Aveyro Posted March 21, 2020 Posted March 21, 2020 All-new third-generation EcoDiesel engine offers 480 lb-ft of torque, best for a half-ton diesel Towing capacity up to 12,560 pounds, best for a half-ton diesel Available in all new Ram 1500 trim levels, including base Tradesman and off-road Rebel Priced as a $4,995 option over V6, $3,000-$3,300 over V8 Pricing starts at $36,890, plus $1,695 destination In 2014, Ram revived the half-ton diesel engine market with its first-generation EcoDiesel, which at the time was the only way you could get anything smaller than a 3/4-ton pickup with a turbodiesel under the hood. Fast-forward to late 2019, and the landscape the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel faces is very different. Now, not only does the F-150 have a diesel engine option, but Chevrolet and GMC will have diesel Silverados and Sierras, in addition to its diesel compact/midsize Colorados and Canyons. Can Ram come back and retake the leadership role it once had? We went to Duluth, Minnesota, to drive the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, to see if it can pass muster against the competition. Driving the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel The Ram 1500 stands out from the rest of the half-tons on the market with its combination of capability, comfort and technology. This generation Ram was all-new for 2019, and is the most luxurious, most capable and most technologically advanced truck Ram has ever made. It would behoove Ram to make sure the next generation of its diesel truck would meet the high expectations that the 1500 sets. Good news: It does. It begins when you start the truck. There’s very little noise coming from the 3.0-liter, 260-hp, 480 lb-ft V6 EcoDiesel. It emits a muted burble, just enough that you know it’s a diesel, but it’s such a soft purr there’s no question about the engine’s refinement. There are no rattles. There is no diesel smell. The strongest evidence that you are in a diesel-powered truck is in how it drives. Acceleration comes on strong and with confidence, without any noticeable lag. It feels more like a smooth, steady launch than the neck-bending sensation of a powerful gas engine. The newly recalibrated 8-speed automatic transmission works nicely with the EcoDiesel. You initially use a knob control on the dash for Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, but can manually control gears with pushbuttons on the steering wheel. We never felt that the truck was in the wrong gear, and shifts were smooth and predictable. Both the F-150 and the Silverado back their diesel engines with a 10-speed automatic, but we didn’t feel deprived when driving the Ram with the 8-speed. Towing with the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is a breeze. We took out a 5,100-pound trailer behind a Laramie Longhorn, and power delivery and transmission shift points were spot on. Visibility was very good, and we were happy with the size of the side mirrors – which isn’t something to be taken for granted. The rest of the driving experience with the Ram EcoDiesel is just as good as with the entire Ram 1500 line: The ride is comfortable, the interior offers luxury-like materials and quality, and the class-leading tech is easy to use.
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