Ram 1500

The Ram 1500 continues to be the most comfortable-riding full-sized pickup truck, partly due to its rear coil-spring suspension. The smooth 5.7-liter V8 carries over, and with the mild-hybrid option, ensures smooth stop-start at idle without compromising the A/C. We got 17 mpg overall with it. The base 3.6-liter V6 has that setup as standard equipment. Handling is secure and responsive for such a large truck. The cabin is extremely quiet. In most versions, four-wheel drive can remain engaged indefinitely, a plus. Rear-seat room is generous, and the Uconnect touch-screen infotainment system is easy to use. The top trim Limited is lavishly furnished inside and features an enormous 12-inch touch screen for the Uconnect system. Advanced safety features such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot warning are optional. A 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine is new for 2020, complete with 260 horsepower and 480 lb.-ft. of torque; it returned 23 mpg in our testing. The big news for 2021 is the arrival of the high-performance TRX version, which comes with a 702-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged V8. Other highlights of this muscle truck include a beefed up suspension, a 2-inch increase in ride height, and a standard 12-inch touch screen. Other updates for 2021 include an available pedestrian detection feature to the safety systems, a customizable head-up display, and a special Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition.

Generation summary from Consumer Reports. Year-specific figures appear below; missing values mean unavailable, not zero.