2020 Ram 1500 review: Testing out some Mopar mods

The Ram 1500 is possibly the ideal 50 percent-ton truck out there today. Positive, you could argue Ford’s F-one hundred fifty has a superior lineup of powertrains or that the latest GMC Sierra brings more higher-tech capabilities to the desk. But when it will come to items like interior good quality, more than-the-road refinement and handsome superior seems — to say practically nothing of remarkable towing and hauling abilities — this rig is actually the a person to beat. 

This overview device is a little diverse. It can be a Major Horn model with a spacious crew-taxi body, four-wheel push and a 5-foot-7-inch bed. It can be also dressed in the optional Sport Appearance Package deal, which gets you items like body-shade door handles and bumpers as very well as heated and ability-folding aspect-perspective mirrors, between a lot of other items. In spite of staying just a person phase up from the entry-level Tradesman trim, this truck continue to seems primo. And staying a reduced-spec model, it is really a terrific canvas on which to paint all-around $thirteen,000 in Mopar equipment, a diversity of overall look- and functionality-improving increase-ons that are above and over and above the truck’s $52,585 asking price.

Mopar, FCA’s services-areas and aftermarket division, presents all-around 500,000 diverse factors for the firm’s broad range of motor vehicles, including more than two hundred equipment for the Ram 1500 by itself. Updates to this truck are quite a few and include a two-inch suspension raise as very well as beadlock-capable wheels. There are sill guards and hood graphics, off-road wheel flares and a wireless cell phone charger inside. Goods like aspect actions, tonneau handles and splash guards are some of the most-popular increase-ons out there for this pickup, but unquestionably, of all the goodies included to this exam Ram, my favored enhancements deal with airflow, exclusively into and out of the motor. 

Beneath the hood, this Ram 1500 capabilities a clean 5.7-liter Hemi V8, a person not equipped with Chrysler’s available eTorque mild-hybrid system. It is, on the other hand, matched to an at any time-astute 8-speed computerized transmission. Helping this pushrod motor sing like a muscle mass car from Detroit’s glory times is a $one,250 cat-back exhaust system capped by a pair of $395 black-completed guidelines that measure a burly 5 inches in diameter. This Mopar system is loud and authoritative, but under no circumstances drones. It strikes just about a ideal harmony involving sportiness and civility. If I owned a Hemi-powered Ram truck, I’d have a person of these exhausts in a heartbeat.

Helping the motor fill its lungs a little a lot easier is a bolt-on consumption, which draws fresh new air from proper behind the grille. According to Mopar, it gives “visible” boosts in equally horsepower and torque, although certain figures are not listed. Unmodified, the truck’s V8 is rated at a wholesome 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. This consumption also gives a bit of less than-hood rumble, especially when the throttle is prodded closely, some thing that compliments the exhaust system nicely. You can seize a person of these setups for $925.

With freer-flowing consumption and exhaust devices, this V8-powered pickup performs very well, although it won’t sense really as quick as possibly it must. Do not get me completely wrong, it is really lots sturdy, but in some cases it looks like there’s more thunder than thrust, the mighty Hemi not actually waking up until finally about three,500 rpm, which is unexpectedly higher for a two-valve motor. As generally, the Ram 1500’s transmission is on place, offering silky-clean, very well-timed shifts and supporting reduce gasoline use as significantly as attainable. This truck is rated at fifteen miles for each gallon metropolis, 21 freeway and seventeen mpg merged. Regretably, with four-wheel push, all all those Mopar equipment and the regular need to listen to that motor roar, I am only averaging all-around thirteen.5 mpg in combined driving.

