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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

Overview

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2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Review

By KBB.com Editors

Although in the past Dodge did not own a substantial portion of the full-size truck market, its Ram pickups retained a fiercely loyal fan base and offered some of the most outlandish full-size models on the market (think Ram SRT10). The Ram brand is now its own division, although the trucks are still sold and serviced through Dodge dealers. With clever marketing tools, distinctive styling and innovative features, Ram hopes its 1500 line will continue chipping away at rivals Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you like the rugged image of a tough-as-nails working truck, but not the harsh ride or crude interior that accompanies it, check out the 2011 Ram 1500. Its "big-rig" inspired styling is mighty impressive, as is its available Hemi V8 engine.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you're the type that likes a pickup that can be beaten, dented and scratched, the 2011 Ram 1500's highly stylized exterior may be too pretty for you to risk ruining at the job site.

What's Significant About This Car?

For 2011, Ram introduces a new 1500 Tradesman series. Aimed at small-business owners, the Tradesman is packed with commonly-requested features but at a price that easily fits today's tight budgets. Also new are the Laramie Longhorn and Outdoorsman editions. New features for the Ram 1500 include power folding mirrors, a factory spray-in bedliner and a new Garmin navigation radio.

Driving the 1500 Crew Cab

Driving Impressions In the area of overall driving comfort the 2011 Ram 1500 has a distinct advantage over its competitors, thanks in part to its coil-spring rear suspension. Because most pickup trucks...

employ a leaf-spring rear setup, they tend to ride more harshly and can develop bounding motions over bumps. This is not the case for the Ram 1500, which can quickly control bouncing motions and help smooth out the ride over harsh or uneven surfaces. Beyond its smoother ride, however, the Ram 1500 still behaves very much like a full-size body-on-frame vehicle, so don't expect this big truck to drive, stop or steer like a standard sedan. Although the Ram 1500's steering is reasonably direct and the brakes are easy to modulate and control, the body still suffers from noticeable lean when rounding sharp curves.

Favorite Features

RamBox
The RamBox storage system is offered on the Crew Cab. It includes 3.7 cubic feet of lockable, drainable storage space in each bed rail, as well as a cargo-bed divider that doubles as a bed extender. The RamBox also comes with a bed-rail system with sliding, adjustable cleats to tie down and secure various types of loads.

Uconnect GPS
The Uconnect GPS system's 30-gigabyte hard drive holds song and picture files, as well as navigation map information. Songs can be ripped from a CD or downloaded from a thumb drive via a USB port. The hard drive lets you keep your whole music collection in the vehicle without toting a lot of CDs.

2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Details

Interior

Having been bitten in the past by reports of poor-grade plastics and dull interior colors, Ram has stepped up to meet its critics. The 1500's dash is still mostly made up of hard plastics, but areas frequently touched (such as the armrest and door edges) are now covered in soft-touch material and extra padding. Ram has given the 2011 Ram 1500 extensive sound deadening material, creating a cabin that is surprisingly quiet at highway speeds. All cabs offer good front-seat leg and head room, although a telescoping steering wheel would definitely improve the driver's comfort. Rear-seat accommodations vary, with tight quarters in the Quad Cab but plenty of space in the roomy Crew Cab. High-end options such as heated and cooled seats, a heated steering wheel and rear-seat DVD entertainment make the rough and ready Ram 1500 feel almost limousine-like.

Exterior

The 2011 Ram 1500 is one of the most refined and car-like trucks on the road. The Ram 1500's styling, on the other hand, remains polarizing. With its cantilever front end, large cross-hair chrome grille and massive chrome wheel options, no one will ever mistake a Ram for a Chevy. Like its rivals, the Ram 1500 features a variety of cab and bed configurations. The Regular Cab is offered with 6-foot, 4-inch or 8-foot beds, the Quad Cab has the 6-foot, 4-inch bed and the Crew Cab has a 5-foot, 7-inch bed.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

Standard safety features include side-curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and Trailer Sway Control. The base ST model features air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, vinyl floors, power locks and 17-inch steel wheels. The SLT adds carpeting, cruise control, power windows, heated mirrors, remote keyless entry and aluminum wheels. The Sport model has unique bucket seats, fog lamps and 20-inch wheels. Standard on the Laramie are dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable pedals, leather upholstery, hard-drive radio, power heated front seats and rear park assist.

Optional Equipment

Optional features include the RamBox storage system, spray-in bedliner, full-time four-wheel drive, sunroof, 10-speaker Alpine Surround Sound, Sirius Satellite Radio, navigation system, rear DVD entertainment with Sirius Backseat TV, heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel. The Garmin navigation system is easy to operate and voice commands can be used to program destinations while the vehicle is in motion. Sirius Backseat TV has three child-friendly channels that will keep the kids' attention on long vacation drives. Available trims include ST, SLT, Sport, Outdoorsman, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn, as well as the Big Horn and Lone Star packages.

