Background: Sometimes the best decisions are ones never executed. Back in the early 1990s, Chrysler Corporation was seriously considering ditching its pickup truck business all together due in large part to lackluster sales. At the time domestic rivals Ford and General Motors were king of the pickup truck hill. Ford’s F150 pickup truck was the best-selling vehicle in the United States (and still is today) while General Motors’ full-size pickups were a solid number two (that statistic has not changed either). Meanwhile, Dodge was left eating their dust. In 1993 Dodge truck sales totaled 568,412, accounting for less than 7 percent of the industry’s truck sales in the United States. But cooler heads prevailed and instead of getting mad, Dodge got even.
In the 1994 model year, Dodge totally revamped its full-size Ram pickup with a bold, muscular front grille and other nuances, its first all-new design in 22 years. Sales jumped from 70,000 units a year earlier to more than 200,000 units in 1994 and ever since Ram has rated as one of Dodge’s best-selling vehicles. In the 1998 model year, Dodge introduced Ram Quad Cab, the industry’s first full-size pickup with extended cab featuring rear access doors. In the 2000 model year, Dodge truck sales checked in at 1,122,907. This past February at the Chicago Auto Show, Dodge took the next step by unveiling the totally redesigned, next generation, 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 series to the world. These newly updated trucks are now arriving at dealers.
Heavy duty Ram 2500 (three-quarter ton) and 3500 (one ton) models receive major facelifts in the 2003 model year. Assembly takes place at three locations: Warren, Mich., St. Louis Mo. and Saltillo, Mexico. The Dodge brand also has a new corporate tagline for the 2002 model year and beyond: “Grab Life by the Horns,” which replaces the stagnate “Dodge Different” teaser used during the past several years.
Trim levels: As with the full-size Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram can be mixed and matched in several different configurations with regular and extended cab (which Dodge refers to as Quad cab) versions, two-wheel or four-wheel drive availability as well as short and extended bed lengths. Ram includes three equipment trim levels: ST, SLT and the top-of-the-line SLT Plus. Ram also adds a “Sport” appearance package in SLT and SLT Plus editions.
Engines: In 2002, Dodge Ram 1500 offers two new Magnum engines yielding more power and producing better fuel economy than 2001 counterparts. An all-new 3.7-liter Magnum V-6 produces 215 horsepower, 35 more than the 3.9-liter it replaces. For those looking for V-8 power, a 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 punches out 240 horses, compared to 235 from last year’s 5.2-liter V-8. In addition, the 1500 series continues offering a 245 horsepower, 5.9-liter Magnum V-8, a returning powertrain from 2001. Five-speed manual transmission is standard in the V-6 and 4.7-liter V-8 with automatic transmission optional. The larger 5.9-liter engine includes four-speed automatic transmission standard.
Price: Dodge supplied the Daily Herald with a top-of-the-line Ram 1500 4 x 4 SLT Plus with a starting price of $25,350. After factoring in the customer preferred package ($7,085), Sport appearance package ($1,185), trailer towing group ($465), automatic transmission ($975) and box bedliner ($245) the bottom line ended up at $36,615. The lowest-priced 2002 Ram, a two-wheel-drive, ST regular cab with five-speed manual transmission and 3.7-liter engine lists at $16,955.
The lowest-priced Quad Cab, a ST two-wheel drive with 3.7-liter V-6 engine starts at $22,150. All Ram prices are exclusive of a $715 destination charge. Ford’s lowest-priced 2002 F150 full-size pickup truck with six-cylinder engine, two-wheel rear drive and five-speed manual transmission starts at $18,080. Chevrolet’s lowest priced 2002 full-size pickup, a short bed, six-cylinder Silverado with regular cab starts at $17,518.
Standard equipment: All three trim levels include: air conditioning, tinted windows, halogen headlamps, AM/FM/cassette with four-speaker stereo and two-speed front windshield wiper with intermittent delay. Power windows and door locks and fold-in heated side view mirrors come standard in SLT and SLT Plus while not offered in entry-level ST.
Cruise control and tilt steering wheel come standard in SLT and SLT Plus while optional in ST. Compact disc players are a SLT Plus staple and SLT option. The Sport Appearance Package adds huge 20-inch tires (the largest available in a full-size pickup) and unique grille design. The Customer Preferred Package includes upgraded sound system and transfer case along with fog lamps.
Interior: The instrument panel consists of two large center circles (tachometer, speedometer) flanked two smaller circles (battery and fuel on the left and oil and temperature to the right.). These analog gauges incorporate a white background with black numbering and lettering. Large, inside door handles pull up and out at a 45 degree angle. Also located on the door are power window, lock and outside mirror controls placed in front of the arm rest. Large map pockets adorn both front doors.
