For several years, it seemed all we ever talked about with trucks was torque and tow ratings.
Things have changed, with truck buyers' expectations reaching a long way off the farm or job site.
There's no single magic bullet that will meet every truck owner's needs, so even an entry payload
model range like the Ram 1500 has to have far more breadth and depth than its forebears of a
decade ago did. To demonstrate its half-ton's ability to cover the entire market, Ram delivered a
V-6-powered SLT on the efficient and luxurious side and a V-8 powered Sport leaning toward power
and performance.
While Ford may be using smaller forced-induction engines for the sake of efficiency, Ram is
refining its powertrain options by offering more efficient engines bolted to a new, optional
eight-speed transmission. Replacing the old 3.7-liter V-6 is the much-celebrated Pentastar
3.6-liter V-6, which offers 42 percent more horsepower and 13 percent more torque. A new
eight-speed transmission is standard on V-6 models and will be optional on the V-8. At launch,
V-8s will be available only with the current six-speed automatic, with the new transmission coming
at a later date.
2013 Ram 1500 Side 2 While the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 isn't all-new, it is updated with variable valve
timing. It is bolstered by more efficient systems within the truck including a revised cooling
system, electric power steering, and an electrical system with pulse width modulation that more
efficiently uses power to lessen load on the alternator. These technologies combine to allow Ram
to claim best-in-class fuel efficiency in the V-6 and V-8 segments. It should be noted that, since
the Ford EcoBoost is considered a V-8 alternative, it's lumped into the V-8 segment.
While many people focus on a truck's powertrain, that may be the least significant improvement in
the 1500. The addition of air suspension is a giant leap for half-ton trucks. While coil springs
are a big advancement over leaf springs, trucks have to be able to carry such a range of weight
loads, from a single person to five passengers and a bed full of cargo, that a single spring rate
just doesn't seem adequate. Although the Ram's air suspension may cause as much concern as Ford's
turbos on the reliability front, we can tell you these modern air springs use materials that are
more resistant to tearing and puncture, and they resemble those used on modern luxury cars that
can easily weigh as much as smaller trucks.
As well as compensating for varying loads an air suspension can provide adjustable ride height.
Two off-road modes will lift the truck 1.2 inches and 2.0 inches, respectively, while an aero-mode
lowers the vehicle 0.6 inch. Lowering the vehicle at highway speeds improves aerodynamics, which
improves efficiency. Besides the ride height, optional active shutters in the grille can close at
highway speeds helps move air around the truck instead of under it. This combines with the
redesigned body to lower the 1500's coeffecient of drag from 0.39 to 0.36, to net a 6 percent
increase in aerodynamic efficiency.
The interior has received as much attention as the outside. While the styling will be familiar to
those who have driven previous-generation trucks, the technology inside is new. Chrysler's
Uconnect is brighter and shinier than ever. The main infotainment screen now measures 8.4 inches,
the system is upgradable with apps, and it can provide an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot. While we like
its new look, we had some of the same problems we've had with the system in the past. It was at
times slow to respond, and the navigation system occasionally seemed to lose the truck while in
motion, believing we were bounding along a few hundred yards off the highway we were traveling.
That's not a huge problem when it thinks you're barreling along through dirt, but it's not good
when the system thinks you're on side roads and is giving directions based on those turns.
Also big news, according to Chrysler, is the eight speed's twist-dial transmission control. Some
of our testers, myself included, found it untrucklike, but it is nice to have it mounted on the
dash and not on the column or console. We disagree with Ram's assertion that it's easier to
operate while wearing gloves; it seems a column shifter is almost ideal for that. It is probably
just a question of getting used to it, but I wasn't the only tester to turn up the volume on the
radio while trying to go from reverse to drive in a three-point turn.
The other issue is the small, steering-wheel-mounted push buttons for manually shifting gears. The
upshift/downshift buttons are located right above the cruise control buttons and aren't well-differentiated. If Ram is truly concerned about drivers being able to operate everything while wearing gloves, the buttons are not the answer. Paddles are the answer. The car industry figured it out several years ago; and although people keep trying different things, the answer is paddles.
