urban use, with some runs up the interstate. I intentionally took the Ram on more highway runs, and, while I matched the stated EPA ratings of 16 city and 23 highway, the mixed-use 18mpg I got isn’t far off what I’ve gotten from stouter trucks with V8 engines and five- or six-speed automatics.
The Ram’s interior is well assembled; materials are hard—and hopefully hard-wearing. The seat starts out feeling comfortable, but needs lumbar support to prevent hunching and a tired back on longer drives, and a “dead pedal” to the left of the brake wouldn’t go amiss either. Finally, the inclusion of a USB port for the CD-less sound system is critical, for the radio cant seem to pull in even strong stations, despite a classic “mast” antenna.
Otherwise the Ram is a pleasing truck; it offers all the cab room, power and cargo capacity most light-duty corporate truck owners will ever have need of; though the $35,000-plus price for such a basic pick up might surprise those who have been out of the market since the recession began.
EPA ratings: 16/23; 19mpg combined
Price as tested: $35,675
Here is what Ram has to say about the 1500ST.
