The 2013 Ram 1500's new 3.6-liter V-6 is rated at 25 mpg highway.
Full-size truck buyers are a tough yet loyal lot. They seldom switch brands but when they do it’s traditional because of factors like horsepower, payload or towing capacity. But Chrysler’s Ram division is betting there’s another reason why some folks will be willing to make the move in the years ahead: fuel economy.
With prices again hovering at nearly $4 a gallon in much of the country, the Detroit maker’s timing probably couldn’t be better for rolling out the all-new 2013 Ram 1500 pickup, the truck delivering up to 20% better mileage than before thanks to a new V-6 engine option and other improvements.
With fuel prices again on the rise, the timing couldn’t be better, according to Ram brand director Robert Hegbloom, who declared, “We are delivering what customers are looking for.”
Of course, Ram isn’t the only maker that got the memo on mileage. Ford significantly upped it own numbers in 2011 when it introduced not just one, but two, V-6s to its own F-Series line-up. That included a premium powertrain option, the EcoBoost V-6 delivering not only some of the best mileage in the full-size truck segment but also maintaining the towing and payload capacity of the F-150’s biggest V-8.
But Ram claims its new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 – paired with a segment-first 8-speed gearbox – will deliver 25 miles per gallon on the highway, a significant 2 mpg better than the competition. Around town, the truck will get 18 mpg, according to its official EPA rating. That’s something the maker plans to promote heavily in its new ad campaign.
The 2013 Ram 1500 will also be offered with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with what the Chrysler brand dubs “Fuel Saver Technology.” As with the V-6, the bigger engine will be mated to the new 8-speed automatic and get a new Stop-Start system. That technology is designed to automatically shut the engine off, rather than idle at a stoplight or in a fast food line. The engine instantly restarts when the driver’s foot lifts off the brake.
The improved aerodynamics of the new truck also appears to have helped both engines deliver segment-leading mileage, according to Ram.
But the maker is clearly going to focus on the new V-6 which for 2013 delivers 42% more horsepower, 13% more torque and at least 20% better fuel economy than the 3.7-liter V-6 on the outgoing Ram pickup.
Ram is betting that will get a significant number of current 1500 owners to trade in and downsize, while also luring in owners from Ford, Chevrolet and GMC.
Until recently, V-6s made up an insignificant share of the full-size pickup market but demand has been growing as fuel prices have headed skyward – sales boosted by the improved performance of the smaller engines. For more than a year, now, Ford has sold more F-Series with V-6s than V-8s, something that would have been unthinkable until recently.
Ram’s timing is “fantastic,” said Hegbloom. “I am going to be the only one in the marketplace with a new truck.”
Replacements for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are a year away, an update for the Ford F-Series even further out. Currently, the two General Motors models offer only a 4.3-liter V-6 option with a 4-speed gearbox that isn’t a particular mileage champ but the maker could shift gears considering current market trends when its replacement models reach market.
As for the new Ram 1500, it will carry a 1% price for the 2013 model-year, the base price set at $23,585 plus a $995 delivery charge.