Up adjacent to the rear-view mirror is a digital information center with temperature, compass and other useful information. A flip-down holder for sunglasses is in the area, too. The automatic transmission shifter is found on the steering column’s right side. Windshield wipers activate from the turn signal stalk. The button activating hazard lights adorn the top of this column. The steering wheel’s center region is home to all cruise control functions. The parking brake, as with most pickup trucks, is foot operated. Headlights activate from a dial on the dashboard’s far left side.
Chrysler returns its stereo system with a single-feed compact disc player from last year to the top of the central dashboard. Below is the ventilation system with two large dials monitoring fan speed and direction. Two horizontal slide levers control dual zone temperature settings (the first dual climate control in a pickup). Rear window defroster and air conditioning push buttons are here, too. Near the bottom our SLT version included an electronic, shift-on-the-fly dashboard transfer case dial for selecting two-wheel drive, four-wheel high or four-wheel low drivetrain options. At the bottom are two large beverage holders that fold down from the dashboard.
Seating comfort: Since Ram added three inches of interior cabin space to Quad Cab versions, back seat riders enjoy noticeably more leg room. Quad Cabs can handle up to six riders, three in front and three in back. Regular cabs have 40/20/40 split seating for three (as do front regions of the Quad cab). When cargo needs to be hauled in the Quad Cab’s rear region, the 60/40 split seats fold up against back rests.
A floor plate can than flip forward creating a flat area for transporting materials in back; a great design. Our SLT Plus edition included leather seating standard. The ST edition includes vinyl seating while SLT features cloth seats. In front, the center seat area cushion flips up revealing a big storage area.
Exterior: Ram offers two cargo bed lengths: a 6-foot, 2.5-inch bed (short) and the longer eight-foot bed (long or extended). Black strap-like handles that pull out adorn all four doors of extended cab editions. A round, non-locking fuel door is found on the left side of the cargo bed. A whip antenna protrudes up from the right front fender. Quad Cab doors are now hinged on the right and open like conventional doors. One of the more notable aspects of the 1994 Ram redesign is the bolder, bigger front grille design.
In 2002 each of the three trim levels incorporates its own grille nuances. In addition the sport appearance package features its own style front end. All are big and square in shape with rectangular headlights skewed towards the lower edges. Dodge stores the full-size spare tire under the cargo bed. Seventeen-inch tires come standard but our test-drive model included optional 20-inch tires, the largest available in a full-size pickup. The reinforced rear bumper includes class III towing capacity standard. Extra large 20-inch tires propped the vehicle up rather high, making entry and exiting a pull up and jump down exercise. Color selections include Atlantic blue, black, right silver metallic, white, dark red, flame red, forest green, graphite metallic, light almond and patriot blue.
Safety features: In addition to dual front air bags (with standard passenger-side on-off switch in regular cab editions), Ram features the segment’s first available side curtain airbags tucked into the headliner just above the doors, optional in all three trim levels.
Another Ram first is optional power adjustable brake and accelerator foot pedals with automatic transmission, beneficial for shorter-statured drivers. A switch below the dashboard headlight dial maneuvers these pedals forward and backward. Ford Motor Co. offers these adjustable pedals in several of its vehicles. Remote keyless entry and security alarms are standard in SLT Plus and available in SLT. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are a SLT staple while rear anti-lock brakes are standard in ST and SLT.
4 x 4 Quad Cab short bed dimensions:
Wheelbase: 140.5 inches
Overall length: 227.7 inches
Overall height: 76.6 inches
Overall width: 79.9 inches
Curb weight: 5,263 pounds
Payload capacity: 1,390 pounds
Fuel economy: The coupling of the potent 5.9-liter engine with four-speed automatic transmission proved to be a drain on fuel economy. Our test drive Ram averaged 11 miles per gallon in city travel and 15 m.p.g. highway. The most fuel efficient Ram is the five-speed manual V-6 version which generates 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 m.p.g. highway. Rams with six-foot cargo beds have tanks holding 26 gallons of fuel. In longer 8-foot bed lengths, tanks carry 35 gallons. All three engines utilize regular, 87-octane unleaded fuel.
Final thoughts: Dodge Ram’s redesign in the mid 1990s put the full-size pickup on the must see list for potential purchasers. Since then, though, the competition took notice and generated updates of its own. General Motors introduced its full-size Chevrolet Silverado pickup redesign in 1999. Not to be left out of this profitable segment, Toyota, Japan’s largest automaker, debuted its Indiana-built Tundra full-size pickup two years ago.
Toyota is the first Japanese automaker to introduce a full-size pickup in the United States, the number one market in the world for this vehicle type. With such car-like characteristics as rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension (on four-wheel drive versions), Ram provides a very smooth ride and corners very well for a large, long vehicle. It’s also a bit quieter in the cabin than its predecessor. The Chrysler unit of DaimlerChrysler recently announced zero percent financing for up to 36 months through October 31 2001 on many 2002 models. However, the Dodge Ram along with a few other hot sellers, are not participating in this program. |