Dodge Ram: A Comprehensive Comparison Of The 1500 And 2500

Dodge Ram: A Comprehensive Comparison Of The 1500 And 2500

Dodge Ram: A Comprehensive Comparison Of The 1500 And 2500
  • Red Ram 1500
    2024 Ram 1500

    Expert Opinion: 2024 is the final mannequin yr for the present gen Ram truck, with a radical replace due subsequent yr, however it’s nonetheless one of the best general full-size pickup available on the market. With a easy experience, nice dealing with, and highly effective engine choices, it additionally gives unprecedented luxurious on a truck with all the mandatory towing and hauling capabilities to get the job performed.

    Pros

    • Handles like a luxurious sedan
    • Lavish inside
    • Fun efficiency choices
    Cons

    • Untested hybrid engine
    • Less towing capability
    • Top trims are costly
  • Red 2024 Ram HD 2500 off-road
    2024 Ram 2500

    Expert Opinion: The 2024 Ram 2500 is unchanged from the superb workhorse of the earlier yr, which is sweet as a result of if it ain’t broke, do not repair it. With extra luxurious than a heavy-duty truck ought to include, and a few awe-inspiring energy choices, it is without doubt one of the greatest available on the market. The solely draw back is that it could actually get costly unlocking the total potential of energy and capabilities.

    Pros

    • Best base mannequin engine
    • Maximum towing capability
    • Heavy-duty luxurious
    Cons

    • Eats gasoline for breakfast
    • Hard to discover a parking spot
    • Top trims are expensive

Summary

  • Ram 1500 is without doubt one of the greatest general full-size pickups available on the market, providing luxurious, towing, and hauling capabilities.
  • Ram 2500 is a robust workhorse with luxurious options, however unlocking its full potential can get costly.
  • 1500 has quite a lot of engine choices, together with a hybrid, whereas 2500 gives a dependable Hemi V-8 and Cummins turbo diesel.

Comparing the Ram 1500 to the Ram HD 2500 is sort of like pitting King Kong towards Godzilla: each are mighty beasts, however one is larger, stronger, and spits extra hearth. A 1962 film, in addition to a 2021 reboot, put these two legendary monsters in fight, which made it look like a detailed battle. In actuality, or as a lot actuality as a monster film may be, Godzilla is the King of the Monsters, and the 2500, the 3500, and 4500 make up the lineup for Ram Heavy-Duty trucks.

It’s not a good comparability to run a 1500 full-size and a 2500 heavy-duty side-by-side, as a result of they don’t seem to be in the identical class. They do, nevertheless, have crossover attraction and customers are mulling over which one to decide on. It’s inconceivable to say one truck is healthier than the opposite, with the selection coming all the way down to wants. Most folks do not want any extra pickup than a 1500, however some need to tow heavier issues or just need the added off-road capabilities of the 2500.

Both the 2024 Ram 1500 and 2500 are unchanged from the earlier mannequin yr, so they’re simply as superb as they’ve all the time been. Ram Trucks is scheduled to revamp its truck lineup subsequent yr, which may imply their pickups might be costlier, probably wimpier, or possibly even weirder. The finish of a car technology is all the time a good time to snap one up as a result of all of the kinks have been labored out and it guarantees to be a stable buy.

  • 2024 Ram 1500 2024 Ram 2500
    Model 2024 Ram 1500 2024 Ram 2500
    Engine: 3.6-liter gasoline/electrical V-6 6.4-liter Hemi V-8
    Torque 269 pound-feet 429 pound-feet
    Transmission Eight-speed computerized Eight-speed computerized
    Driveline Rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive
    MSRP $41,415 $48,735
    Towing Capacity 7,760 kilos 15,620 kilos
    Payload Capacity 2,321 kilos 3,999 kilos
    Horsepower 305 horsepower 410 Horsepower

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To deliver you probably the most up-to-date and correct comparability attainable, we have relied on data sourced from Ram, Fueleconomy.gov, NHTSA, IIHS, and hands-on expertise. For data concerning our rating and grading procedures, please seek advice from our methodology coverage.

Performance And Capability

A shot of the 5.7 liter V-8 Hemi engine with the eTorque system
RAM

The base-model 1500 Tradesman comes normal with an odd V-6 pseudo-hybrid gasoline/electrical engine that even Ram can’t quite explain. Not a hybrid within the conventional sense, it is an electrical motor connected to the gasoline engine that allegedly boosts the horsepower. The Ram 2500 entry-level truck, then again, has a robust 6.4-liter V-8 below the hood, so there is no weirdness to determine.

