Page 96 - Motor Trend (February 2020)

2018 Ram 2500
Heavy Duty Power Wagon

DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD
ENGINE TYPE 90-deg V-8, iron block,
alum heads
VALVETRAIN OHV, 2 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT 391.6 cu in/6,417cc
COMPRESSION RATIO 10:01
POWER (SAE NET) 410 hp @ 5,600 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET) 429 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
REDLINE 5,500 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER 17.8 lb/hp THIS TREMENDOUSLY CAPABLE PICKUP IS
TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic COMFORTABLE ON-ROAD AND UNSTOPPABLE OFF-ROAD.
AXLE/FINAL DRIVE/LOW 4.10:1/2.58:1/2.64:1
RATIO
SUSPENSION, FRONT; Live axle, coil springs, adj traffic and narrow streets than I’d ever out of the truck when the Power Wagon’s
REAR anti-roll bar; live axle, coil expected it to be. axles were crossed up, and after that the
springs, adj anti-roll bar
And whereas many of our long-term door would close with a cringe-inducing
STEERING RATIO 15.6:1
vehicles inevitably end up taking it easy metallic thunk.
TURNS LOCK TO LOCK 3.2
their last month in our garage as other The door and an outstanding recall
BRAKES, F; R 14.2-in vented disc; editorial projects take precedence, the regarding the rear tailgate were easily
14.1-in vented disc
Power Wagon has instead gone out with addressed within a couple hours at our
WHEELS 8.0 x 17-in cast
aluminum a bang. For example, it towed a 20-foot local Ram dealer once the Power Wagon
TIRES 285/70R17 121/118Q D flatbed trailer carrying a 1949 Cadillac 62 returned to civilization.
(M+S) Bridgestone Sedanette for a story celebrating our 70th Maintaining our Ram has been dirt
Wrangler Duratrac
anniversary. The Power Wagon hardly cheap. Our three scheduled oil and filter
DIMENSIONS
noticed the extra weight of the classic changes, tire rotations, and an air filter
WHEELBASE 149.5 in
Cadillac; its ride remained composed, its change cost us just $272.52. Our last
TRACK, F/R 68.3/68.2 in
brakes strong, and engine and trans- three-quarter-ton long-term pickup, a
L x WIDTH x HEIGHT 237.4 x 79.1 x 77.7 in
mission cool, even when towing up an 2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch
TURNING CIRCLE 43.9 ft
incredibly steep 4-mile-long hill. The equipped with a Power Stroke diesel V-8
CURB WEIGHT 7,316 lb
extra torque from a diesel engine option cost us $236.80 over an easier duty cycle
WEIGHT DIST, F/R 58/42%
SEATING CAPACITY 6 would have been nice up that slope, but and a few thousand fewer miles. Before
HEADROOM, F/R 41.0/39.9 in the new eight-speed automatic on the that, our 2016 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X
LEGROOM, F/R 41.0/40.3 in 2019 Ram Power Wagon could achieve equipped with a Cummins diesel V-8 cost
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 66.0/65.7 in similar results. us $1,506 in routine maintenance over
PICKUP BOX L X W X H 76.3 x 66.4 x 20.1 in Not long after its day towing a Cadillac 31,000 miles.
CARGO VOLUME 57.5 cu ft
around the valley outside of L.A., our Fueling our Ram, however, hasn’t been
WIDTH BET WHEEL HOUSES 51.0 in
Power Wagon got to stretch its legs on one cheap. Power Wagons are only available
PAYLOAD CAPACITY 1,249 lb
of the Southwest’s best overland trails: the with an 89-octane-drinking 6.4-liter V-8,
TOWING CAPACITY 10,050 lb
Mojave Road. This 140-ish-mile off-road and our truck averaged 10.9 mpg over its
TEST DATA
trail stretches from Fort Mohave, Arizona, stay with us. (A more efficient Cummins
ACCELERATION TO MPH
to Barstow, California, and includes a huge diesel I-6 is available on the rest of the
0-30 2.9 sec
0-40 4.4 variety of terrain as it crosses the desert. Ram Heavy Duty lineup but isn’t offered
0-50 6.4 The Power Wagon was primarily there on the Power Wagon because it doesn’t
0-60 8.6 to transport our four-person photo and leave enough room for the winch.) Using a
0-70 11.2 video team (plus all of their gear), but we rough $3.00 national average for midgrade
0-80 14.6 also picked it because of the extra peace of gasoline (instead of the California figure,
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 4.3 mind it brings off-road. All that the Ram which skews closer to $4.00), that means
QUARTER MILE 16.5 sec @ 85.4 mph
brings to the table gave us no doubt that if you’d spend about $6,200 per year on fuel,
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 139 ft
one of our star trucks got stuck, the Ram assuming similar mileage and duty cycles.
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.70 g (avg)
would be able to free it. Certainly pricey, but I imagine most Power
MT FIGURE EIGHT 29.8 sec @ 0.55 g (avg)
The Ram tackled the abusive trail Wagon buyers know what they’re in for
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm
without serious issue. It lost a tire at one once they bring one of these home.
MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.8 sec @ 0.79 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm point—the trail’s poor condition and an Ultimately, “home” is the word I most
CONSUMER INFO older tire are equal parts to blame—but associated with our Ram Power Wagon
BASE PRICE $53,690 it was good as new once its full-size spare during its stay with us. I always looked
PRICE AS TESTED $63,280 was mounted. The Power Wagon also got forward to getting into it, whether it be
STABILITY/TRACTION Yes/Yes home with a misaligned driver-side rear to simply commute to the office in the
CONTROL
door; one of the video guys had hopped morning or to head out into the California
AIRBAGS 6: Dual front, front side, wilderness with my wife and dogs in tow.
f/r curtain
I started out this year wanting to learn
BASIC WARRANTY 3 years/36,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 years/60,000 miles whether my fondness for the Power Wagon
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 years/60,000 miles was just a vacation fling or if it really was
FUEL CAPACITY 31.0 gal true love. I’m happy to report that it’s
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 11.6/15.3/13.0 mpg definitively the latter. My next long-termer
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON Not rated is going to have mighty big shoes to fill—
RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded regular both literally and figuratively. Q

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