Pickup trucks (okay, Utes) can sometimes be a thing of compromise: rugged or refined, capable or comfortable. But the RAM 1500 Limited poses the question “why not both?” – and then some more while at it. By really pushing the envelope on what utes can be – at least for our market – it really shows that there are levels to this game.
The RAM brand might wear its working-class badge proudly – at least in America (the continent) where I come from – but there’s a real sense of ambition here. From the outside, we first need to address the – burgundy – elephant in the room: its size. at 5.91m long and 2.47m wide, this truck was way more at home when I took the motorway up North than when I drove it around the narrow streets in Parnell.
Another effect of that is that the 1500 doesn’t need to use aggressive body lines, vents and butch add-ons to command attention. In this specific configuration, there is not a single chrome piece on the outside – bumpers, the 22″ wheels, the grill, are all finished in shiny black, leading to a look that works flawlessly with the colour of my loan car. I usually get compliments from friends when driving cars in nice colours, but nothing like this. Everyone was mesmerized by how well the burgundy worked for this truck. If you’re going for a more luxurious specification, Delmonico Red is the way to go. It’s bold without being obnoxious, and that bonnet bulge still looks every bit the part, even if it’s now covering six cylinders rather than eight – more on that later.
Slide inside using the automatic side steps and the RAM flexes its full-size luxury credentials. Front seats are heated, cooled, massaging, and feature memory settings for the driver. The pedals adjust too, something I hadn’t tried before and absolutely helped for finding a perfect position. Once set up, all the controls fall to hand, the low waist line provides amazing visibility, but the sheer size of the thing feels a bit intimidating – which is a pro and a con at the same time.
At the rear, space is just absurd, not just for seating but for everything else. The seats are comfortable, there is plenty of convenience and, if you need the storage, the bases fold up giving you a van-like, flat floor space. I sold a pair of large bedside tables and while I was happy to have the RAM to make that delivery, I never used the bed: the rear row was big enough to just gobble them up no problem.
But, for the inevitable occasion where you put the bed to use, it is very usable and smart, with a handy divider, RAMBox storage (complete with drain plugs for drinks and ice), and an integrated side step that folds out for access. You also get powered opening and closing, an easy to use canvas cover and a super robust protective coating to protect the 5’7″ bed, good for 560kg of payload (640kg in Laramie trim).
An important piece of trivia here is that the truck is built to completion in left hand drive mode, and then converted. And the workmanship is impressive: I didn’t remove any panels, but I checked many places where work would have been done inside and under the bonnet, and it really held up to scrutiny.
The tech offering here is impressive. You get front, side, and rear sensors, an ultra-responsive 360-degree camera, and quite possibly the best digital rear-view mirror I’ve ever tested. It makes manoeuvring something this large as easy as it can be.
The portrait-oriented centre screen works beautifully with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and the OEM layout is cohesive and intuitive. Climate controls and media controls all remain accessible via physical buttons, while everything else is just a tap away. Considering how many cars get this wrong, it is great to see this blend of touchscreen convenience and tactile usability. There is an additional 10 inch passenger screen that offers co-pilot mode and can replicate media information, including an HDMI port for external content.
The drivers display is also very comprehensive, allowing for an old school mix of two gauges with information in the middle or a more minimalist view. You also have, at the touch of one button, a view with 5 gauges where you can select the most important information for that point in time.
Storage is another highlight: tiered door bins, a huge dual-layer armrest with sliding elements, and two upright wireless phone chargers that lock your phone into place while charging. There are even in-floor cubbies in the second row. This is minivan-challenging usability, making the most out of the size of the truck, and every car should have this level of thinking.
On the move, the RAM’s Air Ride suspension is really good at maximising comfort and practicality. I set it to always default to Aero Mode, one step below normal ride height, and it soaked up the road beautifully while trying to get more kms out of each litre of petrol. The truck feels big and drives big —because it is—but it never feels unwieldy.
Steering is heavy, there is enough body roll to remind you of what you’re driving, and you have to adapt your braking distances to something of this size, but all of this comes with the territory and you can still feel the competence of the truck despite all this.
Now, back to the engine. Gone is the HEMI V8 and, in its place, enters a 3L twin turbo inline six. Its power delivery is smooth, full torque comes in super early at 3500 RPM, and it even makes the right noises when pushed. Even though the size can mask it very well, this is a very fast truck, especially in this High Output trim. The 403kW and 707Nm are enough for the quickest I’ve ever seen a 3 bedroom house go from 0-100km/h, we’re talking under 5 seconds.
Yes, with an open diff, you’ll get a hint of wheelspin under heavy throttle from a standstill in 2WD. Thankfully, the traction systems are lightning-quick and clean up the torque just as fast as it arrives. Once it shifts to Auto 4WD, you can select from many driving modes depending on your use using the steering wheel, and then grip becomes a non-issue. I ended up using Tow/Haul mode a lot, even without a trailer in sight. It softens throttle response, making take-offs smooth and composed, especially useful when trying to keep things refined in traffic. It also matches the behavior I would expect from the outgoing V8.
Efficiency? The truck was set to use km/L and I left it like that for a memento from home, and my overall average was 5.8km/L (17.5L/100km) over 300 kilometres of testing, including some empty-bed highway runs and a bit of urban use, far from the claimed 11.8L/100km. It never got better than 6.3km/L and many times went as low as 4km/L without any load other than the driver. This is an improvement over the V8, but I would be very curious to see the impact on the figures with the truck loaded up with its 4200kg rated towing capacity – and how that impacts the range with the 125L tank (98L for the Laramie).
You can tailor these systems even further in off-road specific modes, that tune gearbox performance, air suspension height and behaviour and power delivery to get the most of the powertrain. There are buttons to toggle 4WD settings and to engage axle lock, always close to the hand and with very quick visual feedback.
It is not cheap, with a price tag of $185,990 as tested, but it is the natural step above the utes we see on our roads. It tops them up in every single measure – size, capability, performance, comfort, presence – without ever feeling too out there, and never compromised. Is there anything this ute cannot do? Yeah, I could not drive it into my office parking lot, and I had to ask someone to move their car so I could traverse a narrow road (seriously), but this is not the natural habitat of this dinosaur, and it excels anywhere else. Thanks, RAM, for the opportunity, and thank you for reading this far!
