- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
5.7i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
291kW, 556Nm
- Fuel
Petrol 12.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2021 Ram 1500 DT Limited tow test review
There’s a new Ram in town, and it offers up more technology, equipment and luxury in the form of an American-sized four-wheel-drive ute.
- Very good, near effortless performance towing
- Infotainment is big and good quality
- Vast amounts of interior space and storage
- Breaks into some high-end competition at this pricepoint
- Underdone warranty
- Additional complication of mild-hybrid powertrain with little discernible gain
Australian customers can now get their hands on the 2021 RAM 1500. It’s as known as the DT generation, and sits above the existing DS Ram 1500 in the Australian range.
It’s a similar strategy that Ram currently runs in America. DS has been the cheaper ‘classic’ option for a while. It’s an older platform, with less technology and features on offer. And, crucially, it has a lower asking price.
The DT is quite new, dating back to early 2018. In comparison, the DS Ram goes back a decade longer to 2008, even though it only arrived in Australia as a factory-backed operation in late 2017.
What hasn’t changed is the conversion process: over 400 locally sourced new parts are used to transform Rams left-to-right hook in Melbourne.
And like the DS Ram, this DT conversion is top-shelf. If you didn’t know it was converted, you’d assume this Ram started its life as right-hand drive.
It’s not dissimilar to what Nissan did with the D22 and D40 Navaras, selling the newer and older designs alongside each other, covering a wider range of pricepoints.
So while the Ram range still starts at $80,000, our DT Ram Limited is at the other end of the pecking order. Our tester is a 2021 Ram 1500 Limited, which is right at the pointy end of specification and price: $139,950 plus on-road costs.
Key details | 2021 Ram 1500 DT Limited |
Engine | 5.7-litre petrol V8 |
Power | 291 kW @ 5600 rpm |
Torque | 556 Nm @ 3950 rpm |
Weight (kerb) | 2749kg |
Drive type | On-demand four-wheel drive with selectable auto mode |
Transmission | Eight-speed torque converter automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 105.9kW/Tonne |
Price (MSRP) | $139,950 plus on road costs. |
Let’s put down some more numbers while we’re at it. With 5916mm of length, 2057mm of width and 1972mm of height, the Ram 1500 dwarfs other ‘normal sized’ utes.
And this new look in the DT-generation Ram ups the ante with a more bluff, square look than the preceding generation. Looks can be deceiving, however. This is a slipperier design than the previous generation.
More numbers: 2749kg kerb weight, roughly half a tonne more heft than a HiLux or Ranger; and up to 4500kg braked towing capacity (with a 70mm tow ball), which is a clean 1000kg improvement over a ‘normal’ ute.
Its payload might not be as prodigious as you’d expect, however. Perhaps because it’s so heavy to start with, the Ram is only able to handle 701kg once the GVM (3450kg) is met.
The gross combination mass – arguably more important a figure to consider for those towing – is 7713kg. This means with a 4.5-tonne trailer, you’ve got 464kg of payload left over for cargo and passengers.
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And when fully laden at GVM, you’ve got 4263kg of towing capacity left over.
Four-and-a-half tonnes is a big caravan/excavator/boat, however, which most people won’t reach. Those that do are well served by the Ram 1500. They’ll also be looking at the 2500 and 3500, as well as the likes of a Chevrolet Silverado.
Perhaps where this Ram 1500 is strongest, however, is not at the ceiling. Towing 3.5 tonnes doesn’t impact the gross combination mass and leftover payload - not something that smaller utes can promise.
There’s plenty of technology trinkets to help ease the impact of that high asking price. On the outside, there are power-deploying side steps, tailgate step, black-painted 22-inch alloy wheels, soft tonneau cover and RamBox storage, LED lighting and air suspension at all four corners.
On the inside, there’s a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, 12-inch infotainment display, 7.0-inch multifunction display, heated front and outboard rear seats, ventilated front seats, dual-pane sunroof, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, park assistance, tyre pressure monitoring and automatic wipers.
