Ram 2500: High Class Heavy Duty

There are absolutely no car buyers more stubborn than those shopping for a vehicle of the pickup truck variety. With the strongest brand loyalty extant, it takes nothing short of a complete paradigm shift to convince a fan of Truck X to switch to Truck Y. That being said, I suppose I should add a slight disclaimer: I am a truck guy. I learned to drive in one, I’ve always had one, and I always will have one. And the one I’ve always had has borne a blue oval proudly on the grill, which made me a sceptic when I walked up the hulking mass of Ram 2500 that awaited me in the Dodge press fleet parking lot. 

Of course, my scepticism was quickly waylaid by the shapely sheetmetal that adorns these latest of Rams. Although it’s definitely from the same pen that gave us the gorgeous Ram 1500, the 2500, like most other heavy duty trucks, uses a completely different set of body stampings, most of which are on a different scale than their lighter-weight brethren. One quick walk in front of the Ram’s upright grille confirms it; this is one big truck. Of course, being a full-size crew cab with a full-length box doesn’t hurt when it comes to impressive dimensions, either. Interestingly, although it may share a lot of cues with its smaller brother, the heavy duty does boast a tastefully sculpted hood that brings a fair amount of style to a segment that’s usually all-business. After giving the truck a thorough cleaning, I was duly impressed by the quality of the paint and trim; the truck is covered in acres of deep, lustrous chrome with some surreptitious but well-placed plastic protective pieces to keep paint on things like box-corners. 

But if I thought the exterior was a pleasant surprise, a tug on the big, beefy door handle would render the largest revelation. Although Ford has consistently been commended for their truck interiors, this new Ram provides a compelling argument for the Dodge camp. Swathed in leather, with a prominent center console, it’s as comfortable as it looks and twice as useful. With a huge center console and a column-mounted shifter, there are tons of bins and buckets to store all the stuff that clutters up our lives. On the doors, on the dash, and just about everywhere else, if you carry it, the Dodge will store it. And for that stuff that’s just a bit too big to haul around in your center console? Well, that stuff will easily stow in any one of the rear seat storage areas. With bins under the floor and buckets under the flip-up rear seats, it’s apparent that no cubic inch went unturned when Dodge’s engineers put pen to paper. 

Speaking of cubic inches, the engine bay of the 2500 series offers two different options: the familiar 5.7L gas Hemi engine, and a 6.7L turbodiesel. Equipped with the Cummins powerplant, my tester was as most heavy duty trucks are equipped, and rightfully so. Displacing 6,690 cubic centimetres, or 408 cubic inches, the inline six produces 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm, and an amazing 650 pound feet of torque at just 1,500 rpm. With so much twist on tap, wet roads can pose something of a problem, as the big truck’s traction control chatters away at any aggressive throttle openings, but there’s no denying the fun it can provide. And while it won’t be setting any land speed records in stock form, all that torque gives the undeniable impression that be it unladen, or hooked up a huge trailer, the Ram will respond in precisely the same way. 

Using the truck to traverse a nearly ridiculous number of highway miles, I came to appreciate the Ram’s impressive ability. Thanks to its high seating position and huge captain’s chairs, it passes the miles like few other vehicles; the big diesel lugging along with nary a rattle or vibration to give away its compression-ignition roots. It’s well set-up for long hauls, with a fantastic iPod integration system, good visibility all around, and a stable chassis and suspension that doesn’t force you to constantly correct for road irregularities. A new driver information system allows you to keep better track of your fuel consumption, which in turn keeps the gas station stop few and far between, and it really works. Recording a week-long average of 13.2 litres per hundred kilometres, it’s easy to see why so many buyers opt for the Cummins powertrains. And with a huge back seat with legroom to spare, it makes for a fine family hauler. But this is nothing new to Dodge Ram aficionados; Rams have been providing this sort of service for decades. What’s new with the 2010 model is this: luxury. Sure, the basic, bench-seat endowed Rams are still available, but those buyers looking for something a bit more comfortable for daily use can now rest easy knowing their favourite brand can furnish them with a truck that’s everything they could possibly want and more.