Heavy-duty vans are specialised autos. Each a part of them, from the body to the engine to the axles, is optimized for grueling work towing big masses.

However that does not imply house owners are utilizing them for hauling on a regular basis. In some unspecified time in the future, these vans should go to the financial institution or the grocery retailer. With that in thoughts, I spent every week with the dual-rear-wheel Ram 3500 on a current journey to Colorado to see how a Truck like this handles day by day driving responsibility.

That is what almost 22 ft of truck appears like.

Emme Corridor/Roadshow

Huge truck, massive energy

There’s a Ram Heavy Obligation truck to suit virtually any want. The 2500 and 3500 fashions can be found in six totally different trims. The truck may be outfitted in single, Crew Cab or superspacious Mega Cab configurations, with a 6-foot, Four-inch field, or an Eight-foot field. Heck, you possibly can even purchase a Ram HD Chassis Cab, permitting you to suit an aftermarket mattress.

The bottom engine for each the Ram 2500 and 3500 is a 6.Four-liter V8 mated to a six-speed computerized transmission, placing out 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. Patrons can step as much as the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine, which produces 410 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque.

My truck, nevertheless, has El Burrito Grande of engines: the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel, however with 400 horsepower and — no joke — 1,000 pound-feet of torque. This engine is mated to a six-speed computerized transmission, and may solely be had within the Ram 3500.

Earlier this yr, I used to be capable of put the Ram 3500 by means of its paces, towing a 35,100-pound trailer by means of the rain and snow. If most trailering is your essential requirement for a HD truck, that is the one to get.

This time round, nevertheless, I am utilizing the 3500’s energy to shortly speed up onto the freeway and cruise round city. The Ram 3500 is a giant beast, however it will get in control comparatively shortly, the Aisin-sourced transmission working easily within the background.

With its big rear axle and dual-rear-wheel setup, pavement imperfections are translated to the cabin tout suite. The 3500 is very bouncy over freeway enlargement joints, however that is par for the course with these massive haulers, particularly when pushed with out the additional weight of payload or a trailer.

A 75-mile-per-hour pace restrict feels egregiously quick in a car this dimension, particularly after I interact the adaptive cruise management. Nevertheless, the brakes are agency and straightforward to modulate, and the accessible ahead collision warning and emergency braking techniques are good to have, even for those who by no means use them. Blind-spot monitoring is commonplace on my top-trim 3500 Restricted, however optionally available in all places else. It is a must-have little bit of tech in a car this dimension.

Parking a truck this massive is a little bit of a chore, however made simpler because of the accessible 360-degree digicam with a chicken’s-eye view. The twin-rear-wheel setup provides over a foot of width to the already massive Ram, and do not forget, this factor is sort of 22 ft lengthy. Pulling right into a perpendicular spot takes some recalibration of your regular driving habits, however total, the Ram 3500 is kind of simple to maneuver — assuming you have got loads of room.

Numerous luxurious

One of the best factor about daily-driving a 3500 is that it is as comfy and tech-filled as every other new Ram pickup. My Restricted tester has commonplace heated and cooled entrance seats, and heated rear seats. Supple leather-based chairs provide equal quantities of assist and luxury, and as you possibly can think about in a truck this massive, there’s a ton of room contained in the cabin.

Loads of leather-based and many storage are highlights within the Restricted’s inside.

Ram

The 3500’s inside largely carries over from the fullsize Ram 1500 truck, and to my eyes, it is the perfect HD truck inside you will get right now. Total match and end are glorious, and wind and street noise are saved at bay. The eye to element inside is stellar.

There are many intelligent storage options contained in the 3500, as properly. The middle console is reconfigurable, and there are deep door pockets. There’s even slightly aspect pocket within the footwell space, excellent for work papers or clipboards. The rear cabin options underseat storage areas, as properly.

Wonderful tech

A tiny, 5-inch touchscreen is commonplace on decrease trims, however consumers can go for a Eight.Four-inch show operating Ram’s glorious Uconnect infotainment system. There’s additionally La Enchilada Gorda: the 12-inch, vertically oriented display screen, as seen within the Ram 1500, which is commonplace on the highest Laramie Longhorn and Restricted trims and optionally available on the non-Longhorn Laramie.

The jumbo-size display screen within the Ram makes navigation simple to learn. Plus it appears hella cool. 

Ram

I really like the 12-inch display screen. Uconnect is significantly simple to make use of, and on the bigger show, I’ve big icons and clear, crisp graphics. The big display screen actual property means I can run two purposes directly — for instance, navigation on one half, and audio controls on the opposite.

After all, I may bypass the infotainment system if I would like and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, since each come commonplace. A Wi-Fi hotspot can be commonplace on my Restricted tester, as is wi-fi smartphone charging. Talking of charging, the 3500 Restricted comes with 4 USB Kind-A and two USB Kind-C ports — two in entrance, two out again. You additionally get a 115-volt, three-prong outlet for every row of seats, and a 12-volt outlet on high of the sprint.

King of the crop

2019 Ram Heavy Obligation pricing begins at $33,395, however in its top-spec 3500 Restricted guise with four-wheel drive, you are a minimum of $65,250. With the higher-output diesel engine and a bunch of different fancy choices, my tester tops out at $87,810.

Once more, there is a Heavy Obligation Ram for every type of consumers. Work-spec 2500s begin within the mid-$30,000 vary, and the off-road-ready Energy Wagon is available in at $53,100. If we’re speaking 3500s, I might go together with a Laramie and follow the bottom, gasoline V8. From there I might add the $1,195 Security Group to get blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise management and ahead collision warning. I might additionally add the $995 Ram cargo containers, as a result of it is nice to have lockable storage within the mattress of a truck. Lastly, as a lot as I really like that 12-inch display screen, I will follow the Eight.Four-inch show that comes with this trim. All in, a properly outfitted Ram 3500 Laramie just like the one I’ve described prices $57,480, together with $1,695 for vacation spot.

Broad load, child. The twin rear wheels add over a foot of width in contrast with the single-wheel setup.

The competitors within the heavy-duty truck class is fierce. The Ford F-350 Tremendous Obligation can tow 35,000 kilos and affords 935 pound-feet of torque from its Energy Stroke V8 diesel. The 2020 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra HD pickups will probably be in the marketplace quickly, the latter of which is able to supposedly provide a “clear” trailer show, together with another new tech options.

For now, nevertheless, the 2019 Ram Heavy Obligation is the king of the big-truck crop. And even for those who by no means use its capabilities, there’s nonetheless lots to love.