Safety is also well appointed: forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, ready alert braking, trailer-sway damping control, lane-departure warning and automatic LED headlights.
Under the bonnet sits a familiar 5.7-litre Hemi petrol V8 shared between DS and DT Rams. However, in this instance the old pushrod V8 has been dragged into the modern world of mild hybridisation.
At a glance | 2021 Ram 1500 DT Limited |
Fuel consumption (claimed combined) | 12.2L/100km |
Fuel consumption (on test) | 15.4L/100km |
Fuel tank size | 98L |
Tow rating | 3500kg braked, 4500kg with a 70mm towball |
Tub Dimensions | 1712mm long, 1270mm wide, 543mm deep |
Length | 5916mm |
Width | 2474mm |
Height | 1972mm |
Wheelbase | 3572mm |
Turning circle | 14.08m |
ANCAP safety rating | Untested |
Warranty | Three year, 100,000 kilometre |
Price (MSRP) | $139,950 plus on road costs |
Colour as tested | Diamond Black ($950) |
Competitors | Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan patrol, Chevrolet Silverado |
Emblazoned atop that huge, bulging bonnet is an ‘eTorque’ logo, which refers to an electric motor generator that sits atop the V8 in a large machined-alloy housing. It effectively replaces the alternator feeding 48 volts into a 0.4kWh lithium-ion battery. The whole system adds just over 40kg of weight to the Hemi powertrain.
The electric motor – made by Magneti Marelli – makes 12kW and 66Nm, but grows to 176Nm of assistance via gearing. Along with regenerative braking and a buttery smooth stop-start system, the electric motor can also provide a small assistance to the engine, as well as extend the four-cylinder (cylinder deactivation) operating times.
With electric assistance, official figures for the eTorque-equipped Hemi V8 remains the same as before: 291kW at 5600rpm and 556Nm at 3950rpm.
And despite the potential for saving fuel, Ram Trucks Australia lists the same 12.2 litres per hundred claimed economy across both the DT and unassisted DS ranges, on the combined cycle. Though the newer vehicle is slightly heavier.
But what about in the real world? Does that actually stack up?
Yes and no. Don’t expect the same kind of dramatic reduction in fuel consumption like a Kluger Hybrid, for example. And don’t forget that the DT Ram weighs 2.75 tonnes.
Without towing anything, we saw around 15.0L/100km on a mixed run of town and highway driving, which isn’t terribly far from the claimed 12.2L/100km figure.
Throw three tonnes of caravan on the back, and that figure doubled: 29.0L/100km. Which makes sense really - double the overall weight, double the amount of energy required to pull it.
It’s worth pointing out that this wasn’t a run aimed at economy, either. Getting pictures and video of this big rig towing means lots of stopping, turning around and accelerating past the camera guys in order to capture assets. If you’re mostly cruising the highways and holding a steady speed, you’re likely to do a lot better than we did.
Worst-condition economy was 41.0L/100km doling our way through stop-start traffic as we crawled our way back to return the van.
Beyond fuel consumption numbers, however, the appeal of this big V8-powered ute and towing is how effortless it feels when working hard. Typical for a naturally aspirated petrol engine, peak torque sits high in the rev range. However, the good news is that the Ram doesn’t feel stressed or gutless in the lower and middle ranges.
It’s helped by low gearing in the eight-speed automatic gearbox and differentials - sitting at 110km/h in top gear yields over 2000rpm on the tachometer. The car could probably lope along at half of that, but having relatively low gearing helps the performance of the powertrain at the expense of economy.
In terms of performance, the Ram doesn’t have the same berserk feeling of acceleration like the Silverado, whose 6.2-litre V8 and 10-speed automatic has this 5.7-litre Hemi beat in most aspects. It’s got urgency, however, and enough to feel quick.
Even when towing more than its own kerb weight, the Ram is able to feel somewhat brisk, using all of its tachometer to get moving. Overtaking might feel like a distant dream in smaller, less powerful utes when towing three tonnes, but this Ram can do it comfortably.
