2009 Dodge Ram Review

I’m not sure if dodge has caught life by the horns (that’s what their motto reads) but they sure as hell,  grabbed my attention with the release of the all new 2009 Ram. Dodge continues to maintain most of the same old styling on the Ram. It still has that aggressive, mean, in-your-face look. The headlamps have been revamped, the bumpers have been beefed up and the wheel arches are more protrusive but everything underneath its skin is  brand new.

Apart from the engine which we will dive into  in a minute, dodge will be the first in the pick-up truck line to use coil springs instead of the traditional leaf-springs. The all new live-axle design and more tune-able coil springs are supposed to give drivers a more city-like driving experience. Dodge seemed to have more focus on driver compatibility on a day-to- day basis  rather than on the max-payload or max-towing for that matter. There will be  certain models that’ll be more than capable of carrying loads up to 1800 lbs and towing a 9000 lbs trailer. The coil-spring suspension weighs 40 pounds less than a leaf-spring setup of comparable size and allowed Dodge add some fresh new features.

The new Ram is available in three engine varieties: the 3.7-liter V-6, available only on the 4×2 regular cab and Quad Cab models; the 4.7-liter V-8, available across the board with a five-speed automatic transmission; and the 5.7-liter Hemi, also available with the five-speed automatic. Dodge have made numerous changes to the mechanical & software of the HEMI.

The brand new variable valve timing technology permitted Dodge tuners to use a higher compression rating and a more aggressive multi-displacement system program. They are also using a  spanking new cylinder head, an active intake manifold as well as a less limiting exhaust. This means that the 2009 Dodge Rams will get 10 percent boost in horsepower i.e.  a full 380 bhp from 345bhp, an additional eight percent torque of 404nm from the old 375nm and an estimated four-percent increment in fuel efficiency. Plus, the five-speed automatic transmission gives an optional floor-mounted automatic shifter. There’s no announcement  on a new SRT version, but Dodge is offering a Sport package and may try to make the 6.1 Hemi work.

The interior  were all cranked up too. Majority of the truck’s budget was focused on spending inside the cab; specially on the choice of materials and design layout. This is apparent when you see the new gauge clusters and the center stack. Gone are the angular borders and blocks from the older generation Rams. It is replaced with an organic look and furniture-esque materials. The gated, center-console-mounted sport shifter replaces the column unit except on the work-truck models, and even the front and rear seats are all improved. Some other cool features  include the Floormounted tranny shifter, in-floor storage for Crew Cab, RamBox, aviation-grip shifter.

All these new features have helped give dodge an edge to stay ahead  of the competition but you will be vastly disappointed if you expect it to behave like its predecessor. All in all, it still makes a very good pick-up. For the guys who need to haul huge loads, there is always the Ram HD. So Dodge seem to have thought things through.