Our Ram 1500 was fitted with the 5.9-liter V8 and 4-speed automatic transmission. This engine has a ton of torque and a broad power band, which makes it a great deal of fun to drive. This is a great engine for heavy-duty use, the best choice if you need to pull a trailer, but don't want the diesel or the higher fuel bills generated by the V10.A V8 pickup truck is great fun for cruising. Passing is effortless. The manual transmission can add flexibility in off-road situations, but we recommend the automatic for street use. The low-end torque of the engine and the low gearing in first and second gears make it easy to get around in all driving situations.
Front suspension on a Ram is a coil spring setup with four leading arms, a track bar and a stabilizer bar to keep the front axle assembly located fore and aft and side to side. Rear suspension is a conventional live axle with leaf springs designed to carry heavy loads. The suspension in our 1500 model was smooth and quiet on the street, aided by big, soft Goodyear tires. The Dodge V8 pickup truck has for years had a special kind of presence on the street, and the Ram backs up that presence with excellent street manners and ride.
Steering revisions that were new last year make steering much more precise than earlier models. Steering in the earlier Rams was light and quick, but had a lot of dead space on-center and seemed to require constant left-right adjustments.
Braking, with discs in front, drums in rear, is exemplary. The Ram stops quickly with superb straight-line stability. The brakes feature dual-piston front disc brake calipers and a more responsive brake booster for improved braking performance.
Though highly competent, the 2001 Dodge Ram does not offer the ride sophistication of the latest full-size pickups from General Motors.
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