Great looking and very impressive truck, 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 is the modern pickup truck with luxurious cabin and big truck cargo capabilities. The RAM impressed with new body style, 20-inch diameter wheels, storage compartments truck bed and the radical change of its unique rear suspension setup for improved handling and comfort, and in the case of the 4×4 model, its off-road capabilities.
Competing against perennial class leaders such as the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado as well as the relative newcomers, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan, the fourth-generation Dodge Ram has been given the tools to survive in what is becoming an overcrowded and volatile market.
Complimenting the aggressive new exterior, the new Ram can be equipped with a cabin that is suited for the job site or comfortable highway driving. Like the recent trend with General Motors and Ford vehicles we’ve reviewed, the 2009 Ram 1500 has a cabin that showcases what the company is capable of. While the Dodge Avenger and Dodge Caliber have both received their fair share of bad press for interior layout, style and appointments, the all-new Ram is as close to perfect as one could imagine in a pickup truck.
The new Ram instantly reveals the real selling points of the new design. The 5.7-liter HEMI now features Chrysler’s Multi-Displacement System (cylinder deactivation) and cranks out 390 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque, but the most talked about aspect of the 2009 Ram 1500 is the rear suspension layout. Still using a solid rear axle, a five-link coil suspension replaces the tried-and-true leaf spring setup of other pickup trucks and provides a noticeably smoother ride whether the Ram is navigating speed bumps or washboard roads. The updated HEMI is paired with a five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission to give the powerful engine EPA fuel economy estimates of 14 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. With numbers like that, the HEMI gives the Ram has best in class horsepower and torque with fuel economy.
Photos courtesy of Dodge