The hybrid V-6 of the 1500 is sufficiently highly effective sufficient for many functions, however they do provide some significantly better engine choices. There is a hybrid “eTorque” 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, and in keeping with Car and Driver a daily Hemi V-8, with out the electrical help. Then, after all, the TRX comes packing a 702 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8 that the majority consumers would select if they might afford it.

The engine choices for the 2500 are much less plentiful, with the one different being a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel 1-6. There are two variations of the Cummins inline-six: one which makes 370 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque and a beefier 400 horsepower model that cranks out 1075 pound-feet of torque. The latter of these two is barely obtainable on the 3500 vehicles, however there needs to be a vendor on the market prepared to swap for the correct value.

Full Performance Specifications

Vehicle

Ram 1500

Ram HD 2500

Engine

V-6

V-8

Displacement

3.6-liter

6.4-liter

Fuel

Gas/electrical

Gas

Power

305 horsepower

410 horsepower

Torque

269 pound-feet

429 pound-feet

Transmission

Eight-speed computerized

Eight-speed computerized

Drivetrain

Rear-wheel drive

Rear-wheel drive

(Sourced from RAM Trucks)

The gasoline/electrical engines are new expertise and could also be completely high-quality, or they could possibly be a catastrophe ready to occur. Car and Driver describe the 1500 hybrid system as “weak-sauce”, so choosing the conventional Hemi might be one of the best guess. With the 2500, both engine will do because the Hemi and Cummins are confirmed workhorses that can ship almost a lifetime of service and energy.

Fuel Economy

Nobody buys a full-size truck, and positively not a heavy-duty, anticipating Toyota Prius gasoline mileage. That being stated, the 1500 does alright with 25 mpg on the freeway. The 2500 is a industrial car and the EPA does not price gasoline economic system for rides that large, however a Car and Driver test yielded an 18 mpg outcome on the freeway, which ain’t unhealthy for the heavy-duty beast.

Model

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Engine

3.6-liter V-6

6.4-liter V-8

City

20 mpg

N/A

Highway

25 mpg

N/A

Combined

22 mpg

N/A

(Gas Mileage Figures Sourced From The EPA)

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Ram 1500 Vs. Ram 2500 Towing And Off-Road Capability

Ram 1500 tows a boat
Ram

Ram touts the 1500 as having the “best-in-class max hybrid towing capacity,” which can be true, however the 7,760 kilos of towing with the three.6-liter engine is far less than other full-size trucks from Chevrolet, Ford, and GMC. Equipped with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, nevertheless, ups the towing capability to 12,750 kilos, which isn’t solely respectable however fairly good for the category.

The Ram 2500 has no points with base-model engine towing capability because the 6.4-liter V-8 can haul as much as 15,620 kilos behind any truck it’s outfitted in. With the 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel put in, the 2500 is able to towing 19,990 kilos, which implies it could actually pull effectively over thrice its weight.

Towing And Payload Capacities

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Payload

2,321 lbs.

3,999 lbs.

Towing Capacity

7,760 lbs.

15,620 lbs.

Off-Road Capability

Ram 2500 Power Wagon
Ram

Four-wheel drive is an obtainable choice on all 2024 Ram 1500 trims, however the Rebel is the devoted off-road celebrity package deal of the line-up. With a one-inch elevate, monotube dampers, and skid plates aplenty, the Rebel delivers efficiency and luxury on any uneven floor. It’s additionally the one 1500 that comes normal with 18-inch aluminum wheels and 33-inch all-terrain knobby tires.

The 2500 off-road trim is the Power Wagon, which is an homage to the legendary Dodge truck that helped win WWII. The Power Wagon trim is barely obtainable in 4×4 and comes solely with the 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. It has all the pieces the 1500 Rebel comes outfitted with however in an even bigger and extra highly effective package deal. Choosing between the 1500 and the 2500 comes all the way down to what number of vehicles an individual needs to drive up the facet of a mountain.

Off-Road Specifications

Vehicle

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Approach Angle

19 levels

26.6 levels

Breakover Angle

20.0 levels

21.8 levels

Departure Angle

25 levels

26.0 levels

Ground Clearance

8.2 inches

11.1 inches

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Interior Design And Technology

For 2024, the Ram 1500 solely comes with a four-door crew cab setup. The 1500’s spacious interior is also luxurious, with all-leather trim choices and fashionable actual wooden accents. There are handy further storage areas all around the inside, and the rear seats fold flat for much more cargo room. Luxury add-ons like heated, ventilated seats and a panoramic sunroof, make the 1500 a complicated off-road efficiency beast.