A range of updates improve this Ram’s exterior overall look. Some of the most visible are off-road-model running boards and the RamBar, equally of which are $995 alternatives. Those people actions are created of solid aluminum and aspect an anti-slip texture. They glimpse neat, make it significantly a lot easier to get into and out of the truck, and do not adhere down too much, so they should not get hung up when off-roading. As for the RamBar, this basket cope with-like accessory mounts to the bed, necessitating no drilling, welding or other harmful operations to put in, although it will not fit trucks equipped with RamBox storage bins or the multi-operate tailgate. Powder coated with a matte-black complete for extended-term longevity, this sturdy merchandise capabilities integrated tie-downs for enhanced flexibility and it is really a ideal position to mount accessory lights, like the 5-inch LED units presented by Mopar. Normally, this truck is equipped with these off-road lamps — two sets, in actuality — which expense $595 apiece. They are super bright, perfect for reducing by darkness while out on the path, although it is really not a superior idea to use them on the avenue as they’re powerful adequate to singe the retinas of motorists in the oncoming lane. Do not do that.

Maximizing flexibility (or detracting from it relying on your place of perspective), this exam truck is also equipped with an in-bed storage system. This $one,400 increase-on is composed of two lockable drawers that slide out from beneath an elevated platform. They roll effortlessly and make a extremely satisfying click on when latching. Temperature-tight, each a person can hold up to two hundred lbs of things, while the higher deck can help a ton. Yes, basically two,000 lbs. This arrangement must be exceptionally helpful for storing ability resources or identical goods you want to continue to keep away from prying eyes and sticky fingers. Regretably, this bulky accessory takes up a ton of space in the bed, about 50 percent the cargo box’s depth, so the truck is much much less practical for hauling, say, a pair of filth bikes or a load of mulch. 

Several of the Mopar-modifications featured on this Ram 1500 are completely satisfying, but a person I am not so fond of is the suspension raise. This $one,350 solution will come with new shocks, higher handle arms, spring spacers and a couple other items. The two-inch raise it gives is no question helpful out on the path, but this set up is a bit starchier than I’d like for day to day use. The Ram 1500’s sturdy and refined steering looks unaffected by this modification, which is terrific information due to the fact it is possibly the ideal managing whole-measurement pickup out there today. 

Helping this truck glimpse like a path-ready beast is a $499 set of Mopar fender flares. These must help guard the body when out adventuring, although I am not a huge fan of the black plastic they’re created of, nor do I care for the faux bolts punctuating their outer area. At the very least, like the RamBar, these flares call for no drilling or other modifications to put in.

Not surprisingly, the interior of this truck receives some accessory adore as very well, although it didn’t always need any updates. Even in reduced-conclude types, the Ram 1500’s cabin is continue to this segment’s ideal, with lots of great materials and quick-to-use controls. My Mopar-modified exam truck also capabilities FCA’s fantastic Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch monitor. No, this is not the ginormous twelve-inch portrait exhibit you get in increased-conclude types, but it is really continue to fully nice to use, equally uncomplicated and snappy. Considering that this pickup is equipped with a crew-taxi body, the backseat is gigantic — like, seriously palatial. If you can not get cozy in this Ram, there’s no hope for you. 

As for cockpit updates, sturdy-looking all-climate flooring mats are a steal at $one hundred sixty five, additionally the $250 wireless charging pad is a need to-have merchandise as very well so you do not have to fumble with cables to continue to keep your cell phone fully juiced. Upgrading the truck’s inventory, cloth-covered seats is a Katzkin leather interior, entire with contrast stitching and embroidered Ram logos on some of the seatbacks. These handles not only glimpse and sense great, but they match completely as very well, with no bagginess or crooked seams. This package is customizable, presented in two diverse grades of leather and in a broad range of colors and finishes. At $one,365, the price tag isn’t really too critical, possibly, in particular since that figure incorporates installation. 

Thanks to its on-road refinement, desirable interiors and friendly capabilities, the Ram 1500 is now Roadshow’s favored whole-measurement pickup. But the folks at Mopar have demonstrated you can make a superior truck even superior with the addition of a couple aftermarket equipment. Aside from the items highlighted in this overview, there are dozens of other goods out there, so if you’ve got received a Ram 1500, you might contemplate examining out the Mopar internet site for extra facts.