2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman Packs a Punch
Ram has done a good job of teasing out just about every possible trim level for its 2019 Ram 1500 lineup during the last few months, except for the entry-level work truck called the Tradesman. Some old-school pickup truck enthusiasts believe if you want to find out how well a particular truck performs, look no further than what a manufacturer makes for the commercial and fleet markets.
Appropriately, Ram revealed the 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman at the 2018 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis to an audience of small businessmen, construction managers, commercial fleet buyers and automotive journalists.
The Tradesman will be offered in both Quad- and crew-cab configurations with a choice between the 5-foot 7-inch bed (crew cab only) or the 6-foot 4-inch bed (either cab) and a choice of engines: the standard 3.6-liter V-6 with the mild-hybrid eTorque system or optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 or Hemi V-8 with eTorque.
"Ram launched the original Tradesman model in 2011, and our work truck customers have enjoyed Ram's benchmark durability ever since," Mike Manley, head of Ram, said in a statement. "Ram has the highest owner loyalty of any half-ton truck and the Ram 1500 Tradesman model will continue to deliver confidence for hard-working people who rely on it every day."
The new Tradesman will also offer Ram's best half-ton towing capabilities — a 12,750-pound maximum tow rating and a 2,300-pound payload capacity — when properly equipped.
Standard features for the Tradesman will include the Uconnect 5.0 system with a 5-inch screen and hands-free calling, a one-year subscription for satellite radio, three USB ports and the choice of a 40/20/40-split cloth or vinyl bench. Interior colors will include Black/Diesel Gray with either vinyl or carpeted floors. Other standard features include a 160-amp alternator, 3.21:1 gears, a 730-amp battery, a black grille and black steel bumpers, a cargo bed lamp, front and rear frequency response damping shock absorbers, a rear camera, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, halogen headlights, a locking tailgate, power locks and windows, and remote keyless entry.
Optional equipment will include 3.92:1 gears, a limited-slip differential or rear locking differential, an Off-Road Package with a small suspension lift, a 180-amp alternator, folding trailer mirrors, rubber floormats, chrome side steps, a spray-in bedliner and a trailer brake controller. The starting price for the Tradesman Quad Cab 4x2 will be $33,340 (for other 2019 Ram 1500 prices, click here). A 2018 Tradesman Quad Cab 4x2 (without the 2019 upgrades and the mild-hybrid eTorque) will cost about $1,000 less.
Ram also announced a new telematics connectivity platform designed for fleet and business owners to keep track of vehicle and driver data. Ram Telematics can help improve productivity, vehicle use and fuel economy while also keeping track of maintenance issues. It can even predict when certain parts may need replacing. A one-year service contract starts at $800 and is covered by a factory three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. Ram said it will offer a 4G Ram Telematics module later this year that dealers can install for model-year 2015 and newer Rams.
Manufacturer images
Comments
It totally would have looked better without that little strip of trim above the lights and grill, should have matched it to the body color. Looks better than the higher trim package, but still lost all the appeal that the previous model had. Now it looks generic and forgettable. Chrysler/Dodge/Ram et all used to be flashy and stylish with powerful engines and nobody cared that they fell apart quickly. We're here for a good time, not a long time. Apparently that's no longer the case.
The Ram always had that high grill - high hood design to give it the look of a big semi truck and they are starting to shy away from that.
The design of the Ram makes it look bigger where the F-150 and Silverado looks like a toy truck sitting next to the Ram.
The F-150 looks bigger from the back with the high bed but looks small at the front with it's lower stance
The Silverado looks small from the side with it's low roof height.
But the Ram looks big all over and it's hard to tell them apart from the Ram 1500 and 2500
that's my opinion
Same crap different smell
"Tradesman", but no regular cab with an 8' bed......
It's a handsome truck and an improvement over the old one for sure. It still carries 1,000 lbs. less than a properly-equipped F-150.
Are those dual beam headlights?
They were obsolete twenty years ago.
I actually like the look of this truck. They need to make the fog-lights standard and give it standard alloy wheels like in the final picture instead of the cheap plastic hub caps in the first couple. Then it would be perfect!
I actually like the black (shield deflector thing) on the hood.
Two things wrong with it:
1) MUCH too large for what it does;
2) Screwy doors on the Quad-Cab. There is no practical purpose to front-hinged doors to access the area behind the front seat.
Nice. They made it NOT look like a total bargain-basement crap fest. Good feature set at that level as well, and a very competitive towing maximum. I'm interested to see GM's new numbers now.
@ Vulpine:
"There is no practical purpose to front-hinged doors to access the area behind the front seat."
Of course there is. Front hinges make it easier for your crew to get back into the truck after a lunch or morning coffee stop. If you use rear hinged rear doors, you have to do a weird position jockeying dance to get the rear occupants into their seats when you're parked between cars in a typical parking lot. That alone is worth the hassle of having to walk back around a rear door to get at the rear compartment.
Rear-hinged rear doors only make sense if you're talking extended cabs, not Quads or Crews.
man, am I the only one who thinks the previous front end was much better looking?
@SYJ: Quad Cab IS the extended cab, no leg room for regular passengers back there. Ford’s version has a proper door there
I think the new 2019 Rams have taken a step backwards in the looks department. They used to be the best looking truck with that big rig front end look. The new front end doesn't look as good or tough IMO. New interior seems nice.
"I think the new 2019 Rams have taken a step backwards in the looks department. They used to be the best looking truck with that big rig front end look. The new front end doesn't look as good or tough IMO. New interior seems nice."
---- Posted by: Steely123
To me, the fake Big Rig look detracted from them in appearance AND in economy; the lower, more rounded face is a notable improvement in aerodynamics but they could stand to go lower still; there's no reason for a full-sized pickup, even with 4x4, to sit so ridiculously high at the load bed. Just watched the video of the Sierra (GMC) and that bed floor was nearly at chest level for the videographer. If you're trying to load or unload heavy objects, you don't want to lift that high just to get it into the truck. The tailgate on my factory stock (4x2) Ranger us just above knee height, making loading extremely easy.
Wow, the new Ram looks so much like the 2000 Silverado, i had to do a double take at the picture to see it was a 2019 Ram???
Ram has really gone towards looking more soft and car like with the new trucks. Seem lower to the ground than any of the others as well????
@Vulpine: I have not sat in the new Ram quad cab, but previous ones had ALOT more legroom than a Ford "Supercab".
The Ford wrong way doors have been abandoned by GM and Ram.
Possibly they realized that it is stupid to have to open the front door to open the back.
Have you every tried to do that from the back seat? Example: you want to take a nap on a trip. It is a pain to get back there, and shut the front door, and then open it later.
Also, in a crash, the door to door is not near as tough in a side impact, as a truck with two same way doors with a post between them.
The wrong way door to door Supercab/Extended Chevy/ older Quad Ram also has more potential to rattle, as my 2006 Chevy did.
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