2012 Ram 1500: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

The 2012 Ram 1500 is available with a new transmission, as well as some trim and detail updates. Formerly known as the Dodge Ram 1500, this large pickup truck continues to be offered as a 2-door regular cab, 4-door Quad Cab extended cab, and 4-door Crew Cab. The doors on Quad and Crew cabs are conventional, opening independently of the fronts. The regular cab offers 6.4- and 8-foot cargo beds. The Quad Cab comes with a 6.4-foot bed while the Crew Cab uses a 5.7-foot bed. Regular cabs seat up to 3 passengers, the others up to 6. Ram 1500 models are available with three engines: a 215-horsepower 3.7-liter V6; a 310-horsepower 4.7-liter V8; and a 390-horsepower 5.7-liter V8. The 4.7 V8 is capable of running on gasoline and/or E85 ethanol-blended fuel. Standard on all is Chrysler's Interactive Decel Fuel Shut Off, which is designed to save fuel by shutting off the gasoline supply during deceleration. The 5.7 V8 has Chrysler's Multi-Displacement System cylinder deactivation. The V6 comes only with a 4-speed automatic transmission. A new 6-speed automatic is standard on all V8-powered Ram 1500s; this replaces the previous 5-speed automatic. Trim levels for the 2012 lineup include ST, SLT, Sport, Laramie, and Laramie Longhorn. Available on the ST are the sporty Express and work-themed Tradesman packages. Express and Tradesman include the 5.7-liter V8 engine among other features. SLTs offer off-road-themed Outdoorsman and special edition Big Horn/Lone Star variants. Note that the Lone Star has the same content as the Big Horn but is only available in Texas. All Ram 1500s are available with rear-wheel drive or with four-wheel drive. All but the Laramie have part-time 4WD that should not be left engaged on dry pavement. Standard on the Laramie is full-time 4WD that can be left engaged on dry pavement. Both systems include a low-range gear for off-roading. Maximum towing capacity is 3,800 pounds with the V6, 7,700 pounds with the 4.7 V8, and 10,450 pounds with the 5.7 V8. Safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, front-side airbags, and curtain-side airbags. Available only on Crew Cabs, the Ram Box option includes lockable cargo-bed storage bins, and a bed divider that doubles as a bed extender. Also available are DVD entertainment and Chrysler's Uconnect multimedia suite, which can include a wireless cell phone link, 30-gigabyte hard drive for storing digital music files and photos, and a navigation system. A rearview camera with park assist and heated/ventilated front seats are available. An R/T Package for the rear-drive regular-cab Sport includes a specific axle ratio, limited-slip differential, 22-inch wheels, and unique trim.