If you’re in the market for a big truck, they don’t get much bigger than the Ram 3500 Heavy Duty (view photos). Dually tires in the back. Lots of height at nearly 79” tall. A huge crew cab that can comfortably fit a team of workers or family members. This thing can handle just about anything you throw at it. Mud, muck, lots of tools in the back.
Here are five fast facts about the 2010 Ram 3500.
Fact #1: Redesigned for 2010
Long known as the Dodge Ram, the 3500 was redesigned this year and is now known as the Ram 3500. You’ll see the changes in a better-looking car on the outside, and a more refined, quiet and improved cabin on the inside.
The interior of our test ride featured a leather-wrapped steering wheel, premium cloth seats, a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, a 506-watt Alpine premium sound system with 9 speakers and sub-woofer, Sirius satellite radio (a must-have feature if you spend much of your driving time in rural America), steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, 30 GB hard drive to store songs and photos, an iPod interface, Bluetooth connectivity and a universal garage door opener. These are just the highlights. The entire package is very nice.
The exterior is better looking this year as well. The fenders that house the dually rear tires more naturally blend in to the overall design; last year’s model looked tacked on. So that’s an improvement. You’ll also notice shiny rims on the 17” wheels and the bright, distinctive and massive chrome bumper and grille ensure the Ram truck stands out in a crowd. It’s a good-looking machine you can logically drive to the job site, but also comfortably drive to an evening cocktail party in the city. It’s that versatile.
What’s really surprising is that the Ram is so easy to drive. It handles like a much smaller truck. However, we couldn’t actually park the Ram 3500 in the Vehix parking garage. But that’s not entirely the Ram’s fault. The civil engineer or parking garage architect who designed our facility in the early 1950s clearly never envisioned an era when trucks would exceed the six-foot-four-inch height of the garage (remember, this truck is nearly six 6’5” tall).
Fact #2: 17,600-pound Towing Capacity
Need to pull a house off its foundation? Ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But the Ram 3500 can tow up to 17,600 pounds when properly equipped. Wow.
That made us wonder, what could we tow with that near-18,000-pound capability? We asked around and quickly identified a two-wheel-drive John Deere backhoe loader that can dig 15-feet deep and weighs about 15,000 pounds.
You could also tow a six- or eight-horse trailer behind this big rig. Or for a true towing test, you could try to lug the African Savanna elephant. The largest of all land mammals weighs somewhere between 14,000 to 17,000 pounds. But you’re on your own trying to find an elephant trailer to tow the big fella.
How does the Ram 3500 handle such a massive load? Torque and horsepower baby. The 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine packs 350 horses under the hood and generates 650 pound-feet of torque at only 1,500 rpm. Did we mention this was a powerful truck?
Fact #3: Easily Fits Six Passengers
There is a certain type of buyer for a massive truck like the Ram 3500. Obviously, ranch owners with horses, cattle and the need to regularly tow large farm equipment are a natural target. Work crews within the city are another audience who find the charms of the 3500 beguiling.
But we see plenty of families driving the highways and city streets of America in this family hauler. And after spending a week in one, it’s easy to see why. You can easily fit three adults across the back seat and even a third in the middle of the front bench in the crew cab. There is ample room for car seats in the rear with space for a full-size adult between the child carriers. Not many vehicles offer that kind of versatile and useful rear space. Throw in the comfortable interior features and the 3500 isn’t just for workers or ranchers anymore.
Fact #4: Handles Mud, Muck and Water Well
Our timing to test drive the Ram was nearly perfect. We were inundated with torrential rainstorms that washed out roads and caused flooding in the Utah mountains.
Naturally, that’s where we immediately headed once the keys to the Ram were in our hands. During a week of mostly rural driving, we piloted the Ram up dirt roads (actually, squishy mud bogs is a more appropriate description) to the tops of mountains. We noticed no slipping and no issues, but the tall and wide dually tires definitely left an imprint.
We pointed the Ram at flooded roads with running water. Again, no problems. Although we had a hard time pulling ourselves away from the fun of blasting through a pool of water and seeing how high we could launch the liquid into the air.
With a truck this tall and powerful, mud and muck are no obstacle.
Fact #5: Motor Trend’s 2010 Truck of the Year
The Ram 3500 is a powerful truck that is surprisingly comfortable and extremely capable. That’s why Motor Trend named it 2010 Truck of the Year. Add in the five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and you have a vehicle that deserves serious consideration.
The Vehix View: A Big, Comfortable Truck for Your Large Crew or Family
The 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 (view photos) is a monster truck. It offers huge horsepower, a huge cab and a huge bed that is great for both towing and stowing all kinds of gear. In terms of overall utility, only a few vehicles compete and Dodge, Chevrolet or Ford manufacture them all.
All that utility doesn’t come cheap, however. The fully loaded Ram 3500 topped out at nearly $54,000. But if you have the need for a vehicle with this much capability, that’s the general range to drive a truck in this space.
Speaking of space, if you try to park the Ram in the average parking garage, it’s going to be tight. Very tight. If you try to park the 3500 in a crowded parking lot, you’ll likely be frustrated. And this car is thirsty at the pump. But if you’re looking for a big, big truck for a big family or a big crew, you’ll be very happy with the Ram 3500.