There are pickup trucks and then there are pickup trucks. I’m talking about ones with
dual rear wheels, diesel engines that push up to 1,000 pound-feet of torque and that
can tow over 33,000 pounds. Well, that’s exactly the resume of this all-new Ram 3500
Heavy Duty. And on top of that, it can be optioned like a luxury sedan.
The 3500 is the biggest, most capable truck that Ram sells and for 2019 it brings with
it many of the polished innovations first seen on the all-new 1500; fusing the brawniest
mechanical elements with those of a luxury rig. Like all trucks, Ram’s Heavy Duty
series can be configured in a multitude of cab, box and engine layouts in both 2500 and
3500 payload capacities. But they don’t get any bigger than this one - the 3500 Mega
Cab 4X4 dually weighing over 4 tons and measuring 21’ long with a 6’4” box. Payload:
5,420 pounds. Max Trailer Weight Rating: 33,020 pounds, thanks to the twisting force
of Ram’s newest high output turbo.
That thing got a Hemi? Well, it does unless you chose one of the available 2 diesel engine
options. And this one here is the high output 6.7-liter Cummins inline-6 that produces 1,000
pound-feet of torque. But, it also adds about $12,000 to the price.
Making 400 horsepower at 2,800 RPM and its groundbreaking 4 digit torque yield at 1,800
RPM, this engine gets up to 33psi of turbo boost working through an Aisin 6-speed automatic
that’s specific to this high output version. It also uses a new controller with faster
processing speeds that Ram says delivers quicker, more precise shifts. Hard for me to say
if that’s a tangible improvement because flooring this is akin to waking a bear from
a nap – it takes some time for things to start happening.
If you want to take this truck all the way you’ll need to select the Max Tow Package
which also requires the dual rear wheels. With it, you’ll get this 5thwheel hitch
which is good for 30,000 pounds.
This $3,700 grouping also includes the auto-leveling rear air suspension with bed-lowering mode
to ease with trailer hook-ups. The cargo cam also comes in handy for such things. And
then, you also get a bag full of flags and fire extinguishers as part of the roadside
safety kit…hopefully you’ll never have to use them.
It’s been a while since I’ve driven anything of this size and so the first few days I was
just focused on keeping this truck in its lane…this dually is wide. But a couple
of days in I was comfortably whipping it around with one hand on the wheel and now I’m even
fitting into parking spaces like a boss. But, I don’t have anything big enough to
tow to really show you what it can do…I mean this is for horse trailers, car carriers
and that sort of thing not lawnmowers. So I’ll have to assume that the resume and
tools Ram has equipped it with are more than enough to give the driver a confidence boost
when pulling something big. Now if you plan on driving this truck around just because
well, it’s surprisingly quiet, obviously spacious, loaded with luxury features and
brutally rough when you hit anything but smooth pavement. And welcome to the world of turbo
lag? Sometimes when you press the accelerator you could go grab lunch before the power kicks
in.
Despite those supplemental air bags in the rear, the ride can get extremely rough…hit
a pothole and you’ll feel it for days. Otherwise, it’s surprising how precisely and easily
it steers and how docile the 3500 is overall. And though it’s not rated by the EPA, I’ve
averaged about 15mpg.
If there is but one omission on this particular build it is the absence of the Towing Tech
Group which includes an around-view monitor; something you will definitely want to spend
the extra $795 on if you intend on taking this into a parking lot.
It also doesn’t include blind spot monitoring beyond the truck itself but there is tire
pressure monitoring for all 6 truck tires and up to 12 trailer tires. Now, it does fit
into most parking spaces, but just barely and the power folding mirrors are a must.
And with over 13” of ground clearance it’s really nice to have these power retractable
running boards.
And take a look at the cabin of this Laramie model…very high-end and well-conceived,
just like its half-ton little brother. Including the engine, this one has over $27,000 in options
like the big boy touchscreen loaded with great features that are very easy to use if not
a little slow to load, this awesome, carefully designed, wide wireless charging pad that
can handle any size screen, a wonderful sounding 17-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, adaptive
cruise control, memory settings, auto high beams, remote tailgate release, this simple
to use tri-fold tonneau cover, and much more. And this isn’t even the highest trim level.
The rear seats are enormous and I love the versatility they provide, with a 2 stage folding
feature that’s perfect for carrying more cargo. The huge center console with its
sliding cupholders and 2 tier compartment is also brilliant. Ram really knows what
they’re doing when it comes to luxo-fying their trucks and this one has everything you
could want.
The 3500 Laramie 4X4 Mega Cab starts at about $55,000 and totals $83,670 as-tested. Made
in Mexico, this new Heavy Duty is for the ranch or business owner who doesn’t sacrifice
comfort for capability.