Used 2021 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

Against the best-selling Ford F-150 and GM Silverado/Sierra twins, the 2021 Ram 1500 pickup more than holds its own. It’s a handsome pickup, and it’s far more modern (inside and out) than the Toyota Tundra or Nissan Titan.

The big news for 2021 is the debut of the Ram 1500 TRX, the Raptor slayer. Powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 702 horsepower and equipped with a seriously beefy off-road chassis and suspension, the new TRX is an outstanding off-roader available in only one configuration – as a Crew Cab with a 5-foot 7-inch bed.

Unique to the Ram 1500 is an optional 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen and available air suspension, which makes for a decidedly un-trucklike driving experience. Available engines include an overhead-cam 3.6-liter V6 and a pushrod 5.7-liter V8. All the V6s have the eTorque mild hybrid system, while the V8 can be ordered with and without it. In simplest description, the eTorque system uses an electric motor to supplement the gas engine for improved acceleration, smoothness, and fuel economy.

For 2021, the Ram 1500 is available in 10 models: Tradesman, HFE (High Fuel Economy), Big Horn, Lone Star, Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition, Limited, and TRX. There’s also a “Built to Serve” version, a limited-edition Ram 1500 that honors the five branches of the American armed forces.

The Quad Cab Ram 1500 is available one way, with a 6-foot 4-inch bed. If you order the roomier Crew Cab model, it comes with either a 5-foot-7-inch or a 6-foot 4-inch bed.

Drivers have a choice of five engines in the 2021 Ram 1500 pickup.

Quite common is the 5.7-liter V8 with 395 horsepower, paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Buyers also can opt for this same torquey pushrod V8 but fortified by Ram’s eTorque mild-hybrid option. With this system, the alternator is replaced by a motor/generator that can store energy or add it for better acceleration, economy, and passing.

The mild-hybrid setup also controls the engine’s start/stop technology, which is employed for improved fuel economy. The eTorque system comes standard on the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the standard engine on the entry-level Ram 1500s.

There’s also a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6. It was new the 2020 model year, and it produces 260 horsepower and a stump-pulling 480 lb-ft of torque. This engine, a great blend of torque and economy, also is available in the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator.

On a different performance planet entirely is the new-for-2021 Ram TRX. Ford’s Raptor had been the undisputed king of off-road pickups for more than a decade, but the Ram TRX sends it home with its tail between its fangs. Meet the world’s quickest and most powerful quarter-ton pickup. Ever. Under the hood is the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from Dodge’s Hellcat muscle cars producing 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. The whine of its supercharger is as intoxicating as its V8 growl. It’s also the first pickup with launch control. One button press activates it, and you can use it on any surface. Nail the gas and its bye-bye Raptor. Ram claims a 4.5-second run to 60 mph and a sub-13-second quarter-mile.

But the TRX’s double-secret sauce is its reinforced frame and special off-road suspension, which features 2.5-inch Bilstein dampers and massive 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires. It’s 8-inches wider than a standard Ram 1500, sits 2-inches higher, and has the most wheel travel in its class. No truck jumps like the TRX. It handles aerial work with amazing grace. It also climbs effortlessly and commutes smoothly. It even handles surprisingly well on tarmac despite its pillowy soft ride, which is adjustable with a selection of eight drive modes. All that greatness has a base price of $72,000, including destination, and it’s worth every penny.

With eTorque, the intermingling of gas and electric power is imperceptible. The engines just feel strong. While the automatic start/stop system takes some getting used to, it can be defeated.

With its rear coil springs (most pickups use rear leaf springs) and 2-valve Frequency Response Damping shocks (that were new for 2020), the Ram 1500 has a smooth ride, responsive steering, and good agility. It’s aided further by a quiet and highly refined interior that is exceedingly comfortable, more like a luxury car than a pickup.

Each of the Ram’s trim levels has a uniquely themed interior. The Laramie Longhorn, for example, is high-zoot Western. The off-road Rebel: bold colors and precise angles.

Whatever trim you choose, the controls are well-placed and easy to use, highlighted by an optional 12-inch touchscreen. It’s big, vibrant, surrounded by plenty of redundant controls, and easy to configure. The Crew Cab is four inches longer than the Quad Cab, which means it has reclining rear seats and additional rear legroom.  Both cabs, however, have generous interior room.

Whether it was to separate Ram from Dodge or to make the truck look fresh and modern, the long-familiar crosshair grille is no more. In its place is a narrower grille flanked by slim headlights on most models. The exception, the Ram Rebel, has a grille that resembles a handlebar mustache.

The 2021 Ram uses 6-lug axles, so if you have an old set of 5-lug wheels from your previous Ram, they’ll be of no use. There’s a choice of three types of headlights: halogen, LED, and LED with adaptive front-lighting. In the back, the tailgate is damped and has lift assist, and the RamBox bed storage contains a 115-volt outlet.

