2019 Ram 3500 Review

Cab styles include a two-door regular cab, a four-door crew cab and a four-door jumbo crew cab called Mega Cab. The regular cab comes with an 8-foot bed only, while the crew cab has either the long bed or a short bed (6 feet 4 inches). The Mega Cab rides on the same wheelbase as the long-bed crew cab but combines an even bigger cabin with the short bed.

The standard engine for the Ram 3500 is a 6.4-liter V8 (410 hp, 429 lb-ft of torque) paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. A turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel six-cylinder engine is also available. In its Standard Output form, the 6.7-liter diesel engine puts out 370 hp and 850 lb-ft and is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. The High Output version of the diesel powerplant generates 400 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with a six-speed Aisin-sourced automatic transmission.

The Tradesman is the most basic trim. Standard feature highlights include 18-inch steel wheels, a locking tailgate, air conditioning, a 40/20/40-split front bench, a tilt-only steering wheel, a 3.5-inch driver information display, vinyl upholstery, and a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a 5-inch touchscreen interface.

Power windows and locks, including the locking tailgate, are standard on crew-cab models, as are power-adjustable heated mirrors. Regular-cab models have manual controls and non-heated mirrors by default.

The Big Horn (Lone Star for shoppers in Texas) equips it with chrome exterior trim, 18-inch alloy wheels (chrome on the Lone Star), an integrated trailer brake controller, remote locking and unlocking, a power-sliding rear window, remote ignition, cloth upholstery, carpeted floors, and full power accessories for all body styles.

The Laramie builds off the Big Horn/Lone Star and adds more chrome trim, a soft-closing tailgate, LED headlights and taillights, foglights, a 115-volt power outlet, power-folding and auto-dimming mirrors, remote ignition, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7-inch driver display screen, a power-adjustable driver's seat, leather upholstery, driver-seat memory functions, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 10-speaker surround-sound audio system, HD and satellite radio, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Longhorn supplements the Laramie's substantial features list by including a chrome mesh grille, a spray-in bedliner, LED bed lights, automatic high beams, automatic wipers, upgraded leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, wood interior and steering wheel trim, power-adjustable pedals with memory settings, front bucket seats, heated rear seats, and a navigation system.

The Limited trim comes with power-deployable running boards, 20-inch wheels, additional chrome exterior trim, the RamBox cargo management system (which includes bedside storage compartments, an adjustable bed divider and tie-downs), and special black leather upholstery.

Many upper-trim features are available on lower trim levels as part of packages or as stand-alone options. Other optional equipment highlights include a load-leveling air suspension, a cargo-view camera, a 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning, a 360-degree surround-view parking camera, fifth-wheel trailer preparation, a 17-speaker stereo system, a CD player and a sunroof.