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DAN EDMUNDS: The Ram 1500 truck first came with an EcoDiesel V6
engine back in 2014.
We rushed right out and bought one.
And over the next 22 months, we put over 50,000 miles
on that truck.
We loved every one of them.
Then, just over a year ago, the truck was fully redesigned.
But there was one thing missing, and that was the EcoDiesel V6
engine.
This year, it's back, and they say
it has more towing capacity, more torque, and better fuel
economy.
So there's one question-- does this new EcoDiesel
engine in this truck that we love make a great combination?
We're about to find out.
But before we do that remember to click Subscribe
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We've made no bones about how much we
like the Ram 1500's interior.
And this Rebel is no exception.
The Rebel's color scheme is definitely darker
than our Laramie, for example.
But it's every bit as nice.
This particular one has a couple of option packages, the center
console which has all these great compartments and just
all kinds of storage options.
But the big thing is the 12-inch touchscreen.
All the controls are right where you need them,
and everything looks really high quality, really nice
finishes everywhere.
You know, this truck has a great driving position.
The seats are comfortable.
They adjust in a lot of ways.
The telescopic steering wheel has plenty of adjustment range.
So yeah, this is just a great place to spend time.
I'm a big fan of the Ram 1500 Crew Cab's backseat.
I mean, look at all this leg room.
I'm 6 foot 2, this is set where I like it,
and I've got plenty of room back here.
And parents should know that the Ram 1500 Crew
Cab has three sets of latch anchors
back here, not just two.
So you can put car seats in any seat position you want.
The only thing that would make it better
is the reclining seat mechanism that the Laramie and up have.
But I'll take it.
This is a really nice place to spend time.
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Right now I'm in a Ram 1500 Rebel.
And we're in a Rebel because, well, for one, it's cool.
For two, it's an offroad package,
and I'm a sucker for those.
But also they've actually given this trim a lot of love
this year.
For one, the EcoDiesel engine is available in this truck.
This new version of the EcoDiesel
makes more power and torque than it did before.
And its torque rating of 480 pound feet
is actually the most of any of the small diesels that
are out there right now.
The Chevy Silverado's straight 6 makes a little more horsepower,
but this makes more torque.
And that's more important as far as I'm concerned.
It's got an 8-speed transmission, where
the other two have 10 speeds.
But this transmission's always felt like it just
had the right number of gears and the right sort
of shift intelligence to use them wisely.
And that seems to be the case here as well.
I got no complaints at all.
The truck we're in has coil spring suspension.
There's an optional air suspension
that used to be standard in the Rebel,
but they've decided to go the other way.
Coil spring suspension is standard, air is optional.
And I actually like it that way because coil spring suspension
is great off road, but it also delivers a smooth ride on road.
The standard axle ratio in this truck is a 3.21.
And that will deliver the best fuel economy.
We don't know what the rated fuel economy is.
All they've said so far is that with the optional 33-gallon
tank, it should have enough fuel on board
to go from Duluth to Dallas, which
is 1089 miles, which would be 33 miles per gallon
on the highway.
Now, nothing's confirmed, but that's the boast
that they made.
Now, the optional axle ratio is a 392.
And you'll want that if you want to higher tow rating.
But the highest tow rating requires a max tow package,
which is more than just the 392 axle ratio.
It's also a heavier axle overall, stiffer rear springs,
a bigger rear stabilizer bar, and other small tweaks.
And that will get you the advertised maximum tow
rating of 12,560 pounds.
It's available in the Tradesman or the Big Horn, which is known
as the Lone Star in Texas.
But that's OK, because if you go to a Ford and look for a diesel
there, you can't get the diesel with their lower trims.
And the same is true of the Chevrolet,
you can't get it in their Trail Boss, which is like the Rebel.
And the low price custom, they won't sell it there, either.
So Ram has a couple of advantages.
You can get the EcoDiesel across the range.
How much does it cost?
A Tradesman Quad Cab 4 by 2 with the EcoDiesel
costs just over $38,500 with Destination included.
And that's a bargain compared to the lowest-price Ford
F-150 with a diesel, which is well into the 40s,
because they don't offer this engine with their work truck.
Chevy doesn't offer their diesel in a work truck either,
but we don't know what that means in terms of base price
because they haven't released pricing details yet.
Not only is the ride smooth, it's quiet in here.
I mean, you can tell you're driving a diesel,
but not really until you lay into it.
They've done a lot of things to make
this version of the EcoDiesel quieter than before,
and it's really paid off.
Ram introduced a multifunction tailgate, which is interesting.
It's split 60-40, and it opens like barn doors.
And the upshot is, if you want a bed step,
you can open the 60% side, step on the bumper,
and use the closed side as a grab handle,
kind of like Ford's bed step, and just hop right in.
Or if you want to open both sides,
you can lean further into the bed
to get to big, heavy items that are up near the cab.
It's an interesting solution.
I'm not convinced yet, just because I haven't actually
used it in the real world.
I've only demoed it.
But it is interesting when you think of the multifunction
tailgate that GMC just offered.
It seems like we've got a new tailgate war starting up.
The Rebel 1500 is an interesting trim level.
Because it's not just an offroad package.
I mean, it doesn't beat you up at all.
It sits up an inch higher, and you have a locking diff
and Bilstein shock absorbers.
Those things are all great-- knobby tires too,
and kind of a front end with a better approach angle.
All of that is great, but it's also a truck
you can drive every day.
The ride is really nice.
The tires make a little more noise
than the other tires on the other versions of this truck,
but it's not way out of the ballpark at all.
It's got some kind of, like, presence.
I don't know, it's cool.
Now that we've driven the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel,
we can confirm that the extra power and torque
is something you can feel in regular driving, every day.
And the 8-speed automatic transmission
is just as smart as ever.
As for that monster tow rating, it certainly
is an impressive number, but you can only
get it in a couple of specific trim levels.
Overall, it would be hard for me to choose this truck
in any other powertrain.
Click Subscribe for more videos like this,
and visit Edmunds next time you're
ready to buy a car or truck.