The wild new Ram 1500 TRX is eight inches wider than a standard Ram 1500, and it sports a unique front end with flared front fenders made of a composite material. The TRX also has an aluminum hood, LED lights on the hood scoop, plus 18-inch wheels shod with aggressive 35-inch Goodyear All-Terrain tires. The suspension features beefy Bilstein shock absorbers and a 5-link live rear axle with lots of extra wheel travel.

12-INCH TOUCHSCREEN
Uconnect 4C NAV infotainment system features a huge 12-inch color touchscreen. Large, clear icons, intuitive touch controls, pinch-and-swipe technology, and simple menus make this one of the best infotainment setups.

ELECTRONIC TRAILER REVERSE STEERING CONTROL
Backing up a trailer is tough. You must turn the wheel in the opposite direction you want your trailer to go. With this new optional system, the Ram 1500 driver simply turns a knob left or right, which means the correct steering movements get made automatically. This simplifies the art of backing up greatly.

Unlike Ford and Chevy, the Ram doesn’t offer a Regular Cab, so the model range begins with the 4-door Quad Cab Tradesman. Standard equipment includes an eTorque V6 and an 8-speed automatic with a dial-type gear selector. It comes with a 23-gallon gas tank, active grille shutters, coil-spring suspension, trailer-sway control, and a rearview camera. Heated, power-adjustable side mirrors are standard, as are 18-inch steel wheels.

Inside, the Tradesman comes with air conditioning, vinyl floors and seats, a pushbutton starter, cruise control, electronic parking brake, and manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The base version of Uconnect is controlled through a 5.0-inch touchscreen.

The new Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition has special badging on its doors, tailgate, and seats, plus an interior done in a new Mountain Brown color. This new Ram model also has Berber carpet, speaker grilles, unique door bolsters, a metal pedal kit, and a distinctive surround for the center stack. The Built to Serve Ram model, based on the Big Horn and Lone Star, has an American armed forces-inspired interior, subtle American flag decals, and a locking center console.

Top-level V8-powered Crew Cabs are available with a 33-gallon fuel tank, active air suspension; oversize, power-folding trailer-tow side mirrors; and a dual-pane moonroof. Deployable side steps, a damped tailgate, 22-inch wheels, and dual exhaust tips also are available.

Top-line interior displays are more elaborate: The driver gets a 7.0-inch TFT (thin-film transistor) display, and the top-level Uconnect and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto operate through a brilliant 12-inch screen. Leather seating, memory, heated seats, and a variety of wood, leather, and metal interior accents are offered. A surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, and hill-descent control are available.

A new option for 2021 is a digital rearview mirror. Using a rear-facing camera, it plays a real-time video of what’s behind the Ram 1500 on the 9.2-inch LCD screen integrated into the rearview mirror. It works well at showing exactly what’s behind the Ram 1500, and it can be toggled back with ease into a conventional mirror.

Also notable: Trailer Reverse Steering Control has become part of the available Trailer Package, and power-folding trailer mirrors are now a standalone option (or included when you order the optional 360-degree Surround-View camera on your 2021 Ram 1500).

Lastly, we’d be remiss to not mention the new Limited Night models. In addition to a blacked-out exterior with a monochromatic grille, black 22-inch wheels, and various other bits of black exterior trim, the new Limited Night Ram 1500 models have a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, a sport performance hood, and a tri-fold tonneau cover.

The 2021 Ram 1500 comes standard with a 305-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that employs the eTorque mild-hybrid electric-assist system. Optional is a 395-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 with variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation.

The eTorque system is optional on the V8, but it doesn’t alter the official horsepower or torque ratings. The mild-hybrid system uses a 48-volt battery pack and a motor-generator to add torque when specific driving situations call for it, while also improving the truck’s fuel economy. The system speeds up the restarts of the truck’s fuel-saving automatic start/stop system, while also adding 90 lb-ft of torque to the V6 (or 130 to the V8 ) in brief bursts.

New last year, the turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6 in the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pumps out a respectable 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque while giving the truck superb highway fuel economy of up to 32 mpg.

Powering the new Ram 1500 TRX is a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. This rumbly Hellcat engine, which mates to an 8-speed automatic transmission with increased torque capacity, propels the TRX to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 118 mph. EPA combined fuel economy for the TRX is only 12 mpg.

All other Ram 1500s also have an 8-speed automatic transmission, and they’re available in 2- and 4-wheel-drive (2WD, 4WD) configurations.

3.6-liter V6
305 horsepower @ 6,400 rpm
269 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/26 (2WD), 19/24 mpg (4WD)

3.0-liter turbodiesel V6
260 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
480 lb-ft of torque @ 3,950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/32 (2WD), 21/29 (4WD)

5.7-liter V8
395 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
410 lb-ft of torque @ 3,950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/22 mpg (2WD), 15/21 mpg (4WD), 17/23 mpg (eTorque, 2WD), 17/22 mpg (eTorque, 4WD)

6.2-liter supercharged V8 (TRX)
702 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm
650 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 10/14 mpg