2009 Dodge Ram pickup

By ALAN GELL, www.CarColumns.Net Comments 0
Published: November 6, 2009

The Dodge Ram is a good truck and has a fairly loyal following, but nothing new seemed to be done for the past few years. Until now. The Dodge engineers have outdone themselves. The 2009 model isn’t just a new year with a few cosmetic changes. This is a great vehicle and stands out among a crowded field.

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The PR department at Chrysler headquarters said that there are 35 new or improved features in the new Dodge Ram. They call it a “light-duty” truck, but this is far from a small truck. It is on the verge of being heavy duty. It certainly acts, looks, and feels like a big, big truck. In fact, while sitting in the driver's seat, I was unable to reach across and open the passenger door. It was a long way over to the other side.

During a lengthy test-drive, I put the new full-size Dodge Ram through normal, everyday usage. It included highway driving, local commuting traffic, and towing a horse trailer as well as a 15-ft flatbed trailer loaded down. My test model was a 1500 SLT crew-cab, which is the first year that the Ram has made a crew-cab model in their standard size Ram. It comes in either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, but I only tested the two-wheel drive. The 09 Dodge Ram 1500 is powered by a new 5.7 liter HEMI V-8 engine. This isn’t an old engine that has been tweaked, but a NEW engine with increased fuel economy and more horsepower – 390 hp. It takes to rural roads as well as highways as if it belongs there. The engine doesn’t strain, pull, or even roar. It does, however, provide the power needed to move down the road, even while towing a heavy load, without any problem.

Braking is not usually a concern until it is needed. During my test drive, I was on a rural highway, going 65 in a 70-mph zone, pulling a fairly heavy trailer. I saw a car ahead hit their brakes and pull to the right, causing me to do likewise. A horrible accident had occurred just minutes before and was blocking the entire roadway. The new Ram didn’t cause even the slightest concern, nor was their any sway with the trailer. It stopped and moved perfectly to the side of the road, where it remained for almost two hours. DPS troopers eventually arrived and called in a helicopter that landed in the middle of the two-lane road. Although Judy and I were third on the scene, a nurse was in the car in front and another nurse was several cars behind. They administered first aid while we assisted where we could, prying doors off, praying, and whatever else we could do. Bottom line – this was a traumatic experience and I was thankful for the superb reaction and handling by the new Dodge Ram.

One of the new improvements is a first-in-segment coil spring, five link rear suspension system. It is fitted to a solid rear axle, which assists with towing and heavy payloads. All the competitors continue to use the leaf spring assembly and there is still a lot of debate over which is the better rear axle spring assembly. I used the Tow-Haul button to kick-in the special feature, as well as maximize fuel efficiency over power.

A terrific new addition is the RamBox cargo area, which gets a lot of attention from contractors and others who use their pickup trucks for day-to-day work. The side wells have been enlarged slightly, made weatherproof, lockable, illuminated, and drainable. These two storage bins can hold chainsaws, power tools, and even golf bags. The flat bed still carries 4x8 sheetrock or plywood. These two lockable storage areas are a great idea and I’m not sure why a manufacturer had not thought of it before. One of them could even be filled with ice and your favorite beverages for a fun tailgate party. Although all the new pickup trucks have some new feature, I think this RamBox cargo area is at the top of the list of useful improvements.

In addition to my lengthy test drive of this great new truck, I had a unique opportunity to drive the new Dodge Ram alongside the new Chevy Silverado, Ford F-150, and Toyota Tundra. I pulled trailers. I went through deep mud in four-wheel drive. I drove over difficult road surfaces. I took heavy payloads through obstacle courses. Each trailer, payload, and route were equally matched for comparison purposes. It certainly opened eyes as to unique characteristics about each of the new trucks.

I am extremely impressed with this new edition of the standard sized Dodge Ram. Sitting in the cab, it feels like you are in a much larger truck. The cab is nicer, useful, functional, and very roomy. This is Dodge’s year for a pickup truck. Check it out yourself at your friendly Chrysler-Dodge dealership and see why I am so excited. I bet you will be also.

(Alan is an experienced and well-known automotive journalist and an active member of the National Newspaper Association and Texas Press Association. He can be contacted by email at yelped50551@ MyPacks.Net)