The Dodge Ram has a pleasant ride quality, even when empty. Like all full-size pickups, it rides better with a some weight in the bed. New shear-type body mounts on 2006 models isolate the passenger compartment from vibrations that reach the frame. (These mounts consist of two concentric tubes: one bolted to the frame, the other bolted to the body structure, with internal steel reinforcements and rubber bonded in between. Dodge claims they provide direction-specific response, as well as a quiet cabin and comfortable ride.) Also new for '06 are laminated front-door glass, improved door seals, and extensive use of Polymer Constraint Layer (PCL) sound insulation. Dodge says this all results in a significant 5 decibel reduction in sound level in the cabin. Our impressions of a 2006 Sport model support this claim.Ram's rigid chassis minimizes road vibration. The new frame on 2006 models is fully boxed and, like the old one, is hydroformed. (Instead of having to weld a bunch of straight pieces together, hydroforming uses ultra-high water pressure to force the metal into shape.) This highly rigid frame is a key component to the ride and handling of the Ram. It allowed Dodge engineers to redesign the Ram suspension and tune it precisely, without having to work around a lot of chassis flex. Rack-and-pinion steering sharpens handling, and a new steering rack for '06 provides more precise steering feel. Big 17-inch wheels are standard. The result overall is that the Ram offers responsive handling, a comfortable ride, and a general feeling of tightness.
The Ram is a big truck and on narrow roads it feels big and tall, with broad fenders that seem to fill small country roads. The ride height of the Ram adds to this sensation. It's sometimes difficult to be sure exactly where your fenders are because you can't see them, so it's not the best vehicle for the timid. In this regard, the Ram is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the 2006 Toyota Tundra, which feels small and nimble by comparison. Quad Cab models add 20 inches to the wheelbase and a long bed adds another 20 inches, so a Quad Cab long bed is a long truck, riding on a 160.5-inch wheelbase. It's long on roominess and utility, but not the easiest to turn around.
That said, the Ram handles reasonably well and powers through or over just about anything, even when the tires aren't always precisely where you intended to place them. Springs, jounce bumpers, and bushings are all re-tuned to provide better handling for '06, and all models now feature monotube shocks for more precise control of body motions. Additionally, 4WD Rams now ride on a new coil-over-shock front suspension, replacing last year's torsion bars. (In general, torsion bars absorb hard impacts better than coil springs, but are harder to tune for smooth, progressive action.)
All Rams come standard with big four-wheel disc brakes that are smooth and easy to modulate.
As mentioned, a choice of engines is available for the Ram. The 4.7-liter V8 was until recently the most popular choice among Ram customers, but in 2005 it was surpassed in sales by the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which is now ordered in nearly half the Rams that Dodge makes. In the three years since its debut, Chrysler has produced more than 1 million Hemi-powered vehicles and it's no wonder that the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 has become the Ram's most popular engine choice. Fire up the Hemi, let it idle, and it burbles like the good old American V8 it is, recollecting the sound of a mid-'60s muscle car. Yet in spite of the Hemi name's long heritage, there's nothing old or outdated about this engine. The first Chrysler Hemi was decades ahead of its time in 1951; half a century later, most state-of-the-art, multi-valve, multi-camshaft engines use some variation on its hemispherical combustion chamber. Chrysler totally reengineered the Hemi in 1964, stretched it to 7.0 liters, and saw its legend soar to new heights. The current, 5.7-liter Hemi was all-new when it appeared in 2003, sharing its basic layout, but no actual hardware, with its illustrious ancestors. Although technically a traditional pushrod design with its camshaft in the block, the Hemi's head geometry is more like that of a multiple-overhead-cam engine and features twin spark plugs, direct ignition, and electronic throttle control. It's a thoroughly modern engine.
For 2006, the Hemi features Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System (MDS), which can deactivate four of the Hemi's eight cylinders in less than 40 milliseconds, for as much as a 20 percent gain in real-world fuel economy. The switch from eight cylinders to four and back to eight again is completely invisible to the driver; we had no sense of it. The Hemi's peak power and torque ratings remain unchanged, at 345 horsepower at 5400 rpm and 375 pound-feet of at 4200.
The Hemi is an inherently efficient design. Its dome-shaped combustion chambers naturally retain heat; provide a short, fast path for the combustion flame; and breathe easily with lots of surface area available for large valves. From their beginnings, Chrysler Hemis have achieved the holy grail of increased power with improved fuel economy; until recently, however, relatively cheap gasoline favored less efficient engines that cost less to manufacture. Weight and sheer physical bulk also militated against the earlier Hemis, but this latest design seems to address those problems.
Chrysler engineers revived the Hemi a few years ago when they were researching ways to gain power and fuel efficiency while reducing emissions, objectives that often run counter to one another. While studying some older powertrain designs, Dodge engineers rediscovered that swirling the fuel-air mixture around a hemispherical combustion chamber results in a clean, efficient burn.
Today's Hemi comes with a modern five-speed automatic transmission that adds to its responsiveness and flexibility. Punch it and you know you've got a Hemi under the hood. A properly equipped Hemi increases the Ram's towing capacity to 9,100 pounds. The Hemi gets an impressive 14/18 mpg with 2WD.
