2015 RAM 1500

As a Crew Cab from RAM, 2015 1500 comes with a wide range of options to choose from depending on your budget and taste. The trim levels start from $33,670 for the basic Tradesman RWD trim and go all the way up to $54,380 for the Limited AWD and have several trim levels in between with a host of options and trim levels to choose from. 

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab is available in two-bed length options and powertrain options on top of the several trim level options already available. This makes it a highly customizable pickup truck that can be bought according to your taste and requirements. 

Which trim should you buy?

With so many trim levels to choose from, buying the right trim level of the RAM 1500 for yourself can be a bit confusing. The SLT trim is one of the most sought-after trim levels as it is priced just over the $40,000 mark and offers a V6 engine as standard, while you have the option to opt for the V8 as well. The higher trim levels offer more or less the same mechanical components and features apart from the slight changes in interior features and look.

As mentioned earlier, the 2015 RAM 1500 Crew Cab is available in two powertrain options, which include V6 and V8 engine units. The base engine unit available is a 3.6L naturally aspirated V6 engine that produces a total of 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. The other engine option is a 5.7L naturally aspirated HEMI V8 that produces an impressive 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. The V6 engine serves to be more than adequate to carry out light-duty tasks and offers to be more economical while the HEMI V8 has serious pulling power and can be opted if you wish to tow or do some heavy-duty work with it.

Both the powertrain units are mated to the same 8-speed automatic transmission which does not seem too accurate with the gear changes and you can feel the lags in shifts, especially overtaking vehicles. All trim levels of the RAM 1500 Crew Cab are available in both RWD and AWD drivetrain options and the AWD option seems to be the one to go for as it offers more stability and confidence while driving.

The RAM 1500 with its base V6 engine can accelerate from 0-60 MPH in 9.3 seconds and can cover a quarter-mile distance from a standstill in 16.7 seconds. Having a V8 engine surely reduces these numbers by a second or more.

When compared to its rivals with their V6 engines, the RAM 1500 Crew Cab is on the slower side in terms of acceleration figures as it weighs significantly more and has a lesser torque output than them. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500 on the other hand are brand badged trucks and hence share almost every other component including the engine units and their higher torque output makes them almost two seconds quicker compared to the RAM 1500. The 2015 Ford F-150 is diminutively slower and assumes the last position in the segment.

The 2015 RAM 1500 has a mediocre fuel efficiency which doesn’t come surprisingly as it has a high displacement engine and weighs almost 5,000 lbs. and is mostly used for towing activities.

It offers a combined fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon which is similar to every other truck in the class and offers 17 and 25 MPG in the city and highway driving conditions respectively. Having a 26-gallon fuel tank capacity does help it to offer a combined range of 520 miles which is pretty much like the rest of its rivals.

Each truck in the segment has similar combined efficiency of 20 MPG. The RAM 1500 certainly could have offered more fuel economy in the city. However, its sizable tank that is similar to the GM sisters allows each truck to manage a combined mileage of 520 miles. On the other hand, Ford’s range feels partly underwhelming due to its less voluminous tank that can only hold 23-gallons.

The 2015 RAM 1500 is a utilitarian vehicle rather than something which is meant to keep you comfortable and cozy. The dashboard is wide and bold and doesn’t have any flashy or attractive design layout to it. Since the truck is available in so many trim level options, the list of features and creature comforts tend to fluctuate with the trim levels. with the top-level trim being more comfortable and welcoming. The dashboard gets metal as well as wood trim inserts depending on what you choose and seems to have a hard plastic surface.

The front seats come in varied options depending on the trim level chosen. They come with 4-way manual adjustability with cloth upholstery in the base Tradesman trim while offering heated and ventilated 10-way power-adjustable seats in the Limited trim level. As it comes with a 6-seater configuration, the RAM 1500 can actually accommodate 3 occupants in the front row and the middle seat doubles up as an armrest when not in use. 

The second-row seats have adequate space and comfort level to comfortably accommodate 3 occupants. These seats come with under-seat storage bins as well and two seatback pockets for added storage and convenience.