Under the Hood

The base 3.7-liter V6 is fine if you use your truck as basic transportation, but the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is the best choice if you plan to tow or haul a lot of cargo. The Hemi also delivers fuel economy comparable to that of the 4.7-liter V8, and it can tow a heavier load. Ram claims the Ram 1500 Sport Regular Cab with the Hemi is the fastest pickup in the class, with a zero-to-60-mph acceleration time under six seconds.

3.7-liter V6
215 horsepower @ 5200 rpm
235 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20

4.7-liter V8
310 horsepower @ 5650 rpm
330 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/19 (2WD, gasoline), 9/13 (2WD, E85), 13/18 (4WD, gasoline), 9/12 (4WD, E85)

5.7-liter Hemi V8
390 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
407 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20 (2WD), 13/19 (4WD)

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Ram 1500 Crew Cab vehicles for sale near you.

Trading in or Selling? Know where you stand with the most up-to-date Kelley Blue Book Value at your fingertips. See your car's value

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2011 Ram 1500 Trucks Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.8

Out of 10

Based on 98 Ratings for the 2011 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

8.9/10

Quality

8.7/10
Reliability

8.9/10

Performance

9.1/10
Comfort

9.1/10

Styling

9.1/10

awsome truck

By ssmcad (AL) on Saturday, May 18, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 95

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "looks good and towes good"

Cons: "none"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Had a ford ecoboost it was a eco wimp Not all what it is made out to be also I owned a tundras 5.7 before I purchased the ford gas hog and no guts above 70 mph when towing. Just bought this ram sport hemi. Rides better than ford. And smells and towes better than the junk tundra and ford. dodges are getting better watch out usa trucks And junk yotas"

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All good.....

By S. Walt (AL) on Friday, May 10, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 14,500

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Yes, priced right,and really fun to drive."

Cons: "I wish Mopar made a SuperCharger.......Hint"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought it new in 2011.Drove for a few weeks and then put some performance upgrades. I added a chip,Magnaflow cat back exhaust,throttle spacer and cold air flow system.Because of the already high H.P. and torque, I squeezed out 502@ the crank and 480 on the torque. Oh, its the 2wd swb Express.10x's the performance my 2000 Ford Lightning.This truck is a "True Sleeper"."

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Good value for the price.

By TJ (TN) on Wednesday, May 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 10,500

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 6/10
Comfort: 7/10

Pros: "Good mileage and power, good ride."

Cons: "Poor headlights, doors hard to shut."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"Have a 2012 Express with a little over 10K miles, bought new. Pretty happy with the truck, it's my 1st Dodge I've ever owned. Averaging 16-17 mpg in daily driving. Downsides are the headlights, which are the worst of any vehicle I've ever owned. High beams are essentially worthless, I drive w/ low beams and fog lights most of the time. Also the doors have to pretty much be slammed shut, they will not fully close w/o some muscle."

3 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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Best truck ever!

By Hoss (OH) on Tuesday, April 30, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 59,000

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "MPG, Int. Space, Power, Quality"

Cons: "None"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This is the best truck I have ever owned. The ride quality, interior refinements and overall build quality are all second to none. I have personally owned a Ford F-150, Dodge Ram (2003), Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra and this truck defeats them all by a very large margin. Great fuel economy (Average 17 MPG) and power especially for the price. The RamBox Cargo Management System is simply ingenious. Absolutely would recommend this truck to anyone!"

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Awesome truck!

By Whitey92 (NY) on Monday, April 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 23,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Great styling, good value, awesome power"

Cons: "Cheap plastic and paint"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought this truck last January and have since put over 23,000 miles on it. Looks absolutely beautiful! Everything works as it should, the Hemi has plenty of power for a half ton. I tow a fairly light trailer (3,000 to 4,000 lb) on occasion, and it had absolutely no problems. Has plenty of room! Average 16-17 mpg, have gotten 23 mpg on long trips. Absolutely no problems there! The only problems that I have is the paint quality is cheap. It looks like it will rust very quickly in a New England environment. The plastic moldings on the bed also scratch very easily. Besides those two minor flaws, excellent truck for the price!"

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A very good pick up truck

By Dardar (AK) on Monday, April 22, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 7,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 8/10

Pros: "handling, power, towing capability."

Cons: "headrest uncomfortable"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This is a very nice looking, smooth riding, rig. It tows like a dream. I can get 23mpg on highway if I keep my foot out off of the gas! Only down fall are the head rests. They are very uncomfortable, other than that, I LOVE MY TRUCK!"

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See all 98 reviews