Off-Road Test: 2021 RAM 1500 Limited

Access to American trucks took on a whole new persona a few years back when factory-backed offerings became available through Ram Trucks Australia and HSV/GMSV for the Chevrolet products.

They had been available in the past through a range of importers, but these vehicles, each re-engineered to right-hand drive by Walkinshaw in Melbourne, are as close as you can get to direct from the manufacturer here in Australia.

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Ram Trucks Australia (RTA) is a product of huge vehicle importer Ateco Automotive and has, until now, only been importing the older DS version of the Ram 1500. In 2019, Ram released the new DT series 1500 in the USA which it sells alongside the older DS series vehicle, while Australian buyers have had to wait until now to get a DT directly through RTA.

The DT Ram is available in two specifications from RTA: the Ram 1500 Laramie starts at $114,950, while the Ram 1500 Limited, which we have on test here, starts at $139,950. Ram 1500 DS ‘Classic’ Express and Warlock variants are still available from as low as $79,950.

UPDATE, May 2023: Ram 1500 TRX v Ranger Raptor

🤼‍♂️ Australia’s most outrageous utes face off in a rock-spraying, fuel gargling celebration of excess. Strap in, it’s about to get noisy!

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STORY CONTINUES: 1500 Limited review

All Ram 1500s sold in Australia by RTA are powered by the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 petrol engine, with the difference between the DT and DS Classic models being that the newer DT engines feature a mild hybrid system for improved efficiency.

This system uses 48-volt electrics and a belt-driven generator to ease stop/start operation and be able to send torque back to the crankshaft for brief intervals for a mild boost in performance.

Ram calls this system eTorque, and on the V8 it is claimed to be good for around 175Nm of extra grunt as the 66Nm at the generator is multiplied through the drive-belt ratio. That said, RTA still quote both the eTorque and non-hybrid version of the 5.7 Hemi as making 291kW and 556Nm.

You’d be hard-pressed to feel any difference in the performance of the eTorque Hemi over the regular version without putting them to the stopwatch, but it does feel to have better throttle response with zero lag before it gets its boogie on. The power delivery is smooth and direct, with a kick down of a ratio or two in the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The combination of engine and transmission gives a refined drive, with just a muted V8 growl when you put your foot down.

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A minor complaint about the transmission is the gear selector dial which is located on the dash near your left knee. It works okay for set-and-forget driving, but when making lots of gear selections – such as multipoint U-turns, negotiating tight tracks or backing a trailer – its operation isn’t as simple as that of a regular T-bar shifter, or, even better, the column shifter as used on the 2500 trucks.

The Ram uses a few technologies to help suppress fuel consumption if you are easy on the throttle. These include cylinder deactivation which can ‘switch off’ four of the eight cylinders when they are not needed, and grille shutters which block airflow to the engine bay to improve aerodynamics when suitable. It is claimed that the eTorque system allows the engine to deactivate cylinders for longer periods of time when cruising.

This is a big 2749kg truck and it’s not something you’d buy if fuel saving was on your agenda. Ram quotes consumption at 12.2L/100km combined cycle, which it gives to both non-eTorque DS models and the eTorque-equipped DT 1500. We returned 16.28L/100km during our week with the car.

With marginal – if any – improvements in fuel consumption and performance to be gained by the eTorque system, other than its seamless start/stop, you have to question its validity on this truck.

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ON-ROAD RIDE & HANDLING

IN top-specification Limited trim, the Ram gives a very plush and refined ride that is more akin to a luxury SUV than a pick-up truck.

The air-spring suspension is firm without being harsh to add to that feel of comfort. This is never going to be a corner-carving sports car, but it rides flat and neutral when pushed.

The height-adjustable air suspension, which is only available on the Limited, lowers the vehicle at speed to improve both vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics, neither of which are fortes of large pick-up trucks. The Limited rides on 22-inch alloy wheels wearing 285/45 highway tyres, which were surprisingly smooth and quiet on the sealed roads.

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OFF-ROAD

THOSE 22-inch wheels and low-profile tyres don’t do the Ram any favours once you leave sealed roads behind.

They transmit bumps and potholes through to the otherwise well-insulated cabin worse than a set of smaller diameter wheels with taller sidewall tyres would. This means you need to tiptoe along gravel roads if you want to keep the fillings in your teeth. They also offered very little traction on the damp gravel roads, which kept us from doing any real off-roading in the Ram.

The four-wheel drive system offers 2WD, 4WD auto (on-demand), 4WD high and 4WD low range. There is no locking differential available in this specification, so the Limited relies on its electronic traction control. The ETC or any other traction aid, became worthless once the highway tyres got mud on them. It wouldn’t drive up a relatively steep (but usually simple) climb on this day. If off-road driving is in your Ram plans then you might want to opt for the smaller diameter wheels and more appropriate tyres.

