RAM 1500 Laramie Sport – Its no secret that I like the bigger American style Pick-up trucks, so when the opportunity came to drive the latest RAM 1500 Laramie Sport, I grabbed it.
The Laramie Sport adds layers of features such as colour coded bumpers, grill, and mirrors, and 20-inch alloy wheels. It also comes standard with the clever RamBox style tub with side lockable partitions.
Inside its particularly comfortable with room for five adults in comfort. The Sport comes with a 12-inch digital drivers instrument cluster, surround cameras, additional safety features and adaptive cruise control.
All RAM 1500 pickup trucks are powered by the 5.7-litre V8 HEMI® engine, delivering 291kW and 556Nm through a silky-smooth 8-speed gearbox. This now comes with eTorque technology creating a mild hybrid system for better fuel economy. It wasn’t too bad. We got it down to around 10L/100 on the motorway and around 13l/100k in the urban areas.
The RAM also comes with a dual range 4WD system and up to 4.5T towing capacity.
As an outback touring or towing vehicle there is a lot of plus points for this truck. Its also well priced against some more traditional 4WD at $136,950 plus the usual costs.
The RAM 1500 Laramie Sport is a different choice for buyers rather than a LandCruiser, Defender or Patrol
This is a Motoring Minute
I’m Rob Fraser
Readers can find out more details about the RAM 1500 Laramie Sport HERE
You can find a full review of the RAM 1500 Laramie Sport Review HERE
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RAM 1500 Laramie Sport Video Review
More Ram 1500 Laramie Sport thoughts
What does the Ram 1500 Laramie Sport look like?
I had a white colour version, and it was impressive.
With a big bold bonnet and colour coded grill, bumpers, and mirrors.
The 20-inch alloy wheels look a treat. Other features include front tow hooks that work, LED auto headlights, and some really cool powered slide out, doorsteps.
The tub has a spray in tub liner between the lockable RAMBOX storage bins. One clever feature is the Cargo Management System, which is a slide barrier in the tub, so that you can partition off an area for luggage, shopping etc and it doesn’t slide everywhere.
Reaching into the front of the 5’7” tub is problematic even for my 190 cm frame. The tailgate is damped for soft opening. The foldable tonneau cover is optional as well.
Obviously, it was fitted with an optional heavy duty tow hitch and the wiring harness was fitted above the little metal carrier for protection.
What about inside the 1500 Laramie Sport?
Well, the first impression is huge space. Its big.
Front leather seats are heated and cooled and with 8-way electronic adjustment and are particularly comfortable.
In fact, this is one of a few vehicles where I am completely comfortable, with the padded arm rests the perfect height.
If that isn’t enough the Laramie Sport also has adjustable pedals.
In front of the driver is a large thick leather steering wheel with height and reach adjustment. This feels great and provides excellent feedback. You will find the usual controls for cruise control and MFD display as well as gear limits buttons.
The 12-inch drivers instrument panel is configurable digitally, but my favourite is a traditional design with twin outer dials and MFD between.
There is a huge multi layered central storage bin with lift up lid. Twin cup holders and plenty of room for just about everything you carry around.
Underneath the lid is a bunch of calculation factors for standard to metric, tan, cos and sin, Pythagoras theorem and angles. It looks cool but I doubt I would ever use it.
The transmission is a dial, down to the left of the steering wheel next to the 4WD selection and stop/start buttons. Having that and an electronic park brake allows for better use of interior space.
The Sport features black headlining and black carbon fibre-effect dash inserts.
Rear passengers
Where the RAM 1500 excels is rear passenger comfort. There is enough room for me to sit without my knees touching the back of the front seat. And room for three of me back there. Heaps of head room and plenty of visibility.
Rear passengers in the two outer seat positions also benefit from heating and class-exclusive manual rear-seat recline. The rear seat will lift up and there is hidden in floor storage compartments.
There are three child seat anchorage points. Behind them is an electric sliding window to the tub area.
Infotainment and technology connectivity.
The central stack is dominated by the large 12-inch vertical touch screen. This seems to be the flavour of the month these days and the RAM version is particularly good.
It houses the Uconnect system, that is intuitive and easy to use. There is a myriad of functionality, more really than most people will ever use.
For the audiophiles there is a 900-watt, 19 speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, and as you would expect it provides crisp and clear audio. To assist that, and for general passenger ambience, the RAM has an active noise cancellation system and acoustic glass reduce ambient sounds to extremely low levels.
Below that is a handy slot for the phone to sit in and wirelessly charge
Front and back there are a bunch of USB ports in both USB-A and USB-C configuration.
What about Safety
The RAM 1500 doesn’t get an official ANCAP safety rating, but that doesn’t mean it is lacking. It’s packed with safety features including:
- Six airbags,
- Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection,
- Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-path Detection
- Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking (FCW+)
- 360° Surround View Camera,
- Tyre pressure monitoring system,
- Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist
- LaneSense® Lane Departure Warning-plus
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Front and Rear ParkSense® Park Assist System
- ParkView® Rear Back-up Camera
I can attest to the effectiveness of the rear emergency braking system, it works.
Engine and drivetrain
The 1500 Laramie Sport utilises the iconic 5.7-litre V8 HEMI® engine, delivering 291kW and 556Nm through a silky-smooth 8-speed gearbox.
This legendary powertrain features eTorque technology creating a 48V Lithium-Ion mild hybrid system which assists the fuel-saving cylinder deactivation and Stop/Start functions.
The RAM 1500 has a part time dual range 4WD system that operates at the push of a button.
Selections are 2WD High, 4WD Auto and 4WD High/Low range. It’s been around for ages and works without fuss.
