So while my van’s in for the hood replacement I was given a 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn for a loaner. With just 5,500 miles on the clock, it’s like brand new yet.
It’s a crew cab 4x4, so a “big” truck, but it drives and handles like a much smaller vehicle.
The ride is stiff, yet smooth.
The handling is extremely quick, yet it seems well composed and even offers some decent feedback.
Performance is impressive, but restrained.
Economy is a joke at best.
The exterior styling is lackluster IMO, the chrome grille overbearing and the body lacking any real distinction. That being said, it easily flies under the radar with it’s generic styling.
The interior is where it really shines, well appointed with quality feeling materials. Steering wheel buttons are well laid out to keep your hands on the wonderful leather wrapped wheel while all major controls are well in reach. The seats are comfortable and supportive, with the heated seat being a godsend on my back this week. Plenty of storage compartments and loads of rear seat room, even when sitting behind my 6'2" BIL. All the seats are equally comfortable and excellent at eating up miles. Most would find the touchscreen impressive, I’ll admit it’s better than most, but I find it annoying and distracting. That being said, it seems well laid out and has tangible buttons for those like me.
Photo: Stock Photos, sorry
Ride is quiet and smooth. It’s stiff without being harsh and feels excellent eating up our lackluster roads around here. As I stated earlier, the handling is quick and responsive with some decent feedback, while feeling well sorted and composed. Sports car, no. But it is perfectly fine for tossing some corners on the way home.
The 5.7 Hemi/8-speed feels damn good in here. It feels perfectly suited cruising down the highway as it does when you call on all 410hp/395ft-lbs. Said power is more than enough to get you up to far past legal speed, all the while carrying a big grin on your face. The 8-speed feels well sorted and reacts quickly when called upon.
Economy however I find laughable considering. I’ve maxed 21 mpg cruising on the highway and since refueling and resetting, have netted 16.3 mpg in my normal mixed driving.
For comparison, I average 22.5 mpg hwy and 18.2 mpg mixed from my Grandpa’s 250k mile 06 Ram 1500 crew cab V8 4x4.
Hence why I say laughable considering it has cylinder deactivation, better aero, 4 extra gears, and weighs 100 lbs less.
Being a step above “base” model, the interior really impresses with it’s quality and comfort, the driving dynamics are well suited for daily duty while being tough enough for truck stuff. While I wish the economy and styling were better (and we’d do away with these stupid touchscreens), its on par with other 1/2 tons these days.
Apparently my camera needs a charge, so stock pics will have to suffice.