Dodge's Living Room on Wheels

The RAM 2500 offers everything big: luxuries galore, comfort for the whole family, massive power -- and a hefty price tag

by Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Huge interior space, comfort

The Bad: Price, gas mileage

The Bottom Line: Among big pickup trucks, this is the luxury liner

Reader Reviews

The other evening I went out to the driveway, revved up the Dodge RAM 2500 pickup truck I've been test-driving, hopped into the back seat, and popped a Bourne Identity DVD into the entertainment system (a $1,200 option). This truck has a roomier rear seat than any other vehicle I've ever been in except a London taxi, so I could slouch down and really stretch my legs. The cordless earphones shut out everything but the movie. It didn't feel all that different from relaxing in my living room, except the video screen in the truck is a lot smaller than a TV.

Having a cab with the size and creature comforts of a small living room constitutes the main selling point of the new 2006 Mega Cab versions of Dodge RAM trucks. The four-door passenger compartment measures an enormous 111 inches in length (a foot longer than the one on the Ford F250, the model I'd considered first) and has 143 cubic feet of space inside. Unlike a London cab, the car doesn't have room enough for rear jump seats, but even with the front seats back as far as they could go, I had a good six inches of unused space in front of my knees when I sat in the back seat.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY.

With the rear seats folded down, there's 72.2 cubic feet of cargo space in this truck's cab -- three times as much as the trunks of many luxury sedans offer. And that doesn't even include the open cargo space in the 75-inch-long truck bed out back.

All that space may make the RAM 2500 the truck of choice for weekenders with families who need a pickup truck for hauling a boat or trailer. Full-size pickup trucks traditionally come in three sizes: half-ton (meaning the vehicle has the springs, chassis, and bed needed to handle a 1,000-pound load), three-quarter ton (1,500 pounds), and one-ton (2,000 pounds), which in the Dodge lineup corresponds to the RAM 1500, 2500, and 3500.

But these days many buyers concern themselves less with how much heavy junk the truck's bed can hold than about how much weight the truck can safely tow while also keeping the family comfortable and amused during long drives. The Mega Cab RAM 2500 excels at those tasks.

TERRIFIC TOWING.

So far, at least, DaimlerChrysler (DCX) says the concept is looking like a hit, despite high fuel prices. The company says its sales of Mega Cab pickups totaled 2,216 in January, 10% of total RAM sales for the month, and 3,613 in February, or 12% of total RAM sales. The company is projecting Mega Cab sales will jump to 4,980 in March.

The appeal of the Mega Cab is clear. For starters, the 2500 has a maximum towing capacity of 13,750 pounds -- enough to tow a four-horse trailer or a 34-foot Airstream. The 1500 (which can tow a maximum of 9,100 pounds) will suffice for many buyers, but if you're hauling the big stuff behind you, you'll want the 2500.

This power and convenience comes at a price, of course. With the Mega Cab, the RAM 2500 starts at $35,065 with two-wheel drive -- and $38,180 with four-wheel drive (subtract $2,000 if you buy now, because Dodge is offering a cash rebate until Mar. 31).

STEEP HILLS? NO SWEAT.

If you live in the snowbelt, you'll want the 4x4. Like most pickup trucks, the 2500 doesn't do well in snow without it because there's not enough weight over the rear wheels unless you're carrying a load. If you like off-road driving, you can choose a Power Wagon version of the truck with special suspension tuning, 33-inch tires, and a 12,000-pound winch in case you get stuck.

The 2500 also has an engine to match the RAM's macho looks. It comes standard with the same huge engine the RAM 1500 has -- a 5.7-liter, 345-horsepower Hemi V-8 that generates 375 pound-feet of torque. But for an extra $5,555, the 2500 can include an optional 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine that generates 610 pound-feet of torque. What that level of torque means in plain language is that if you happen to get stuck in traffic going up a steep hill towing anything lighter than the Empire State building, you're not going to have much trouble taking off again from a dead stop.