2014 RAM 1500 VEHICLE REVIEW

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The Ram 1500 pushes even further ahead, in its quest to be the most efficient full-size truck. It already had the highest EPA ratings for its base V-6 drivetrain; now it's adding the first turbodiesel in its class.

Last year the Ram added a host of new features that brought it at least into a neat tie with Ford's F-150 for utility and performance, with the new GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado closing the gap considerably. The highlights? An eight-speed automatic transmission, a new air suspension, and a more refined cabin, with a new Uconnect Touch infotainment system and much-improved materials and trims. At the same time, ultimate towing and hauling capacity fell slightly, though its uber-truck look went basically unchanged, as it has since the days it was known as the Dodge Ram. (For background on the history of how its name changed, read our Dodge Ram page.)

Over the years, that scaled-down big-rig look has made it easy to spot the Ram 1500 from a distance. The changes wrought in 2013 are carried over to 2014: the grille is slightly taller than before 2013, and the Ram crosshair grille is now flush. The foglamps are new, and so are the headlamps--a twin-beam projector design with LED running lamps, turn signals, side-marker lamps, and tail lamps. Inside, the Ram 1500's cabin still looks fantastic: the reworked center stack and climate-control, multimedia and infotainment interfaces are the best of all trucks. We're still at odds sometimes with the eight-speed automatic's rotary shift knob. It's supposed to be easy to use with work gloves, and easier to fit in across a wide range of seating options and layouts, but we still find ourselves reaching for a ghost shift lever. Of all the cabins, the Laramie Longhorn is our favorite, with its genuine burl walnut and plush leather.

Chrysler's Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 is the base engine in the Ram 1500, and it's tuned for 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque in the full-size truck. It's powerful enough for casual truck users, and is rated at 17/25 mpg--18 mpg city when stop/start technology is specified, making it the best full-size truck by a wide margin. Its eight-speed automatic doesn't feel at all busy, though the rotary-knob shifter takes a while to grow accustomed to. It's now a relevant piece of the Ram powertrain puzzle, even before you factor in the additional eco gold of a stronger but lighter-weight frame (more high-strength steel), aerodynamic shutters, low-rolling-resistance tires, and pulse-width modulation (which improves the efficiency of the alternator and accessories) and a new thermal management system. It's just not all that strong--towing is rated a few hundred pounds less than the V-6 F-150, GMC Sierra, or Chevy Silverado.

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