The 2500 additionally comes with the crew cab however provides a Mega Cab, which, because the identify would counsel, is roomier. Cavernous might be a greater phrase for the quantity of inside house obtainable within the 2500 as it’s one thing like a bus or RV with a truck mattress. As for the facilities, the 2500 matches the 1500 in luxurious, fashion, and comfort.

Ram 1500 Vs. Ram 2500 Technology Comparison

Ram 1500 dash
Ram

The Ram’s legendary superior infotainment system continues into 2024, with both an 8.4-inch or 12-inch touchscreen. It is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto suitable, inside an affordable package deal that does not flip the complete dashboard into an enormous, distracting film display screen. There can be a charging station with 5 USB ports and three 115-volt retailers, that may cost and run any instrument with a plug.

Ram 2500 interior
Ram

The 2500 has the identical nice RAM infotainment system that gives navigation and acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Like its smaller cousin, the 2500 additionally comes non-compulsory with a 17-speaker, 900-watt Harman Kardon premium sound system, as a result of the heavy-duty truck is an enviornment on wheels and folk within the low-cost seats want to listen to the music too.

Interior Room And Cargo Capacity

Cargo Box 2024 Ram HD 2500
Ram

Both the 1500 and the 2500 function locking storage bins within the truck mattress partitions, making use of house that has been wasted for too lengthy. Only the 1500, nevertheless, has the distinctive cut up tailgate that may both swing open like a set of barn doorways or open flat like a conventional gate. When it involves truck mattress quantity, the 2500 has the largest field of the 2, although there’s nothing incorrect with the house of the 1500.

Cargo Space Comparison

Vehicle

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Short Bed

67.4 inches

N/A

Standard Bed

76.3 inches

76.3 inches

Long Bed

N/A

98.3 inches

Bed Height

21.5 inches

20.2 inches

Bed Width

66.4 inches

66.4 inches

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Safety And Reliability

In phrases of security, each the 1500 and 2500 are tops of their class. They are each huge vehicles that weigh tons, so they’re going to win in any collision, which isn’t a sport, however a truth. Each of the pickups earned the identical star rankings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, however for some purpose, the 1500 acquired a 5 out of 5 general score, whereas the 2500 acquired 4 out of 5. Either means, each vehicles are solidly secure autos.

Ram 1500 Safety

A crash check video for the Ram 1500 will not be but obtainable.

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

Overall Rating

5 out of 5

Overall Front Crash Rating

4 out of 5

Overall Side Crash Rating

5 out of 5

Rollover Rating

4 out of 5

Ram HD 2500 Safety

A crash check video for the Ram 1500 will not be but obtainable.

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

Overall Rating

4 out of 5

Overall Front Crash Rating

4 out of 5

Overall Side Crash Rating

5 out of 5

Rollover Rating

4 out of 5

  • Recalls (NHTSA): # 1 associated to rearview digicam
  • NHTSA Investigations: # 0
  • NHTSA Consumer Complaints: 0
  • Awards: N/A

Reliability Comparison

Comparing the 1500 to the 2500 is pointless as a result of they each have Mopar quality that should deliver hundreds of thousands of miles of dependable service and efficiency. Even being affiliated with the notoriously unhealthy Fiat model does not change the truth that Ram vehicles are rock-solid.

Warranty

Vehicle

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Basic Warranty

3 Years / 36,000 Miles

3 Years / 36,000 Miles

Drivetrain Warranty

5 Years / 60,000 Miles

5 Years / 60,000 Miles

Corrosion Warranty

5 Years / Unlimited Miles

3 Years / 100,000 Miles

Roadside Assistance

2 Years / 60,000 Miles

5 Years / 60,000 Miles

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Pricing And Availability

With the base-model 2500 coming in at solely eight grand greater than the entry-level 1500, going with the heavy-duty truck is smart. It has a far superior engine and all the identical facilities. In the mid-to-upper trims, it is all a matter of style and want, because the 2500s run a bit of extra. In the higher echelon, anybody prepared to spend near 100 Gs on a pickup can be silly to not get the TRX, as a result of it’s merely the highest-performance truck ever constructed.

Trim Pricing Comparison

Ram 1500

Ram 2500

Trim

Price

Trim

Price

Tradesman

$39,420

Tradesman

$46,715

HFE

$41,060

Big Horn

$51,455

Big Horn

$44,830

Laramie

$64,385

Laramie

$54,880

Rebel

$70,655

Rebel

$59,595

Power Wagon

$70,765

Limited Longhorn

$62,190

Longhorn

$84,585

Limited

$66,055

Limited

$88,430

TRX

$96,585