REVIEWS: 2009 Dodge Ram 1500

MILEAGE: 37,591

In the days and weeks leading up to April 30, 2009, Chrysler executives and their government shepherds scrambled to create a future for America's ailing third-largest automaker. Since Chrysler spent the last decade building products that often were mediocre at best, it was difficult to imagine the company succeeding in a more competitive, lower-volume market. Yet the Dodge Ram that arrived at our office just a month prior to Chrysler's declared bankruptcy didn't offer a single clue that it was born to a family in utter disarray. Quite the opposite, in fact. In dramatic contrast to the vehicles we'd come to expect from Auburn Hills, the Ram wowed us the day it showed up and continued to impress us until the day it left.

The inferno red Ram in our garage boasted sharp new sheetmetal, a pleasant cabin, and one significant segment-defying innovation. Priced at $52,230, our four-wheel-drive Laramie crew cab was loaded with practically every available option. The result was a truck that had more in common with a premium SUV than with a typical pickup. Both front- and back-seat passengers could be excused if they thought they were riding in a luxury car. There was a stitched faux-leather dash, heated and ventilated front buckets, heated rear seats, and an entertainment system with satellite TV. During Michigan's cold months, drivers gushed about the remote starter, which also gives the heated steering wheel and seats a head start. But it's not just the equipment that impressed us. Credit much of the panache to an interior that boasts better materials, higher finish quality, a quieter ride, and friendly ergonomics. "The interior vaults from worst to first," declared senior editor Joe Lorio. "Design and execution are very impressive. It's frankly incredible for a Chrysler product."

It's a task, though, getting into and out of the Ram due to its skyscraper stance. That's a problem that afflicts all full-size pickups these days, but without running boards on our test truck, entry was particularly strenuous. "The climb up is a drag, and the lift up for loading is a larger drag," said technical editor Don Sherman. "Since there are no off-road pretenses here, why build the chassis at mezzanine height? Automakers are afraid a low-riding large truck is too wimpy looking. That's a pity."

The Ram's measurements are expansive in the other two dimensions as well, often necessitating three-point turns in parking lots and garages. When it came to hooking up trailers or backing into tight spaces, we lamented not ordering the $200 backup camera. We tried to compensate with an aftermarket unit from Peak, but the fuzzy screen was quickly and permanently dumped in the deep center console. Several editors also complained about the view forward at night, noting that the halogen headlamps were inadequate on rural roads, even with the high beams on.