   2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Jonathan Yarkony
Milton, Ont. – Finally a manufacturer has the guts to step up and bring a light duty diesel pickup to market, and it’s no surprise that it is Ram living up to their credo by bringing a 1500 EcoDiesel to North America as Ford and Chevy wait on the sidelines to see how this experiment plays out. The best line of the day came from Kevin Mets, an engineer on Ram’s Heavy Duty development team: “Everybody talked about doing a light duty diesel pickup. We stepped up and did it.” So, will the glory follow?
Before you go arranging the victory parade, it should be noted that the diesel is not the catchall solution to every pickup shopper’s needs. This diesel has a mission: towing and efficiency, and for the most part in that order. With towing out of the equation, it might not make sense to lay out the $4,500 premium (and minimum $36,395 MSRP) over the 3.6L Pentastar V6, essentially the same cost as the upgrade to Ram’s proven 5.7L Hemi V8 gas powertrain.
The Pentastar V6 is an efficient, smooth and affordable option with 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque routed through an eight-speed transmission. However, the Pentastar V6 limits the 1500’s maximum towing capacity to 3,380 kg (7,450 lb) with the 3.55 axle ratio in Quad Cab Regular Box 4×2 configuration. The same setup with the 3.0L V6 turbodiesel is a slightly better 3,630 kg (8,000 lb), and the diesel can be had with the 3.92 axle, bumping towing up to 4,082 kg (9,000 lb). But the Hemi is still king, maxing out at 4,717 kg (10,400 lb) equivalently equipped with the eight-speed transmission and 3.92 axle, its 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque sufficient for the task and more than satisfying for entertainment purposes, such as in the sporty R/T trim. The Hemi V8 is the only engine still available with a six-speed transmission option. Note that these tow ratings are just for sample purposes in one equivalent trim – the Ram 1500’s tow ratings range from as low as 1,905 kg to a maximum 4,740 kg depending on engine, trim, axle ratio and other equipment.
If all you tow is a Bass boat, the diesel really isn’t going to make that much of a difference, but if you tow an 8,000-lb camper, then the diesel’s low-end torque (420 lb-ft available as low as 2,000 rpm, and 240 hp for what those are worth) will come into play, and you will have an easier time powering from a standstill or climbing grades, and if you’re towing anything that heavy, a heavy duty is worth a look.
  2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Click image to enlarge |
However, ratings for payload are reversed, and in that same configuration, the Pentastar V6 can carry up to 870 kg (1,920 lb) in the bed while the EcoDiesel maxes out at 740 kg (1,630 lb). This is essentially a byproduct of weight: the diesel engine, despite displacing 600 fewer cc, weighs about a couple hundred kilos (204 kg to be exact, or 443 lb) more than the gas V6, and is even 113 kg heavier than the much bigger Hemi V8.
So the diesel is the middle child when it comes to towing, but it is the prodigal son when it comes to fuel consumption. While official fuel ratings have not yet been certified, it stands to reason that it will mirror the improvements the EcoDiesel shows in the Jeep Grand Cherokee, where it goes from 12.4/8.3 L/100 km (city/highway) with the Pentastar V6 to 9.8/7.0 with the same 3.0L V6 turbodiesel. The Hemi, by the way, rates 15.6/9.9 — you’ve got to be wiling to pay the piper at the pumps if you opt for this admittedly spectacular engine. The Ram 1500 is rated at 14.1/9.3 for the Hemi and 11.4/7.8 for the Pentastar with the eight-speed transmission, so if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on low nines in the city cycle and high sixes for highway. We saw 12s for the recorded distance on the trip computer, and down in the 8s while we were cruising the highway. That’s pretty darn good for a full-size pickup truck.
