Growing up in Europe I learned that pickup trucks were only used by farmers and construction workers. The idea of someone walking into a dealership looking for a pickup truck just because they needed a vehicle with space was unimaginable.
They were/are not close to the practicality of American pickup trucks. Most European trucks offered seats for 2 people, and your lunch box. The power was unusable, they only came with diesel engines, but they had a massive bed. Then I moved to Canada where I saw these massive machines being driven daily by people that never worked in construction or farming.
A long time ago, I had the opportunity to rent a 2010 Ram 1500 when I was moving, and that’s when I realized how useful these trucks really are. Fast forward ten years later here I am reviewing one, the 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn.
What to love about the 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn?
This model offers 5+1 seats -the front center seat can be folded into an arm rest or an actual seat, who thought of this needs a raise! The only annoying thing about it, it doesn’t unfold while in a seat position to use the arm rest as a table, that would have been the cherry on top of the cake.
The red pearl color is absolutely stunning, $100 added option. The color compliments the chrome finish exterior, front and rear bumper, it looks like a thin ring with giant red diamond.
The engine is another thing to love about this truck. The base engine is a 3.6-liter V6 with 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. It has an eTorque mild-hybrid system that improves fuel economy and adds up to 90 pound-feet of torque. I was able to average 12L per 100 km in this massive machine, that is quiet impressive! When properly equipped, the Ram 1500 truck with the base 3.6-liter V6 engine has a maximum payload capacity of 2,300 pounds and a maximum tow rating of 7,730 pounds.
Another person needs a raise. The swing gate is again another great add on to this truck, making it absolutely practical in case if you need to fit anything long. The tailgate has two buttons, one for the tailgate and one for the swing gate. For some reasons this model I had for this review kept opening the swing gate, it happened a few times. I had to stop the truck and go out and slam the swing gate to make sure it was closed.
Interior
When you step inside you realize this truck means business. The black and brown mountain interior and cloth seats really compliment this truck giving it a luxurious feeling. The glossy black panels around the 8.4 inch touchscreen display, the door handles, the dashboard is another step to perfection.
The interior has a sense of harmony I have not found in any other truck. The interior cabin is spacious for someone my height, I am 6″2. The interior storage is in another level, from the massive arm rest/ split bench seat, to double glove box unit, to in-floor-storage bins. The driver’s seat is powered, 8 way adjustable, 4 way lumber support, heated seats for passenger and driver. The powered adjustable pedals are a great add on, besides the steering column you can adjust the pedals for the perfect position, included in the level 2 equipment group.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is included in the same level 2 equipment group. When you live in an apartment building where the building manager’s office is bigger than your one bedroom apartment, parking sensor and back up camera are important to protect those shiny chrome bumpers.
Included Features Level 2 $2,995 :
- 115-volt auxiliary power outlet – front
- 115-volt auxiliary power outlet – rear
- 400-watt inverter
- 7-inch full-colour customizable in-cluster display
- A/C with dual-zone automatic temperature control
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Big Horn® instrument panel badge
- Black, power folding heated mirrors w/ turn signals
- Class IV hitch receiver
- Dampened tailgate
- Door trim panel foam bottle insert
- Front heated seats
- Glove box lamp
- Heated steering wheel
- Park-Sense® Front and Rear Park Assist
- Power 4-way driver lumbar adjust
- Power 8-way adjustable driver seat
- Power adjustable pedals
- Rear dome lamp with on/off switch
- Rear media hub with 2 USB ports
- Rear power sliding window
- Rear window defroster
- Remote start system
- Security alarm
- Sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors
- Uconnect® 4 with 8.4-inch display
- 8.4-inch touchscreen
- Apple CarPlay capable
- Google Android Auto™
- Integrated centre stack radio
- SiriusXM® satellite radio with 1-year subscription
- 1-year SiriusXM® satellite radio subscription
- For more SiriusXM® information, call 1-888-539-7474
- USB mobile projection
- Universal garage door opener
Total price: $66,000
Ride
I tend to not read car reviews since it may affect my judgment therefore influence my review, but I had to see what others were saying about this truck, especially ride quality. Apparently most reviews I read seem to agree with my judgement, this truck has the best ride quality by far. In comparison to other trucks, this one has the softest ride but soft enough not to make you fall asleep. The driving position can be adjusted in different ways, including the pedals.
Head room and legroom in the front row is perfect. When it comes to driving dynamics most trucks I have driven tend to bounce in 2 wheel drive mode when you go over speed bumps, as if the rear end will split from the cabin, not this one. This feels like an SUV on the road, not a pick-up truck, which I like. The cabin noise test I did with my tool showed, 63 db at 60kmh, and 66 db at 100kmh, what does it mean? From my experience doing these tests, that’s pretty good. On average a sedan doing 60kmh usually shows 61 db, so not far of.
Final thoughts
It can’t get any better.
