It’s easy to see why the 2020 Ram 1500 gets pickup truck lovers’ hearts thumping – its aggressive curb stance is formidable, and its distinctive lines, especially the signature Ram grille, offer a tasty side of surprisingly elegant style with its gritty main course of brute strength. In other words, the Ram 1500 is a complete meal. Balanced, edgy, tough, and capable are all worthy adjectives to describe its appeal. Ram ticks the boxes in all the main categories that today’s truck buyers care about, from capability to performance and yes, even luxury.
The engineers at Ram worked hard on capability for sure, but we see a lot of designers’ touches too, especially on the truck’s interior. It’s loaded – and we mean loaded – with uncommon comfort and luxury features that make this half-ton beauty a worthy choice for the more discerning truck buyer. There’s so much more to the story, though. From its features and unique characteristics to the opinions of countless automotive journalists, the Ram 1500 story is woven with accolades that should earn it a top spot on your consideration list.
The Buzz
The folks at Car and Driver love so much about the Ram’s interior. In fact, the authors point out that the 2020 Ram 1500 has ‘supremely functional cubby stowage and cavernous passenger space.’ That’s high praise, especially when most pickup truck buyers expect a relatively tight passenger setup due to the focus on cargo hauling. Not so with the Ram 1500 – in fact, it offers seating for up to six passengers.
The Quad Cab provides 40.9 inches of front-row headroom and 40.9 inches of front-row legroom, as well as 39.2-inches of headroom and 35.6 inches of legroom for the second row. On the Crew Cab, driver specs remain the same, but back seat passengers get lucky with 39.8 inches of headroom and 45.2 inches of legroom. That’s more legroom than the first row – finally, a good reason to sit in the back.
The folks at US News & World Report rated the Ram 1500 the #2 full-size pickup trucks, citing comfortable seats, a functional and nicely equipped cabin, and a superb maximum tow rating. What is that tow rating? Amazingly, when properly equipped, the 2020 Ram 1500 is capable of towing up to 12,750 pounds. Wow! What about cargo-hauling? The Ram comes in at a max hauling capacity of 2,100 pounds. With capability like that, the Ram 1500 gets high marks for a good reason.
Motortrend’s Pros column also points out the Ram 1500 pickup’s high-end trims, luxurious interior, and ‘outstanding’ tech features. The 2020 Ram is only two years into its latest redesign, which means that its tech features are very current. Drivers can expect an optional 12-inch touchscreen infotainment center on select models. This is a class-leading size, and it gives the dash a cockpit feel that makes controlling navigation, entertainment, and other onboard electronics a snap. The Ram also has an available 19-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo system for concert hall audio performance.
The Price
How does the Ram stack up on price? Starting at just over $32,000, the base Ram 1500 is surprisingly affordable. Multiple trim lines give buyers plenty of model options at a wide range of price points, so you can equip your Ram truck with the options and powertrain that fits your lifestyle and budget without too many compromises. In fact, when US News & World Report compared the Ram 1500 with the completing Ford F-150, the Ram came out ahead, helping Ram to win the prestigious 2020 Best Truck Brand award. In fact, the Ram won with a ‘substantial margin,’ specifically due to its capability and comfort, but affordability and value are part of the story too.
What is the price and model range? It’s extensive. The base model that we mentioned allows you to jump into a 2020 Ram 1500 at an MSRP of $32,145. But if you’re looking for a fully-equipped, loaded Ram truck, you’ll want the Limited. At a starting MSRP of $53,915 for the Crew Cab 4×2 with a 5’7” bed, the Limited dresses up the exterior with a corrugated mesh grille and chrome accents.
There’s a reason the team at Ram calls the Limited’s interior ‘First Class on Four Wheels.’ This truck has everything – wood accents, heated rear seats, and that amazing 12-inch touchscreen are just a few of the luxury appointments. Check out the power running boards that automatically deploy when the truck is in park and a door is opened. Even the suspension gets a boost, with an Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension with automatic load leveling. Towing never felt so smooth.
The Grit
The 2020 Ram truck isn’t all good looks and trendy bells and whistles. This truck performs well on the road, both as a hauler and with its amazing towing capacity, but that just scratches the surface. Ram has plenty of available powertrain configurations to get your truck ready for adventures and hard work. You’ll have some great options, whether the focus is on fuel economy or job site performance.
There are four powerful available engines on the 2020 Ram 1500. The standard 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 engine with eTorque tells a bright fuel economy story, with a fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city / 26 mpg highway, and delivers a best-in-class (for a V6) 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Also, all Ram trucks, except those with the Active-Level Air Suspension, are equipped with an active air dam on the front grille. As the truck approaches 30 MPH, the air dam extends down 2.5-inches to help reduce drag.
A 5.7 liter HEMI V8 with eTorque saves gas without sacrificing performance. Coming in at 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, this engine delivers on the high end of the Ram’s towing capacity specifications. The 5.7-liter HEMI engine is also available without eTorque, providing a classic V8 with the same great horsepower and torque ratings as its eTorque sibling. Finally, the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine puts out 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, while still offering a max towing capacity of 12,560-lbs., truly amazing for a V6 motor.
The Ram truck’s available multifunction tailgate blows the doors off the competition – no pun intended. You see, this tailgate has doors and multiple operating options to make stowing and hauling your stuff a breeze. The tailgate has a 60/40 split swing-out door so that you can open the left (60) side or the right (40) side, or both. Having swing-out doors means you don’t have to reach over the tailgate to access the bed. But if a traditional tailgate opening is needed, simply close the swing away doors and use the tailgate the old-fashioned way.
In a word, the new 2020 Ram pickup is just WOW. From the grille to the nifty multifunction tailgate, this truck tells a story of engineering innovation, luxury, and class-leading performance in all the categories that pickup truck owners find the most important. You’ll want to put this truck on your list of must-see options. Whether you buy the base model or a fully-loaded luxury Limited, you’ll have the confidence of knowing that Ram engineering is present and accounted for, giving you proven comfort, reliability, and performance.
