2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4

2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4
Short Take Road Test

Come home driving a new Ram 2500, and it’s likely to draw two polar responses from your neighbors: a torch-bearing mob of moms who just know you’ll be squashing several pets and a flock of guys whose perception of your macho index has just soared by at least 10 points.

From the perspective of guys who almost never need heavy-duty capabilities, the big-job offerings from Dodge, Ford, and GM all have similar work ratings. In the case of our test truck, equipped with the optional 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel ($7615, plus $405 for the six-speed automatic, contributing heavily to a $56,895 as-tested price tag), that work ethic quantifies as a 2100-pound payload and a 12,350-pound towing capacity.

The key traits that distinguish the Ram 1500 from its rivals—stout chassis, roomy interior, lots of places to stash stuff—also distinguish the 2500. However, its leaf-sprung live-axle rear suspension, as opposed to the 1500’s new coil-sprung rear axle, makes ride quality more trucklike than the light-duty Ram. And while Dodge has tweaked the suspension for better handling, the big Ram’s agility index is still essentially elephantine.

On the other hand, it’s hard not to appreciate the elemental thrust of the turbo-diesel six. Output of this 50-state emissions-legal oil burner is robust: 350 horses and 650 pound-feet of torque. Still, don’t expect nosebleed acceleration. It took our 4x4 Mega Cab 9.3 seconds to ramble to 60, which isn’t surprising since it weighs 7560 pounds—7560 pounds!—before you add so much as a doughnut to the cargo hold.

But that big ol’ Cummins doesn’t care how much mass you pile on, it just keeps pulling, making good ol’ diesel noises and diesel fuel economy: 14 mpg in our mostly urban driving. Sound so-so? Opt for the standard 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, and that figure would likely decline. (We’re getting 14 mpg in our Hemi-powered Ram 1500.)

Speaking of sound, that good ol’ ­diesel combustion rattle may not appeal to everyone. But to those with hefty hauling to do, it’s as sweet as Norah Jones.