And that’s not just the work of the engine, either. Having nearly six metres of overall length, sitting on a big 3572mm wheelbase and with over 1700mm of track width, helps the Ram feel solid and planted when towing.
Air suspension, which allows an adjustable ride height, also actively levels the Ram against loads and trailers. It’s also handy when it comes to hitching up, as well as allowing easier access to the cabin and tub.
There’s an argument that keen towers will still prefer to look at the heavier-duty 6.7-litre diesel Ram 2500 instead, and they’re probably right. For now though, there's a 'coming soon' disclaimer against the Walkinshaw-converted Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 rigs, with no confirmed arrival date just yet.
And aside from the likes of a Chevrolet Silverado, nothing can seem to match the Ram for towing prowess. While they’re capped at 3500kg, other vehicles I would be looking at are the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, Land Rover Defender 110 D300 and Nissan Patrol Y62.
Inside, the Ram is impressive for two reasons: the luxury appointments, and the sheer amount of space on offer. Although big, the initial attention is dominated by the touchscreen infotainment display. Some call it Tesla-eque because of the portrait orientation and 12-inch size.
It’s big, yes. But the operating system is also high quality, and functionality is helped by buttons and dials. And the 900-watt Harman Kardon sound system operates well.
Centre console storage up front is mammoth. The design has more layers than Inception, and so much space my three-year-old daughter literally fit inside of it. Seriously. There are loads of power outlets, wireless phone charging integrated into the smartly designed phone dock, and room to store a ridiculous amount of stuff.
While some of the details might not be to everybody’s taste, you cannot deny the level of quality and luxury on offer inside the Ram Limited. $140K lines it up against the likes of top-spec Defenders, LandCruisers, and even some specification Range Rovers, but the good news is that the Ram delivers.
The big leather seats are heated and ventilated, and have stacks of electric adjustment on offer. Like other big rigs, the Ram 1500 Limited has an electrically adjustable pedal position, which allows you another dimension of ergonomic adjustability over other vehicles.
The second row has as much leg room as a limousine, and as many features also. There are USB-A and USB-C power outlets (four total), heating and ventilation for outboard seats, air vents and cupholders. The seats are quite comfortable, and the big doors and windows help make the Ram feel quite salubrious in the second row.
The amount of width on offer allows three adults to fit in the back row comfortably. Or in our case, my wife could sit quite comfortably in between two occupied baby seats. Few cars have the ability to do this.
Worth noting, it looks like Ram Trucks Australia has blanked off an additional power outlet in the second row, which would have been a 115V outlet in the Ram’s home market.
The back area, fitted with the RamBox fender storage areas, is more square compared to other ute tubs. It’s not a huge tub, but it’s versatile and ready for usage with a spray-in tub liner, bed divider and extender system, and folding soft tonneau cover.
Those additional storage bins in the fenders are a costly addition, but one can quickly get used to using them. Things like groceries and valuables can be stored in these lockable boxes, which work in conjunction with central locking. There are drainage bungs in the bottom, and you’ve got a 230V, 400W power outlet in one side.
It finishes off a package that is undoubtedly very good at delivering a few things: a muscular V8 power plant; luxury levels of appointments; and very good towing capability.
Unfortunately, the Ram’s three-year and 100,000km warranty seems quite old-fashioned, and is beaten by almost every other manufacturer out there.
While many will continue to scoff at the scale and presence of these American-sized utes on Australian roads, these will suit the brief of many buyers. Even at this high asking price.
Note:
Thanks to the team at New Age Caravans for loaning us the Desert Rose Caravan for the test. The Desert Rose is a semi-off-road caravan with off-grid capabilities. There are 2 x 110L water tanks, 2 x 100A lithium batteries, 3 x 150W solar panels, Cruisemaster suspension, 6-inch hot-dipped galvanised chassis and many other features. It comes in 18-foot and 20-foot sizes, with a tare weight starting from 2860kg. Prices start from $100,990.