The overhead-cam 4.7-liter V8 delivers responsive performance, though it doesn't offer the trailer-towing torque of the 5.7-liter. Equipped with the 4.7-liter, the Ram feels eager around town and on winding roads. It accelerates quickly onto freeways and has no trouble powering up grades. This is a smooth, sophisticated engine that always feels ready to go. Because of its overhead-cam design, it is smaller and more efficient than the overhead-valve engine it replaced. It also achieves good fuel efficiency (14/19 mpg with 2WD). It revs higher than an overhead-valve engine and generates 235 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. The 4.7-liter V8 feels smooth and refined, emitting a pleasant American burble while underway. We really liked it. The optional five-speed automatic is more responsive than four-speed automatics.
The 3.7-liter overhead-cam V6 is smooth and works well with the manual six-speed gearbox. If you don't live in the mountains where long grades and high altitudes conspire against you, then it may offer enough power in a light-duty truck. It's not a good choice for pulling trailers or hauling heavy loads. The V6 was upgraded for '05 for a smoother idle, improved fuel efficiency and more low-end torque. For '06, a new variable-line-pressure (VLP) automatic transmission improves fuel economy further and provides smoother shifts between gears. The V6 develops 215 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, and is rated 16/21 mpg with manual transmission, 15/21 with automatic.
Trailer towing capacities range from 2,900 pounds for a 3.7-liter V6 Quad Cab with 2WD and manual transmission to 9,100 pounds for a 2WD Regular Cab with a Hemi. A 4WD Quad Cab with the 4.7-liter and automatic transmission is rated to pull a 7,000-pound trailer with the 3.92 rear axle ratio. The available 20-inch wheels reduce towing capacity by about 1,000 pounds. Payloads range from 1,200 pounds to 1,750 pounds. In short, if you tow or haul, compare these capacities before selecting a model. On automatic Rams, a Tow/Haul mode for the transmission provides crisper shifts and reduces gear searching for reduced heat buildup when towing.
Four-wheel-drive models use a part-time transfer case that can be shifted electrically from two-wheel drive without stopping. Shifting into 4WD High locks the center differential. Shifting down to low range provides superior traction in extreme conditions.
A full-time four-wheel-drive system is also available. Under normal driving conditions, the full-time system delivers 48 percent of the torque to the front wheels and 52 percent to the rear wheels. It's an excellent choice for icy conditions, gravel roads, or any situation that presents inconsistent grip. This system includes a locking transfer case that features 4WD High and Low modes.
A limited-slip rear differential is available and we recommend it for drivers who intend to go off road. A Protection Group includes tow hooks plus skid plates for the front suspension and transfer case. Automatic Rams are available with a standard 3.55 axle ratio, or a numerically higher 3.92 ratio, which is better for towing and off-road driving. Some manual transmission models come with a 3.21 ratio for maximum economy.
Then there's the SRT-10. The Ram SRT-10 was engineered by Chrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO), and uses the Viper's 500-horsepower V10 and six-speed Tremec T56 gearbox. Dodge set out to build the fastest truck on the planet and they outdid themselves. The handling and brakes are stunning for a 5,100-pound pickup truck. Dodge let a hot-rodder who knows what he's doing design the suspension, and boy does it show. And what can you say about a 505-cubic-inch V10 with 525 pound-feet of torque? It never stops whumpin'.
At a little better than half the price ($47,605 vs. $81,895), the SRT-10 is in some ways more fun to drive than the Viper because it's slower: The truck does 0-60 in 5.3 seconds against the Viper's 3.9, thanks to the sports car's lighter weight (at 3,410 pounds). The Viper is so fast that you find yourself speeding on the freeway before you get out of third gear. With the SRT-10 you get more chances to hammer it, and use that great gearbox with its smooth Hurst shifter. An automatic SRT-10 tows a surprising 8150 pounds, although Dodge doesn't even list a payload for it; presumably, stuff isn't what the SRT-10 is designed to haul.
We put about 500 miles on an SRT-10 Regular Cab. The remote Texas two-lane blacktop roads were bumpy and narrow under the truck's massive 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion PZero Asimmetrico tires mounted on beautiful aluminum wheels made in Italy. There were lots of fast sweepers, followed by braking and downshifting hard from fourth gear to second. Even without drive-by-wire, the throttle response makes heel-and-toe downshifting a piece of cake on the drilled aluminum pedals. The huge brakes, with 15-inch rotors and twin-piston calipers in front, took the abuse in stride. Single-lane turns, down in a dip over a cattle guard, and smoking the tires coming out. Yee haw! There's a limited-slip differential, but no electronic traction control. Controlling traction is not the object of a truck like this.
The engine's efficient compression braking snaps your head forward when you back off the throttle at higher rpm, so indecisive driving is punished, as it should be. You have to know your line and make good decisions in advance, and not change your mind and suddenly get off the gas. Without self-discipline behind the wheel, it's easy to drive into corners too fast.
PVO engineers spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel tweaking the truck's aerodynamics. The slick rear wing isn't for show, it's necessary; this is a 150-mph truck, after all. Like a racing wing, it adds stability by reducing lift while cutting drag. There's a lot of attention to aerodynamic detail, for example the splitter in the front air dam, using things they learned in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck series. Dodge says the SRT-10 handles like a sports car, but no, it handles like a NASCAR road racer, only better.
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