What really counts is how this stacks up on and off the road. In the past, a V-6-powered 1500 was
a penalty box sold to companies that needed a cheap fleet and hated their employees. The 2013 Ram 1500 SLT is essentially like driving a Chrysler 300 with a bed. Our judges were blown away by the smooth, quiet driving experience. The V-6 offers good low-end torque with a peak of 269 lb-ft, while also being rewarding to swing around the tach with 305 hp at the high-end. The Pentastar even sounds good for a V-6, and the combination of engine and transmission makes for a surprisingly good entry-level truck. The air suspension worked just as well off-road as on. Bumps
are soaked up while body movement during cornering is kept in check. The air suspension is
optional, but we can't imagine buying the Ram without it. (Air suspension is optional on any Quad
Cab or Crew Cab 1500, on all trims except the HFE model, and costs $1595.)
The V-8 Sport is a completely different animal. Obviously, 407 lb-ft of torque and 395 hp make it
significantly faster, but the trim level brings a completely different experience as well. The
interior is reminiscent of an SRT vehicle, with the same seats and similar overall feel. Things
are louder in the Sport--from road noise to engine note, everything is far more obvious inside the
cabin. The anti-roll bars and coil springs permit less body roll in corners, but the ride feels
less controlled. The steering is equally as slow on-center, but grip
is increased with the bigger tires.
During 0-60-mph testing, it was difficult to get the rear end to hook up. With a good launch we
were able to get a 6.9-second 0-60-mph time, with 15.4 seconds at 88.6 mph in the quarter mile.
Pretty impressive numbers, even if they were edged out by the EcoBoost. Acceleration with a
trailer is where the V-8 came alive. While the F-150 needed 15.7 seconds to get
to 60 mph, the Ram did it in 15 seconds flat. The quarter-mile advantage went to the
Ram V-8 with a 20.0-second run at 69.4 mph compared with the Ford's 20.5 seconds at 67.5.
The V-8 Sport also was the subjective choice for towing. With 75 percent of its total towing
capacity, both the V-6 and V-8 Ram still proved decent performers. They felt more confident than
the F-150, and ride quality even improved slightly with the V-8. It took a couple tries to get the
trailer brake calibrated to our liking, but familiarity with the truck would likely have sped up
that process considerably. Although we're still fans of the low-end torque generated by the
EcoBoost, the Ram was more confidence-inspiring as a whole.
At the end of our testing, the decision was unanimous. Hands down, the Ram ran away with this
Truck of the Year award. The V-6 fills the void where the Dakota once existed. The V-8 is as much
if not more truck than we expect to find in a 1500. The variety of trim levels offered by Ram can
give you everything from a very basic work truck to a near-luxury vehicle with performance and
off-road models falling somewhere in between. It ticks all six boxes in judging criteria. With
loyalty higher in this segment than just about any other, we do wonder how many truck buyers are
willing to switch brands. Until the rest of the industry can catch up with Ram trucks in the
half-ton segment, it would be a shame to pass this one up.
As much as the Sentra feels like two cars in one, though, both feel half-baked. It's said to be lighter, but our test unit was merely two pounds less hefty than the last Sentra we weighed-and it felt less structurally sound. The ride is too firm for people who don't care about driving, but the level of body roll will disappoint those who do. The seats are comfortable, but lack even the slightest hint of lateral support. Fortunately, the cornering limit is just 0.81 g. Steering weight builds linearly, from dainty on-center effort to relatively manly resistance at the adhesion limit-people who don't like cars will think it's too heavy-but the rack lacks the ability to self-center. Combine the need to manually return the wheel to straight ahead with this much body roll, and the Sentra's steering feels like the drill sergeant for a fat-guy platoon, issuing orders to recruits who simply cannot keep up.
The Sentra's awkward exterior styling, too, seems indecisive, as though half the design team were making an attractive small car and half were making a miniature Altima. The result is almost handsome. Call it adolescent-elegant. When it grows into those oversized head- and taillights it may look better. At a starting price of $16,770, the base Sentra represents a savings of $440 over last year's car. Loaded up with heated front seats, a sunroof, navigation, and a rearview camera, the uplevel SL example we tested still costs less than $24,000. Those fancy LED-accented headlights and LED taillights? They're standard. Sure they're ritzy, but the trend toward outsized lighting elements has us wondering when designers will learn that styling embellishments such as these are things we'll be ashamed of someday soon. Remember fender vents? And remember focusing on one design theme? Combining half-baked with twice-baked just isn't the same as well done. 
