10 Things You Need To Know About The 2015 Ram 1500

Since its redesign in 2013 the Ram 1500 has seen itself vault onto the podium and be recognized as an equal to the full-size trucks from Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC that it had spent so many years chasing. With a well-rounded line-up that now includes everything from barebones work-oriented pickups to over-the-top luxurious daily drivers, there's a Ram 1500 suited for almost any buyer. Throw in the choice between V-6, V-8, and class-exclusive (and ultra-efficient) turbodiesel power, and the 2015 Ram 1500 looks more likely to lead, rather than follow, its rivals into the future.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2015 Ram 1500.

1. The 2015 Ram 1500 Comes In Three Body Styles

Like most modern pickups - with the exclusion of the Nissan Frontier - the 2015 Ram 1500 is available in three different body styles. The Regular cab model offers two doors, a three-across bench seat, and the kind of wheelbase length that makes it a versatile and affordable tool on the job site. If you need an extra set of doors and a second bench seat added to the equation, then the Quad cab model ups total passenger capacity to six (and also provides extra interior storage for items you don't want to expose to the elements). Finally, an even larger up-to-six-passenger configuration of the Ram 1500 is available in Crew cab for, which gives you much more legroom behind the front seats.

2. The 2015 Ram 1500 Features A Trio Of Cargo Bed Lengths

It only makes sense that the 2015 Ram 1500's configurability extend to the different cargo bed lengths that are available with the truck. If you're looking for the longest, most useful bed you can get, then you'll have to stick with the Regular cab Ram: it's the only one sold with an eight-foot cargo bed (or the option of a shorter, six-foot, four-inch bed). Moving up to the Quad cab Ram 1500 restricts you exclusively to the six-foot, four-inch choice, but if you're willing to tolerate driving a fairly long-wheelbase vehicle you can also get that same cargo area with the Crew cab. For those who need to occasionally park in an urban environment, the Crew cab can also be spec'd with a five-foot, seven-inch bed.

3. The 2015 Ram 1500 Offers A Pair Of Gas Engines

The 2015 Ram 1500 starts out with a 3.6-liter V-6 as its standard power plant. This unit has been tuned to provide 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, and it returns fuel mileage of 18-mpg in stop and go driving and 25-mpg on the highway. If you need more grunt, you can always opt for the Ram 1500's 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, an engine that churns out a respectable 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of twist. Naturally, there's a concomitant drop in efficiency, with the eight-cylinder pickup posting 14-mpg around town and 20-mpg during highway cruising. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board.

4. The 2015 Ram 1500 Delivers An Exclusive Turbodiesel Option

Also joining its gasoline-burning siblings is the 2015 Ram 1500's 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6. The only diesel engine offered in a light-duty pickup - that is, until the 2016 model year when Nissan unleashes the redesigned Titan XD - the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel manages to combine excellent torque output with startling efficiency. The 3.0-liter motor generates 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, surpassing the V-8 versions of the pickup, but it still manages to shine at the fuel pump with an EPA rating of 21-mpg city and 29-mph highway (when ordered with the HFE package). Like all Ram 1500s, the EcoDiesel is paired with an eight-speed autobox.

5. The 2015 Ram 1500 Can Be Had With Four-Wheel Drive

If you don't mind the slight drop in fuel efficiency associated with the extra weight and complexity of adding a transfer case to your full-size pickup, the 2015 Ram 1500 can be ordered with one of two different four-wheel drive systems as an option. The first is a traditional design that requires you to manually shift the truck into four-wheel drive when the going gets rough, while the second incorporates an 'auto' mode that can instantly shuttle torque where it's needed, should wheel spin be detected. Each of these four-wheel drive systems comes with low-range gearing suitable for off-road driving.

6. The 2015 Ram 1500 Posts Practical Towing And Hauling Numbers

Towing is one of the most common tasks asked of full-size pickups, and the 2015 Ram 1500 doesn't disappoint in this area. If you stick with the 3.6-liter V-6 version of the Ram, you benefit from a very usable 7,600 lbs of trailer capacity. Upgrade to the Hemi V-8 and you're looking at a whopping 10,500 lbs. The EcoDiesel model splits the difference by posting a rating of just over 9,000 lbs. Payload capacity for the truck doesn't just depend on the engine that is selected, but also which body style you bring home: you're looking at a range between 1,500 lbs and close to 1,800 lbs that can be carted along in the Ram's bed.

7. The 2015 Ram 1500 Is Sold In Over 10 Trim Levels

As mentioned at the beginning of this 10 things round-up, there are a panoply of trim levels now available with the 2015 Ram 1500 - more than 10, in fact, once you start counting all of the special packages, models, and editions that litter showrooms. To keep your head from spinning, we're going to take a look at the top and bottom of the Ram 1500 line-up to give you an idea of what is encompassed by its options sheet. 

The entry-level Ram 1500 Tradesman offers a bedliner, vinyl floors and seats, cruise control, a basic stereo system, a locking tailgate, 17-inch steel wheels, a Class IV trailer hitch with wiring harness, basic black exterior trim and bumpers, air conditioning, and a front bench seat. In contrast, the Ram 1500 Laramie Limited upgrades to high end leather throughout the cabin, keyless entry and ignition, a unique paint scheme, an air suspension system, a navigation system, heated seats front and rear, parking assistance, surround sound audio, 20-inch chrome rims, wood trim, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and the Uconnect 8.4 infotainment system.

8. The 2015 Ram 1500 Introduces A New R/T Trim

New for the 2015 Ram 1500 is the R/T trim level. Essentially, Ram has taken the features available with the 1500 Sport - a dual exhaust system, Hemi V-8, power-folding mirrors, LED tail lights, heated front captain's chairs, a driver's display, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, the Uconnect 8.4 infotainment system, a rearview camera, and power-adjustable pedals - and created a special model just for Regular cabs. The Regular cab Ram 1500 R/T takes all of the above equipment and adds 22-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential to assist with traction, special badging and blacked-out grille, a more aggressive hood, and a six-foot, four-inch cargo bed.

9. The 2015 Ram 1500 Is Light On Active Safety

One area where the 2015 Ram 1500 comes off a little light is when considering its suite of active safety features. Actually, aside from parking assistance, there really isn't anything available with the Ram 1500 that falls under this heading: no blind spot monitoring system, no lane keeping system, and no forward collision warning feature. You do get a full complement of airbags, plus Ram's electronic traction control and stability control systems, but you'll have to look elsewhere - such as in the Ford F-150 - for more advanced safety equipment.

10. The 2015 Ram 1500 Runs The Pricing Gamut

There are few vehicles out there that offer the same wide range of prices as full-size pickups, and the 2015 Ram 1500 is no exception. The Regular cab Ram 1500 Tradesman with a V-6 engine and two-wheel drive starts at a very reasonable MRSP of $25,660 (with a $1,150 premium for V-8 power). The mid-range Ram 1500 Sport makes V-8 power - and a lot of other features - standard for an MSRP of $35,705, while the least-expensive EcoDiesel model, the Tradesman HFE, will run you $37,200. Finally, at the top of the Ram 1500 line-up is the Laramie Limited, which bundles all of its luxury together for $49,680, or roughly double the 1500's starting MSRP.