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab comes in two cargo bed length configurations with the smaller bed configuration offering 50.3 cu-ft. of volume and the larger one offering 57.5 cu-ft. of volume. The cargo bed does seem smaller than what some of its rivals have on offer and certainly feel like they could have been larger to match the capacities that its rivals have on offer.

The smaller cargo bed length configuration of the Ford F-150 SuperCrew seems to offer a larger volume of 62.3 cu.-ft than the larger cargo bed available with the RAM 1500. The trucks from Chevrolet and GMC on the other hand offer identical interior and cargo volume as expected and have more passenger space than all of their competitors. 

Some of the standout interior features are as follows:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Metal and wood trim inserts
• Heated leather steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 10-way power-adjustable front seats
• Underseat storage bins

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The standard infotainment features that come with the 2015 RAM 1500 Crew Cab are pretty crude and hence it comes with only the basic features in its lower trim levels. The lower trim levels get the latest UConnect infotainment system as well as a 5.8-inch infotainment display as standard. The audio system gets 6 speakers as well as USB and AUX input ports as standard.

Opt for the higher trim levels and you get an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with SatNav and multimedia controls, SiriusXM satellite radio, audio system with 10 performance speakers, and voice-activated Bluetooth connectivity.

Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are as follows:

• In-built navigation
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• An 8-inch infotainment display unit
• Voice-activated Bluetooth connectivity
• Optional 10 performance speaker audio system
• Latest and update UConnect infotainment system

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab might not be the best-looking truck in its class but it surely does grab some attention when it’s out on the road with its tall stance and massive front grille and hood.

Depending on the trim levels you choose, the exterior elements can also be customizable according to your taste. From an all-black approach to all-chrome bling, you can opt for the grille and other exterior trim elements according to your requirements. The higher trim levels also provide you with halogen projector-beam headlights and LED tail lamps while the lower trims come with automatic halogen headlamps and halogen tail lamps.

The exterior styling certainly exudes the RAM design DNA and has elements from Dodge and RAM which makes the RAM 1500 Crew Cab recognizable without much effort. The standard wheels on offer are 17-inch ones but you can also choose between 18 and 20-inch wheels as you move up the trim level chart.

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab is considerably lower in height, has a smaller wheelbase of 140.5 inches, and is heavier having a curb weight of 5,101 lbs. This means that it has good stability when driven in a straight line but seems to exert some body roll as you corner hard. The Ford F-150 SuperCrew has the largest wheelbase of 145 inches in the class which explains its larger cargo capacity as well. Each truck has a similar ground clearance of just under 9 inches. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab and GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab are also large trucks and have almost similar dimensions as the Ford.

Some of the standout exterior features are as follows:

• Halogen projector-beam automatic headlamps
• LED tail lamps
• Chrome window trim
• 17-inch wheels as standard
• Optional 18 and 20-inch wheels

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab gets an overall safety rating of 4 stars according to the NHTSA’s records for the 2015 model year version and gets similar ratings from agencies like the IIHS as well.

The RAM 1500 Crew Cab has impressive structural integrity and quality as it has been designed to be able to carry out light-duty towing duties. The list of safety features onboard includes modern features like Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning, ParkSense Rear Parking sensor, ParkView rear parking camera, and Side Impact beams.

Some of the standout safety features are as follows:

• Traction control
• Dual-stage front airbags
• Engine Immobilizer
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Stability Control
• Dusk Sensing Headlamps

For a light-duty pickup truck with a Crew Cab body configuration, the 2015 RAM 1500 might be a decent fit for your garage if you need a practical, utilitarian and comfortable truck with a host of options to choose from and configure, all at an attractive price range. However, it does have its own flaws. When comparing the handling, cargo capacity, fuel range, and performance characteristics, there are better trucks to go for in the class at a slightly higher price range and the RAM 1500 Crew Cab surely feels like it could have been better in a lot of areas. While we’d definitely keep the RAM on our list, we would suggest looking out for other options before finalizing a decision.