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New car reviews » 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4

Better than: some clapped-out old truck.
But not as good as: the Space Shuttle Crawler.
GRM Bang For The Buck Index: -16.29  

Sometimes you have to haul a huge load—like horses or an entire New England state. That’s where 1-ton trucks come into play, as they can carry a big payload and tow even more.

The Ram has been a player in this world for years, and for 2009 Dodge released a redesigned truck. As with most offerings in this segment, the Ram’s option list contains a huge number of possible bed, cab and engine configurations.

Our Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4 was fairly well stocked, as it sported the big cab and Cummins turbo-diesel power. The major options included leather-trimmed bucket seats ($500), a six-speed 68RFE transmission ($1575) and a power sunroof ($550).

Despite the comfy cockpit, this is still a capable hauler. It can carry up to 2850 pounds in its bed, while the standard towing capacity is 10,950 pounds; options, however, can bump that second number up to 16,500. Like we said earlier, sometimes you need the right tool for a big job.

Other staff views:

David S. Wallens Editorial Director:

For something that weighs more than three of my cars together, I have to admit that the Ram 3500 isn’t so bad around town. We took it into Orlando and used it around town for a few days.

Yes, it’s big, but it feels more nimble than you’d expect. In other words, it felt more like a half-ton pickup than a U-Haul truck. Okay, it felt big when parking, but once moving it felt manageable.

I also liked the Mega Cab option. It’s like a plush five-people sedan with a huge trunk.

It also wasn’t so bad on fuel. With the cruise control set, the real-time mpg display showed 18-22 mpg.

Am I going to buy one? No, that would be silly. But it’s nice to see how today’s big trucks aren’t always so truck-like.

Reader comments:

  1. thatsnowinnebago: — Apr 27, 2010 6:54 p.m.

    I like the negative GRM Bang For The Buck Index. Don’t think I’ve seen that before…

  2. jrg77: — May 15, 2010 2:14 p.m.

    At 2850 in the bed it could just about carry a race car Without the trailer if you could fit/put it in there!

2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4 Specs:

Drivetrain Layout:
Front-engine, all-wheel-drive
Engine:
6.7 liter Inline-6
Horsepower:
350 bhp at 3000 rpm
Torque:
650 lb.-ft at 1500 rpm
Transmission:
automatic
Brakes:
(front)
(rear)
Weight:
7920 pounds
Price:
Base: $50645
As tested: $56420

Staff Ratings:

Stock Performance:
***1/2
Performance Potential:
***1/2
Daily Driver Manners:
****
Fit and Finish:
****
Overall:
****

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