Trim Levels in the New Ram Trucks

Before digging into trim levels it’s important to know Ram is currently making 2 versions of the 1500 pickup truck. The focus of this video is the new body style Ram 1500, available in models ranging from entry level to super luxury. The other Ram 1500, wearing a body style and technologies introduced in 2009, is technically called the Ram 1500 Classic and is priced well south of the new 1500. By taking this approach Ram vastly increases its sales volume of pickup trucks in this outrageously competitive segment. Tradesman Let’s be clear: there isn’t really a hose-’em-out base model truck available from any manufacturer today. This entry level Tradesman has features that would’ve made my grandfather’s work truck blush, including air conditioning and power windows. Score one for economies of scale. Also on board are the likes of push-button start, cruise control, and a tilt/telescope steering wheel. There are some throwbacks to base trucks of yore. Cloth seats are optional, with a stick-to-yer-legs vinyl bench seat offered as standard equipment. The floor is covered in black vinyl, great for those of us who climb aboard with muddy boots. Outside, you’ll find 18-inch steel wheels and black paint on the grille, door handles, and bumpers. All three engines are on the Tradesman option sheet, starting with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 making about 300 horsepower. From there, the new 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 stands ready with a yaffle of torque, while the familiar 5.7L HEMI V8 growls out a hairy-chested exhaust note. All of them are mated to an eight-speed automatic. Big Horn Compared to the Tradesman, the Big Horn ladles on the exterior chrome while appending a few extra features to its interior. Fog lamps appear in the Big Horn’s front bumper and turn signal repeaters show up on the now-heated side view mirrors. Wheels remain at 18 inches, but are now aluminium and wrapped in all-season Goodyear tires. Cloth now covers the bench seats and carpet lines the floor. A sliding rear window is standard kit — a criminally underrated feature, in my opinion — as is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. There’s extra storage in the doors and front centre seat cushion, too. Available remote start permits owners to heat up (or cool down) the cabin before setting off for a day’s work. This is the first trim level where a sunroof is optional, plus other must-have features like front/rear park assist and blind-spot monitoring. Upgraded stereo options can bring satellite radio, a subwoofer, and the excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Like the Tradesman, the Big Horn trim is available with a gas or diesel V6, or gas V8 engine. Sport Sometimes, Canada gets a few of its own toys. This particular trim is exclusive to the Great White North, because apparently, we like colour-keyed appearance packages and some of us are willing to pay extra to get them. Representing a big jump up from the base Tradesman, the Sport is one of Ram’s most popular trims. The V6 engine is binned here, leaving just the non-eTorque Hemi V8 and the new generation 3.0L EcoDiesel. It’s also the first trim on which one can order Ram’s new Multifunction tailgate, permitting it to be opened like a barn door. Pro tip: adding this feature actually requires the fitting of a structurally unique bed, so it isn’t an option you can add after the fact. The standard tailgate is dampened at Sport level. Twenty-inch painted aluminium wheels pair well with the body colour accoutrements, while upgrading to the Sport also brings LED illumination front and rear. Inside, the digital display in the gauge cluster is upsized to a seven-inch unit, while infotainment duties are handled by the standard 8.4-inch Uconnect which can be swapped out for the snazzy 12-inch screen. Seating is a choice between cloth or leather front bucket seats Rebel If off-road adventure is your killer app, then the Rebel trim will be right up your alley. Mimicking the powertrain choices of Sport, this truck brings fun goodies like an electronic locking rear differential with a 3.92 axle ratio, skid plates over expensive underside bits, and hill descent control. Knobby LT-rated tires are wrapped around 18-inch black aluminium wheels. It’s easy to spot a Rebel, as it bears a blacked-out grille that looks for all the world like a biker’s handelbar moustache. This is surely not a coincidence. Front and rear bumpers are black powder coated and all the badging is dipped in a pot of inky black paint. A ‘sport performance’ hood does little in the way of, you know, actual performance — but does look the business. A rude publication might even say it bulges in all the right places. Fortunately, we aren’t so juvenile. Then Laramie, Longhorn, Limited and the Supercharged Hemi Offroad Beast called TRX to be featured in my other videos in more detail www.MarkSugarDrives.com any questions, please comment below and subscribe to my channel here thank you