RAM 2500 Laramie 4x4 2016 new truck review
Big American trucks from Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler have a loyal following in New Zealand.
Big American trucks from Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler have a loyal following in New Zealand, reflected by the number of local engineering specialists who convert such vehicles from left to right-hand-drive, for local consumption.
Now fully-factory backed RAM 2500 and RAM 3500 double cab trucks, which are remanufactured to OEM standards in Australia, are available from authorised Fiat Chrysler dealers in New Zealand.
The journey began more than two years ago, and we were one of the first media outlets to experience the RAM 2500 Laramie on New Zealand roads and were pleasantly surprised at the pleasant driving dynamics of this 6m long, 1.97m high, 2m wide vehicle.
In the motherland, the RAM 2500 is referred to as a 3/4 ton truck, while the RAM 3500 is a one-ton truck, and you guessed it, a RAM 1500 is a called a 1/2 ton truck, which refers to the payload capability of the truck's bed.
In metric, the RAM 2500 has a 917kg payload capacity while it's sibling the RAM 3500 offers a 1713kg payload in its bed, thanks to an even more heavy-duty Hotchkiss rear suspension package.
Laramie luxury
Our review vehicle here is RAM 2500 4x4 Crew Cab in the luxurious Laramie trim, which offers such niceties as powered, ventilated and heated leather seats for the driver and front passenger, heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate air conditioning, and a power sunroof.
There is a small middle bench seat in the front cabin with a lap belt, which is suitable for a small child if needed, but we preferred to keep it folded down and access the central storage unit within, as well as the three cupholders!
The Laramie specification also includes a rear power sliding window, tilt steering column, power-adjustable foot pedals, an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, split-folding rear seats with under-seat storage and a 240-volt 100W inverter auxiliary power outlet.
If ever you find yourself stranded somewhere without accommodation, the back seat inside the Laramie 2500 folds down and out into a bed for the night.
There's also a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, Bluetooth with voice command, steering wheel mounted audio controls, keyless entry and go, two rear cameras, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and Uconnect navigation.
Tough not rough
Externally the RAM 2500 Laramie offers a locking tailgate; power-folding heated side mirrors with a memory function, wheel to wheel side steps, 18-inch polished alloy wheels, a heavy-duty spray in bed liner, and automatic rain-sensitive wipers.
Other useful features include the front and rear parking sensors, and a twin camera setup that lets you see what's in the bed of the truck, as well as what is behind the tailgate when reversing into tight spaces.
For such a big vehicle with a kerb weight of 3577kg and a GVM of 4490kg, it drives very nicely when unladen, thanks to the 1084 Newton metres of torque provided by the 276kW 6.7-litre inline six-cylinder Cummins turbo diesel unit, and the five-link coil sprung rear axle
Class 2 required
Towing with the RAM 2500 Laramie 4x4 will require the driver to have a Class 2 licence as the gross combined mass of this vehicle and a trailer will exceed 6500kg.
The Laramie 2500 4x4 has a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg using a 50mm tow ball, or a 4500kg maximum braked towing capacity using a 70mm tow ball, or a 6989kg maximum braked towing capacity using a pintle connection.
This ability means that the vehicle's gross combined mass (GCM) with 3.5 tonnes on tow is 7990kg, and with 4.5 tonnes on tow, the GCM is 8990kg. If towing 6989kg with a pintle connection then the GCM is a whopping 11,479kg.
The heavy-duty spray lined tray is 1939mm long, or six-foot-four in the old parlance, and it has a width between the wheel arches of 1295mm, so thanks to a depth of 511mm, it will easily swallow two standard Kiwi pallets, with plenty of tie down points to secure them
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The RAM 2500’s huge dimensions and enormous hauling ability demand respect from the person behind the wheel; it's a big truck with a powerful engine, and while it has car-like comfort, it's not car-like to drive. Unladen in wet conditions it will waggle its tail if you accelerate too briskly off the line, and no amount of ESC and traction control will save you from stupidity.
The six-cylinder Cummins engine pushes out that more than 1000Nm of torque at 1600 rpm, so pushing the accelerator gently rather than planting the boot hard to the firewall is the order of the day.
Because of its size, just like any other truck, most inner-city parking buildings are off-limits, but at least you can legally use loading zones, albeit briefly. Another bonus, you theoretically can use transit lanes earmarked for trucks.
Conclusion
The RAM 2500 Laramie 4x4 is ideally suited to the needs of rural dwellers such as farmers, foresters, rural contractors and the equine market, because of its blend of car-like comfort with heavy-duty towing capacity.
Unfortunately, we can see thanks to its large dimensions which are a songwriters dream, that it will more likely become a promotional vehicle for rock music radio stations, fitness equipment and protein shake distributors, as well as the carry-all for boutique microbreweries, or liquor distributors.
Let’s hope their staff members are up to the not-so-easy task of parking it in the urban jungle.
Price: $163,000, including GST
Note: this was reviewed as a new vehicle.
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