Review Of 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Pick Up Truck

Introduction

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 priced at MSRP $21,520 – $43,490 is a full size pick up truck. It is powerful, well crafted, completely desirable and is a huge win for Dodge. This Dodge edition offers tough competition to stalwart pick ups like Ford F150, Chevy Silverado, and Toyota Tundra.

What’s on offer?

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 has been completely redesigned with conventional styling, more power and up to date technology. It includes new coil spring rear suspension design which makes it the smoothest riding pick up in the market.

Silhouette

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 emphasizes on aerodynamic styling with a unique grille forward design. Its bulging hood offers an impressive look. Dodge has equipped this edition with larger head tailgate badge to offer a new look.

This full size pick truck is available in numerous body styles and bed lengths. The regular cab can comfortably seat three passengers on its standard bench and comes with either 6 foot 4 inch bed or an 8 foot version. The extended cab or the Quad cab can seat six passengers in two rows and can be had with 6 foot 4 inch bed only. The Crew Cab edition is available with 5 foot 7 inch bed.

Inside the cabin

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 offers one of the best cabins in comparison to other trucks in this segment. The interiors are well designed to woo traditional buyers and cosmopolitan owners with amenities which include premium seating with soft touch materials and a console mounted shifters. The ambience is attractive with multiple colors and textures. The front seats offers comfort and adequate support to the passengers. The Ram 1500 has placed controls within the easy reach which makes it driver friendly also.

This edition is designed to offer adequate storage spaces. It features the new Ram Box which places a pair of lockable compartments over the rear fenders inside the truck bed and can hold work tools, fishing gear or 120 pop cans plus ice on each side.

Features

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 features three trim levels. The standard ST edition is equipped with 17 inch steel wheels, vinyl upholstery, vinyl floor covering, air conditioning, a tilting steering column, and a six speaker stereo player with CD changer and an auxiliary audio jack.

The SLT trim additionally includes 17 inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, rear power sliding window, full power accessories, cruise control, and satellite radio. Ram Box storage bin is available as an optional feature.

The sports package available on all cab styles adds features like a larger V8, unique bucket seat and body colored grille. The TRX package available on 4×4 quad and crew cabs includes features like skid plates, tow hooks, fender flares, two tone paints and heavy duty rear shock.

The premium Laramie trim is encompassed with features like 20 inch chrome clad wheels, a heated steering wheel, power adjustable pedals, power folding exterior memory, remote engine start, dual zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth and a surround-sound audio system with hard-drive-based digital music storage. The Laramie also features exterior chrome trim and wood grain interior trim.

Powertrain

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500  regular and Quad cabs is powered with 3.7 liter V6 engine that produces 215 horsepower and 235 pounds feet of torque. It is teamed with four speed automatic suspensions and emits a fuel economy of 14 mpg city levels and 20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined. This Dodge Ram edition when properly equipped offers a maximum towing capacity of 3800 pounds.

The Ram ST and SLT edition is powered by 4.7 liter V8 engine which produces 310 horsepower and 330 pounds feet of torque. It is coupled with five speed automatic transmission and emit a fuel economy of 14/19/15 mpg with two wheel drive and 13/18/14 mpg with four wheel drive. This edition when fully equipped offers a maximum towing capacity of 7600 pounds.

The luxurious Laramie trim is equipped with 5.7 liter V8 engine which generates a healthy output of 390 horsepower and 407 pounds feet of torque. It is also teamed with five speed automatic transmission and cylinder deactivation technology. This edition offers a fuel economy of 14/20/16 mpg with two wheel drive and 13/19/15 mpg with four wheel drive. This edition when fully equipped offers a maximum towing capacity of 9,100 pounds.

The Dodge Ram edition is equipped with coil spring suspensions which eliminates the harsh ride often associated with pick up trucks. It would have been appreciated if the five speed automatic transmission was equipped to another gear to optimize fuel economy and towing abilities like the six speed equipped Toyota and General Motors pick up trucks. We noted that the steering was disappointingly light.

Safety

The 2009 Dodge Ram if equipped with standard safety features such as antilock disc brakes, electronic stability control, Hill start assist, brake assist, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.

Conclusion

The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is the pride of Dodge line up offering a smooth ride and good towing capacity. The main advantages of this edition are unmatched ride quality, powerful engines, and spacious and well designed interiors. The main drawbacks that were noted were poor fuel economy, only five speed automatic transmission available.