The RAM 1500 comes with independent front upper and lower ‘A’ arms, coil springs and heavy-duty twin tube shock absorbers and stabiliser bar. Rear suspension is five link with track bar, coil springs, heavy duty twin tube shock absorbers, stabiliser bar, and solid axle.
What is the 1500 Laramie Sport like to drive?
Well, I love driving it. The 5.7L V8 provides more than enough performance for everyday as well as lazy motorway cruising. The V8 burble is music to the ears.
While not particularly fast, the Hemi V8 has enough performance to satisfy most drivers.
For a bit truck its surprisingly nimble. Steering inputs are direct, and it feels smaller than it is sometimes. You are always conscious of staying in your lane.
Overall visibility is ok, considering how big the Pick-Up is. It is difficult to see over the bonnet and tight turns are a practiced judgment call.
Turning circle is a whopping 14 metres plus and it takes up a parking space and a half-length wise. Also with its width, opening doors in tight carparks and exiting is an exercise in body dexterity.
However out of town on the motorway its simply cruises without fuss.
Point me towards outback touring on roads like the Birdsville track or Strzelecki track and I’m in seventh heaven.
There possibly isn’t a better outback touring vehicle than a pick-up truck like this.
The weight and length allow the RAM to simply glide over road corrugations and the sound deadening allows for relaxed cruising.
However, you can forget tight rocky 4WD tracks. Its simply too big. It eats forest trails and beach work though.
I started this section by saying I love to drive the big RAM, as I do all these mid-sized Pick-up trucks. Hoping in, hearing that V8 burble, feeling the effortless cruising all provided excellent driver engagement.
Driving the RAM is like putting on a favourite pair of jeans. Its simply feels right.
What is it like to tow with.
We didn’t tow on this review but have before and it’s a breeze.
The 1500 is fitted with integrated trailer brakes, 12 pin wiring harness and a slide control system like the Hayman Reese system which are my favourite.
We have in the past towed boats, caravans, car trailers with the RAM and to be honest that’s what they are best at.
The powerful engine and long wheelbase combined with the weight of the RAM 1500 makes this an ideal tow vehicle for heavy duty applications.
What is it like to own?
Well, it’s expensive to start with.
The 3-year warranty is a bit lacking these days and servicing costs will run to about $600-$700 per year.
Fuel \use can be expensive, but if the governments ever get their act together and bring petrol prices back to where they should be that will be less of a problem.
However, buyers of these trucks usually don’t take into consideration such costs, they buy them for a purpose.
Final thoughts Ram 1500 Laramie Sport
There must be a reason to buy the RAM 1500 Laramie Sport.
You want to tow something big. Or you want a practical 4WD for a large family.
Or, like me you simply love this style of pick-up truck and want one.
When you consider what you will pay for a large 4WD like a Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport, or Land Rover Defender, then the purchase price becomes good value by comparison.
Even large premium SUVs start to pale in comparison.
The RAM 1500 Laramie Sport has everything they have plus more for similar price.
What is good? |
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What is not so good? |
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Also look at
Buyers of the mid sized Pick-Up trucks now have more choices. They could look at the factory backed models like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Toyota Tundra, Ford F150
There are a few after market conversion models from Harrison F Trucks, and Performax.
Alternatively buyers could look at the Nissan Patrol Warrior, Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport or the Land Rover Defender.
RAM 1500 |
|
Model |
1500 Laramie Sport |
| Model Price | $136, 950 MLP* |
| Engine | 5.7L V8 Hemi e-torque Euro 5 |
| Drivetrain | 8 Sp Sports AT Dual Range 4WD |
| Power | 291kW @ 5,600rpm |
| Torque | 556Nm @ 3,950rpm |
| Safety | N/A |
| 0-100kmh / Top Speed | TBA |
| CO2 Emissions | 283g/km |
| Economy ADR | 12.2L/100km / 98L capacity |
| Economy on test | 10.2L/100k on motorway 13.2L around town |
| Max Range | 803km estimated |
| Servicing | 12Mth / 12,000km |
| Warranty | 3yr/ 100,000 km |
| Roadside Assist | 3yr. conditional roadside assist |
*MLP Includes GST and LCT but excludes statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges)
Overall Rating |
90/100 |
| Behind the Wheel | 9 |
| Comfort | 9 |
| Equipment | 9 |
| Performance | 9 |
| Ride and Handling | 9 |
| Practicality | 9 |
| Fit for Purpose | 9 |
| AWD/Towing Capability* | 9 (4WD 4/5 Towing 5/5) |
| Technology/connectivity | 9 |
| Value for Money | 9 |
*Towing and AWD capability is measured against similar vehicles in the same class.
Dimensions |
RAM 1500 Laramie Sport |
| Overall Length | 5916mm |
| Wheelbase | 3672mm |
| Width | 2084mm |
| Height | 1971mm |
| Wheels | 20×9.0 Steel |
| Tyres | 275/55 R17 |
| Max ground clearance | Up to 217mm |
| Wading Depth | TBC |
| Approach | 20.4 degrees |
| Rampover | 18.6 degrees |
| Departure angle | 20.4 degrees |
| Turning Circle KTK | 14.08m |
| Tub/Tray Length | 1712mm |
| Tub/ Tray width / arches | 1270mm |
| Tub/Tray Depth | TBA |
| Kerb Weight | 2671kg |
| Payload (kg) | 897kg |
| GVM (kg) | 3450kg |
| GCM | 7713kg |
| Towing Capacity | 4500kg |
| Tow Ball rating | 450kg |
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