Edmunds' Inside Line Names All-new 2009 Dodge Ram Best Full-size Pickup Truck in Punishing Head-to-Head Competition

All-new 2009 Dodge Ram beats new 2009 Ford F-150 for top honors
Total Ram truck market share up 28 percent from a year ago
Dodge truck pipeline full with all-new trucks on the way including: Ram Heavy Duty, Ram Chassis Cab, Ram 1500 hybrid and Ram 1500 diesel



Auburn Hills, Mich., May 7, 2009 -
The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 earned top honors in Edmunds’ Inside Line head-to-head competition of full-size pickup trucks. The Dodge Ram 1500 beat the 2009 Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram continues to win accolades, receiving 15 awards since its introduction last fall.

“After all the points were tallied, the Dodge Ram takes the win with a very well-rounded performance,” wrote Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing, Edmunds.com. “The optional RamBox proved itself useful by swallowing 85 pounds of greasy trailer hitch parts in its lockable bins, and its repositionable bed divider is easily the best of its kind.”

Capability testing was conducted over two weeks of day-to-day use and included tow-testing, off-road driving and hill climbing. All test vehicles were crew cabs and included sunroof, navigation system and other convenience features. Trucks were tested against their claimed tow capacity, as well as a fixed-weight face-off in which each truck pulled an identical trailer up a test mountain.

“We knew from previous experience that the Ram’s coil-spring rear suspension works well when the truck is unloaded, but this time we found it has the chops to handle a trailer, too,” wrote Edmunds' Inside Line. “The Dodge Ram impresses us with a solid performance, an understated ability to tow the socks off some others, a feature-laden presentation and rugged good looks.”

"Our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is the best truck ever built,” said Scott Kunselman – Vice President Jeep/Truck Product Team, Chrysler LLC. “It is a game-changing, class-leading truck that is second to none. We are glad Edmunds' Inside Line agrees.”

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram features the industry’s first-and-only RamBox™ cargo management system that includes versatile, weatherproof, lockable, illuminated, drainable storage bins; pickup bed dividers; a two-foot bed extender and a cargo rail system with sliding adjustable cleats.

The 2009 Ram also includes the first-in-segment coil-spring five-link rear suspension fitted to a solid rear axle that provides ride and handling not found on any other pickup truck. A new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine with fuel-saving MDS technology provides more horsepower (390 hp) and torque (407 lb.-ft.) while its best-in-class aerodynamics (.387 Cd) improve fuel economy and performance.

In addition, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram includes a first-in-segment, factory-installed four-inch dual exhaust styled dramatically into the rear bumper, first-in-segment store-in-the-floor storage bins, twice as many storage spots than the previous model and 35 safety and security technologies. Standard safety features include side-curtain air bags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) which includes all-speed traction control, trailer sway control, hill-start assist and anti-lock brake system (ABS). Significantly upgraded interiors with a segment-first surround-sound audio system and live SIRIUS Backseat TV™ round out the interior.

Other premium amenities include first-in-segment heated and ventilated front seats, available heated rear seats, first-for-Chrysler heated steering wheel, one-touch up/down driver and passenger windows, automatic-on headlamps and dual-zone automatic temperature control – a first for Dodge Ram.

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular, Quad and Crew Cab models recently earned Five Star ratings for driver- and front-passenger protection in a frontal crash, the highest ratings in the U.S. government’s safety crash test program. The U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is $22,170 (including $900 destination).

In addition to winning Edmunds’ Inside Line's full-size pickup truck competition, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram has earned 15 other key awards since its introduction and was recently chosen by Car and Driver as the best full-size pickup in another head-to-head comparison test in Texas, beating the 2009 Ford F-150. Other key awards include:

ICOTY – 2009 International Truck of the Year
Texas Auto Writer's Association (TAWA) – 2009 Full-Size Pickup Truck of Texas
MotorWeek – Best Pickup Truck
Maxim – Achievement in Party-Enabling Technology (RamBox)
Edmunds' Inside Line – A 2009 Editor's Most Wanted Vehicle
Consumer Guide – Large Pickup – Best Buy for 2009
Cars.com – Work Truck of the Year
Truckin’ magazine – Truck of the Year
Autobytel.com – 2009 MyRide/Autobytel Editors’ Choice Awards - Truck of the Year
Ward’s AutoWorld – Interior of the Year
Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Association – Truck of the Year
New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) – Best-in-Class Pickup Award
Ward's AutoWorld – Ward's 10 Best Engines of 2009 (2009 Dodge Ram 5.7-liter HEMI® engine)
Automobile Journalists Association of Canada – Best New Pickup
Sobre Ruedas – Sobre Ruedas Best Pickup Truck for '08
Dodge Brand
With a work-hard, play-hard attitude, the Dodge brand continues to offer a full line of cars, trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles and sales-leading, fifth-generation minivans in 2009.

Dodge introduced several new vehicles in the 2008 calendar year, including the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey, the 2009 Dodge Challenger and the 2009 Dodge Ram. Dodge also celebrates the 25th anniversary of the minivan during the 2009 model year.

Also in 2008, Dodge Journey entered key volume markets outside North America, joining the Dodge Avenger, Nitro and Caliber. Dodge Caliber was the highest sales volume vehicle for the company outside North America in 2008.