Cars
The Ford EcoBoost-fighting V6 is only one part of what makes the Ram pickup range the one to consider. Let's be clear: there are countless reasons for the F-Series' marketplace dominance. You'll probably be satisfied with a Chevrolet Silverado, you'd have fun with the Nissan Titan's 5.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra is a big truck on a continent that loves big trucks.
This Ram has a lot going for it, however, not the least of which is that new V6 engine. The rumbling Hemi V8 remains the most alluring truck engine on the market. Though not F-150-like inside, the Ram's interior is so far beyond what GM is currently offering.
Much of the Ram's appeal continues to be its styling. Pickup trucks ought to be this aggressive, and the Ram's near-perfect truck design details - the forward-leaning crosshair grille and thick-spoked wheels especially - cause other trucks to appear almost unassuming.
Engine: 305 horsepower; 269 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, 310 horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque from a 4.7L V8, or 395 horsepower; 407 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V8
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,590 / $19,995
City Fuel Economy: 14-18 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: The Ram is not a Ford F-150, and that alone is enough for many buyers to avoid the truck formally known as a Dodge. As is the case with other trucks, Ram's diesel engine is unfortunately not available in non-HD versions.
Sales Stats: Consistently America's third-best-selling truck and Canada's second-best-selling truck (and second-best-selling vehicle), the Ram pickup range is the highest-volume nameplate in the Chrysler Group's lineup.
Viable Alternatives: Thinking specifically, the Good 12-winning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a statement maker, a veritable maker of statements. In general, it's hard to find a bad full-size truck. The replacements for GM's twins appear to be very livable products, too.
The Bad 8
- 2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Cayenne S - $70,000-$80,000
PORSCHE CAYENNE S The Porsche Cayenne S actually has a U.S. base price below $70,000 USD, a violation of GoodCarBadCar's eligibility for this price segment. The $65,850 Cayenne S isn't the Cayenne you want, though. It seems necessary...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Chevrolet Suburban - $45,000-$50,000
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN The Chevrolet Suburban's downsides are widely known and easily explained in a nutshell. Suburbans are vast, and while that pays dividends inside, the size of this behemoth sucks, both in parking lots and at the fuel pump. Additionally,...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2012's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Ecoboost 4x4
FORD F-150 ECOBOOST 4X4 By choosing this particular model-within-a-model to be a Good 12 member, it may seem as though the desire for specificity has gone haywire. But hold on a second. Naming only EcoBoost four-wheel drive F-150s to The Good 12 doesn't...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 5 - Ford F-150
FORD F-150 Before Ford decided to completely revamp the F-150's engine lineup, GoodCarBadCar.net placed the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in The Good 12. This year, however, Ford has developed a new range of engines for the F-150: delightfully...
Cars
2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000
RAM 1500
There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family life, and decently equipped, the $34,585 SLT V6 Quad Cab will now be a commonly seen truck. The 305 horsepower and 269-lb-ft generated by the V6 are impressive figures, limited only by the high engine speeds at which they're achieved.The Ford EcoBoost-fighting V6 is only one part of what makes the Ram pickup range the one to consider. Let's be clear: there are countless reasons for the F-Series' marketplace dominance. You'll probably be satisfied with a Chevrolet Silverado, you'd have fun with the Nissan Titan's 5.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra is a big truck on a continent that loves big trucks.This Ram has a lot going for it, however, not the least of which is that new V6 engine. The rumbling Hemi V8 remains the most alluring truck engine on the market. Though not F-150-like inside, the Ram's interior is so far beyond what GM is currently offering.
Much of the Ram's appeal continues to be its styling. Pickup trucks ought to be this aggressive, and the Ram's near-perfect truck design details - the forward-leaning crosshair grille and thick-spoked wheels especially - cause other trucks to appear almost unassuming.
-----
Engine: 305 horsepower; 269 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, 310 horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque from a 4.7L V8, or 395 horsepower; 407 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V8
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,590 / $19,995
City Fuel Economy: 14-18 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: The Ram is not a Ford F-150, and that alone is enough for many buyers to avoid the truck formally known as a Dodge. As is the case with other trucks, Ram's diesel engine is unfortunately not available in non-HD versions.
Sales Stats: Consistently America's third-best-selling truck and Canada's second-best-selling truck (and second-best-selling vehicle), the Ram pickup range is the highest-volume nameplate in the Chrysler Group's lineup.
Viable Alternatives: Thinking specifically, the Good 12-winning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a statement maker, a veritable maker of statements. In general, it's hard to find a bad full-size truck. The replacements for GM's twins appear to be very livable products, too.
The Good 12
Kia Rio 5-Door - Fiat 500 Turbo - Volkswagen Golf GTI
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S -
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover
The Bad 8
Chevrolet Spark - Chrysler 200 Convertible -
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour -
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
The Good 12 Rules
- 2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Cayenne S - $70,000-$80,000
PORSCHE CAYENNE S The Porsche Cayenne S actually has a U.S. base price below $70,000 USD, a violation of GoodCarBadCar's eligibility for this price segment. The $65,850 Cayenne S isn't the Cayenne you want, though. It seems necessary...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Chevrolet Suburban - $45,000-$50,000
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN The Chevrolet Suburban's downsides are widely known and easily explained in a nutshell. Suburbans are vast, and while that pays dividends inside, the size of this behemoth sucks, both in parking lots and at the fuel pump. Additionally,...
- 2013's The Good 12 - Bmw 328i - $35,000-$40,000
BMW 328i Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. BMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series...
- 2012's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 Ecoboost 4x4
FORD F-150 ECOBOOST 4X4 By choosing this particular model-within-a-model to be a Good 12 member, it may seem as though the desire for specificity has gone haywire. But hold on a second. Naming only EcoBoost four-wheel drive F-150s to The Good 12 doesn't...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 5 - Ford F-150
FORD F-150 Before Ford decided to completely revamp the F-150's engine lineup, GoodCarBadCar.net placed the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in The Good 12. This year, however, Ford has developed a new range of engines for the F-150: delightfully...