2019 Ram 1500 Review

The Ram 1500 offers seven trim levels: Tradesman, HFE, Big Horn, Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn and Limited.

Standard on all trims is a 3.6-liter V6 (305 horsepower, 269 pound-feet of torque). Optional on all but the HFE is a 5.7-liter V8 (395 hp, 410 lb-ft). Both engines pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a 3.21 axle ratio, and rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive is available on all but the HFE. Lower axle ratios (3.55 and 3.92) are also available on most models.

The workhorse of the lineup, the Tradesman makes minimal concessions to luxury with 18-inch steel wheels, vinyl flooring and upholstery, and the Uconnect infotainment system with a 5-inch touchscreen display.

But it's not totally devoid of conveniences or creature comforts. Standard features include automatic headlights, a locking tailgate, a Class III hitch receiver, trailer sway control, heated side mirrors, push-button ignition, cruise control, a 40/20/40-split folding bench seat, air conditioning, a rearview camera, rear-seat USB charge ports, Bluetooth, a 5-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker audio system with dual USB inputs and an auxiliary audio jack.

The Tradesman can be upgraded with options that include a Class IV hitch receiver, trailer brake control, an electronic locking rear differential, towing mirrors, chrome exterior trim, a spray-in bedliner, cloth upholstery, a folding rear seat, satellite radio and a CD player.

The HFE is equipped like the Tradesman but offers increased fuel efficiency from its V6 engine. It's available only with rear-wheel drive. Ram had not yet revealed details on this specific trim level at the time of our review.

The Big Horn (called the Lone Star in Texas) adds more features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, tinted windows, floor carpet, cloth upholstery, and a 60/40-split folding rear bench seat, but far more options are available for the Big Horn than the Tradesman. They include 20-inch wheels, an air suspension, LED headlights and taillights, side steps, power-adjustable pedals, dual-zone climate control, and Uconnect infotainment with the 8.4-inch touchscreen and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. Off-road underbody protection, larger fuel tanks and bed utilities are also available.

The Rebel is geared more toward off-roading and comes standard with specialized off-road tires, front tow hooks, skid plates, fortified shocks and suspension, an electronic-locking rear axle, a 3.92 axle ratio, and hill descent control. It also builds on the Big Horn's features with a Class IV hitch receiver, LED headlights and foglights, a 115-volt power outlet, a power-adjustable driver seat, front bucket seats, a larger driver information display and satellite radio.

The Ram 1500 moves into luxury territory at the Laramie trim level, which adds to many of the optional features listed above with front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, power-adjustable 40/20/40-split bench front seats, heated and ventilated front outboard seats, driver-seat position memory, power-adjustable pedals with memory, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry.

Other upgrades include dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 115-volt rear seat outlet, two rear seat USB inputs (one is charge-only), the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, a nine-speaker audio system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and emergency notification,

Moving deeper into creature comforts, the Longhorn adds 20-inch wheels, a spray-in bedliner, chrome side steps, power tailgate release, automatic high beams, automatic wipers, front bucket seats with upgraded leather upholstery, heated and ventilated reclining rear seats, a leather-wrapped wood steering wheel, a navigation system, and, yes, a CD player.

Note that the Longhorn comes with a short bed, but the longer bed is optional. The Longhorn can also be ordered without the spray-in bedliner.

The Limited trim caps off the amenities with a standard adjustable air suspension, chrome exterior trim, power-retractable side steps, premium-leather bucket seats, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Many of a specific trim level's standard features are optional on the trim level below it. There are also several cosmetic appearance packages available, ranging from chrome to blacked-out grilles, exhaust tips and other accents. Options for all models include various bed utilities (adjustable tie-downs, bed lighting and RamBox bed storage), and components for off-roading, towing and trailering. More select options, like 22-inch wheels, are reserved for higher trims such as the Laramie and the Limited.

Optional advanced safety features (reserved for Laramie, Longhorn and Limited trim levels) include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, a surround-view camera system and a self-parking system. An optional Uconnect package with a large 12-inch touchscreen is also exclusive to those trims.