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CABIN & ACCOMMODATION

AS I said at the outset, the Ram Limited is a luxury car, and nowhere is that felt more so than in the massive cabin.

The cabin feels 50 per cent wider than a regular one-tonne ute, and there’s room between the two front seats for another pew. In the Limited, that space is taken up by a massive centre console with multiple configurations and storage options. This is fantastic for anyone who spends long hours in their car and appreciates having somewhere to store all your things.

The front seats are 10-way power adjustable leather items with heating and cooling, while the rear seat easily accommodates three adults, something not so easy in regular one-tonne utes. Above them is a full-size sliding glass sunroof and cover.

In and around the console are five USB and four USB-C ports, 12V plugs, and a wireless charging point for your compatible phone. Ahead of the console is a 300mm touchscreen AV system which is new on the DT Ram. This massive system houses all the controls for the audio, navigation, seat heating and ventilation, Apple and Android links, and configurable apps. All the cabin functions you need to control are accessed within this impressive system; although, it can be annoying to have to go through menus to reach some functions or when switching between audio sources. A simple button would suffice.

The audio system in the Limited is also worth a mention as it’s a 19-speaker, 900W Harman Kardon set-up which again is the stuff of luxury vehicles. The Limited benefits from active noise cancelling to block unwanted road and wind noise, meaning that when riding inside the Ram, the tunes are all you hear.

With the level of comfort and convenience features and the quality of the ride within the Ram Limited, the $140,000 price tag starts to look like good value when compared to any other such-equipped vehicles; and none of those vehicles could match the Ram’s 4500kg towing ability.

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SAFETY

JUST because it’s a truck doesn’t mean the Ram 1500 misses out on any safety tech.

It features most of the latest electronic aids such as forward collision warning with active braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alerts, front and rear ParkSense assistance, trailer sway control, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, and six airbags. The Ram trucks on sale in Australia have not been given an ANCAP safety rating, however the 2021 Ram 1500 is rated as the top pick in its class for safety by the IIHS in the USA.

The rear ParkSense system, which automatically brakes the truck when reversing too close to an object or person, is a great feature considering the number of kids hit in driveways or car parks, but annoying on the tracks when reversing – it brakes for long grass, dirt banks and large puddles. Thankfully, you can switch it off in the bush or when hooking up a trailer, but we’d leave it active at other times.

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PRACTICALITIES

THE Ram Limited could be seen as a luxury SUV with the practicality of a ute, and the 1500 adds to that with the ‘RamBoxes’ on either side of the cargo tub.

These locking storage compartments are great for stowing gear you want easy access to, without having to get into the back of the ute. They are waterproof and have a drain plug in the bottom, so you can fill them with ice and use them as cool boxes for drinks.

The cargo area is massive and includes an adjustable load divider, four tie-down points and a bed liner for protection. There’s a fold-out step at the rear of the tub on the passenger side to make stepping into the back easier, and the Limited gets a folding tonneau cover.

While there’s heaps of space for cargo, you are limited by a relatively low payload of just 701kg. Unlike the mid-size utes that are popular in Australia, the full-size American 1500s don’t carry so much and it won’t take a lot to reach that load capacity. If you want to carry more, you need to step up to the 2500 which is a heavier duty vehicle throughout.

While the payload is low, the towing capacity is much better. Up to 4500kg when using a 70mm towball. A 7713kg GCM allows for some heavy hauling in the Ram.

Those 22-inch tyres are not going to be easy to replace when you tear one apart on the Birdsville Track, so stepping down to the Laramie’s 20-inch tyres or smaller (down to 18-inch is possible) would be a good option. There are plenty of good tyre options for the 20s, as this is the standard size for most US trucks.

This truck was also fitted with the $1950 optional power side-steps, which drop down when you open a door and automatically fold-up again when you close it. These are great if you need sides-steps as they tuck up out of the way when not in use, but I found them trying to trip me over or take out a shin every time I went to get in or out of the truck. Maybe shorter folks would like them.

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SUMMARY

A LOT of people will look at the $140K asking price of the Ram 1500 Limited and think you have to be joking, but in reality you are getting a lot of car for your money.

If on-road presence accounts for anything, then the look of this triple-black beast is worth the price alone. Then you add in the 4500kg towing ability, the massive passenger cabin with its luxury-level appointments and features, and the ease of which you could spend long hours of mile-munching touring behind the wheel, and it all starts to add up.

The only obvious competitor to the Ram is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 from GMSV, which comes in a bit cheaper in LTZ specification. Its 6.2-litre engine also has more power and torque on paper, but in terms of features and refinement, the Ram would be hard to beat.