2009 Dodge RAM 1500
8/16/08 – LAS VEGAS, NV
The 2009 debuted to a crowd of critical skeptics this week. Welcome DODGE sales people, many are repeat owners. From the exterior the new nose sports the aggressive slant from the Charger. I’m not sure I’m in love with the slanted headlamps or the rectangular fog lamps. It remionds me of the square headlamps Jeep tried awhile ago. Sometimes you just like things left alone, but I digress. The forward rake has been leveled off raising the body for a significant step-up, not easy in a skirt. (Girls do drive trucks.) Dodge does offer the vertically challenged power adjustable pedals and side-steps for easier access. The bed boasts a locked, plastic-lined, 7.4 cubic inch cargo box neatly hidden in each side of the bed. The bed is lined with additional tie-down racking which narrows the interior significantly. A standard sheet of plywood is a tight squeeze. New colors combinations give the truck a refreshed, professional look, most of the M&M colors are gone. Lots of accusations the styling has gone FORD or CHevylicious ie: boring.
Inside the cabin choices are regular, quad and crew. The crew cab offers the immense back seat required for large men and long trips. Not as carnivorous as the MEGA-cab, it offers ample space and is available with a LONG-BED, something you couldn’t have with a MEGA-cab. As you take in the view from the drivers seat you notice the windshield slant, which increases aerodynamics and visability while lowering wind drag fuel waste. A tall person will have plenty of headroom, even with the optional moon-roof, (however, you may find the rear view mirror or headliner in your line of sight if the seat is set too high. )
Gone are the white dials on the dash, replaced with sophisticated gauges within gauges. A new onboard light indicates when the fuel-saving MDS (Multi-displacement System) is in mode. Audio-controls, Homelink, power seats and on-board trip computer are still available within the TRX, Sport, SLT, and Laramie packages. The fit and finish has been significantly upgraded to eliminate the cheap plastic feel. Safety in the form of next-generation side curtain airbags, front passenger airbag sensors, and park/tow assist when hitching-up are great standard features. Heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, double-stitched leather demonstrate Dodge’s attention to providing luxury materials without raising the price. The new armrest/desk/storage box has enough room for a purse. IN the floor storage is a nice play on the Stow ‘n Go in the floor storage compartment. This hide-away works as a six-pack cooler. If you are working from your truck, you’ll appreciate the integrated UConnect internet capability. In addition to the ample space in the rear, the seats still fold up neatly and offer the flat-folding rear shelf for loading the backseat with boxes. Doors open wide for easy loading and unloading. Towing up to 9100 lbs. the fully boxed, hydro-formed frame guarantees a smooth ride when combined with the trailer-sway control, anti-spin differential and smart-sensing load leveling system that automatically adjusts for trailers, payload and body wieght distribution as you drive.
Driving the truck is another story of improvements and misnomers. The suspension has been dampened to eliminate rough road ride in the cabin thanks to a new Multi-link rear coil package aided with automatic load leveling shocks. The steering is stiff. On the road course the truck never let the rear-end loose but the over-sized steering wheel (which houses a heating element) felt fat and hard to turn. The amount of wheel articulation during switch-back handling felt like under-steer at low speeds. If stiffness makes for a more cautious driving experience, I can’t complain too much. The engine accelerates swiftly without heavy foot pedaling and the transmission shifts with ease. Dual exhaust helps the 390hp 5.7 Hemi do it’s job with better fuel economy and gives up a throaty growl on lift-off. No herky-jerky hunting from 3rd to 5th. The 110 degree heat didn’t seem to bother the air conditioning during track activities but it’s still not as cold as the Japanese. I did notice a slight decrease in blower notion while idling, again in 100 degree heat.
All in all, the interior improvements are a plus (9), the exterior gets a (9), but the nose is seriously a subjective call. I’d say improvements in handling, transmission, ride and drive is overall a 10. It’s a truck after all, not a luxury vehicle with a bed.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW 2009 DODGE RAM, CLICK HERE:http://www.youtube.com/v/NxDT6pIvauI There are a few other videos on YouTube, but most are either DOdge factory plants or car mag stuff like this one from “worldcarfans”: http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/wKlwfoqJFWA/default.jpg
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