Dodge, First Drives, Trucks

First Drive: 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

November 10, 2009

2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty; photo courtesy Dodge. Click image to enlarge

Power for the 2500-series-and-up trucks remains the veteran combination of the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 (383 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque) or the 6.7-litre Cummins inline six-cylinder Turbo Diesel (350 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque). These come with a six-speed automatic (with electronic range select feature) or six-speed manual (with ultra-low first-gear ratio) transmission. This is the only standard transmission offered in a HD truck in Canada, says Dodge.

A feature introduced two years ago on the diesel is still a segment-exclusive, says Dodge: a standard exhaust brake. This unique feature slows the truck nicely on grades or while under load in traffic. In addition to saving the vehicle’s brakes, it safely controls trailers on long downhills, and the sound is neither loud nor rude.

Other braking advances includes new large front (360 mm ) and rear (358 mm) brakes with integrated ABS and electronic brake force distribution that adjusts braking pressure front to rear, based on weight distribution of passengers and cargo. This minimizes body dive during hard braking. Also part of this new overall braking package is that integrated trailer brake controller. Other new features and options include manual and electric shift-on-the-fly 4×4 transfer cases; ParkView, a back-up camera for easy hook-ups; a larger grille opening for better cooling and a Vehicle Information Centre that features gauge/graphics such as coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, transmission temperature, engine hours and diesel filter status.

2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty; photo courtesy Dodge. Click image to enlarge

Driving through the Irish Hills area of Michigan (near Chrysler’s Chelsea proving ground), the smooth ride and quiet character of this Cummins diesel is commendable. The quiet cab rides smoothly on C-pillar fluid-filled hydraulic mounts, and sleek, unique styling (heralded by a one-piece stamped steel fender treatment for the dual-wheel trucks) turns heads. In fact, this look turned an irate gravel pit owner into a curious truck lover within a few seconds of our meeting. I was looking for a nice photo setting when I entered a gravel pit – without permission. Within a minute or two the owner tore up, and while I was explaining my trespassing he spotted this “new Dodge.” We ended up spending time talking trucks and he even went on to guide me around his pit to the most photogenic spots.

The other substantive upgrade in the ’10 Ram HD is the interior. It’s all new and takes its inspiration from last year’s light-duty Ram restyle. In addition to an award winning cab design, new features abound. For instance: premium front seating with heat and ventilation; heated rear seats, heated steering wheel; automatic temperature control; two-tone upholstery; memory seats, radio and mirrors; navigation; adjustable pedals; SIRIUS Backseat TV with three channels of programming, U-connect tunes with a 30-gigabyte hard-drive and an available first-in-segment, 10-speaker surround-sound system.

These trucks are available now on dealer lots and pricing begins at $33,995 for the base 2500 ST; $45,545 for the base 3500 ST, rising to $58,045 for the top-of-the-line 3500 Laramie.

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