Typically, pickup trucks are workhorses, but they're known for not being very good on gas mileage. A Consumer Reports fuel test, however, suggests that that's going to change with the new Dodge Ram 1500.
The Ram 1500 saves much more fuel than other pickup trucks with its V6 EcoDiesel engine.
"The RAM 1500 diesel gets 20 miles per gallon overall in Consumer Reports' tests," said Mike Quincy from Consumer Reports. "That's the best fuel economy we ever recorded in a full-sized truck."
That 20 mpg may not seem like much when compared with smaller vehicles from the last few years, but compare it with the Chevrolet Silverado, which gets 16 mpg, or the Ford F-150, which gets 15, and the Dodge Ram suddenly looks pretty good.
"These are about the same fuel-economy numbers that we typically see in a midsized SUV," said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports. "Ram is currently the only truck to offer turbo-diesel technology. It will be interesting to see what impact it will have on the half-ton truck market."
While the better gas mileage is certainly a great addition, it does come at a price. The truck with the V6 EcoDiesel engine costs around $2,800 more than the one without it. Diesel fuel also costs around 20 cents more per gallon. Despite this, assuming the truck is driven an average of 12,000 miles per year, the driver will save around 200 gallons per year.
"It will take you about four years to recoup your initial investment with the diesel engine," Quincy said. "But in general, diesel vehicles hold their values better than gas ones."
Despite the beaming reviews when it comes to the engine and gas mileage, the Dodge Ram 1500 with the EcoDiesel engine is not perfect. While on the inside of the vehicle the driving was "whisper quiet," there was certainly noise when the truck was idling.
Another thing to consider is the fact that there is a little more maintenance involved in the truck's upkeep because of the diesel engine. For example, the emissions fluid has to be replaced about as often as the oil needs to be changed. This can be done by the driver of the car and will cost around $40. Price, however, is something that all vehicle buyers should take into consideration when buying a new vehicle.
If the price is right and the driver is going to own the vehicle for long enough to recoup the money lost on buying a truck with an EcoDiesel engine, then the new Dodge Ram 1500 is a great choice for buyers.
