2021 Ram 3500 Review
2021 Ram 3500 Review
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Appraise This CarRam 3500 model years
Ram 3500 types
- Crew Cab
- Mega Cab
- Regular Cab
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2021 Ram 3500 Review
byChristian Wardlaw
Correspondent
Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at Edmunds and was the first editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.
Pros
- Massive towing capacity with diesel engine
- Comfortable seating and a quiet cabin
- Easy-to-use and feature-packed infotainment system
- Numerous available safety technologies
Cons
- The diesel engine is on the noisy side
- Lacks competitive trailering technology
- No dedicated off-road package or model
What's new
- High-output diesel engine now has 1,075 lb-ft of torque, a gain of 75 lb-ft
- Maximum tow rating rises by 2,000 pounds
- Digital rearview mirror newly available
- Part of the fifth Ram 3500 generation introduced for 2019
Overview
Among truck owners, numbers matter. They settle claims, justify choices and validate bragging rights. This year, the 2021 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty holds two of the biggest ones among full-size heavy haulers.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Ram 3500 Tradesman 2dr Regular Cab LB (6.4L 8cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of N/A undefined in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
Not EPA tested for 3500 Tradesman
3500 Tradesman
vs
$257/mo
Avg. Large Truck
First, the Ram 3500 HD's optional turbodiesel six-cylinder engine delivers a claimed 1,075 lb-ft of torque. That figure beats the Ford F-Series Super Duty lineup's Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 by all of 25 lb-ft. The Duramax turbodiesel V8 in Chevy and GMC trucks musters no more than 910 lb-ft. Second, the Ram 3500 HD boasts the highest gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing capacity of any full-size heavy-duty pickup truck, at 37,100 pounds, depending on the configuration. The Ford Super Duty is slightly behind at 37,000 pounds, while the limit for the Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD is 36,000 pounds.
The Ram's numerical advantages matter much less in real-world situations — all of these heavy-duty trucks are supremely capable for towing and hauling. Yet there are still plenty of other reasons to select the 2021 Ram 3500, including its comfortable seating and wide range of available technology and driver assistance features. It's definitely worth checking out if you're shopping for a heavy-duty truck.
Which 3500 does Edmunds recommend?
Your decision about which Ram 3500 HD to buy depends on how you plan to use the truck and the size of your budget. Unless you can't live without leather seats, the cloth-upholstered Big Horn offers you the broadest access to cab styles, drivetrains, seating configurations and equipment at the lowest price. You can restrict options to keep the truck basic and affordable, or you can add lots of extras to increase capability, upgrade technology or improve its looks.
2021 Ram 3500 models
The 2021 Ram 3500 is available in five trim levels: Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, Longhorn and Limited. Regular-cab, crew-cab, and Mega Cab (the extra-large crew-cab) configurations pair with standard (6 foot 4 inches) or long (8 foot) cargo beds and rear- or four-wheel drive.
Engine selections include gasoline and diesel power plants:
- Standard 6.4-liter gas V8 (410 hp, 429 lb-ft) with an eight-speed automatic
- Optional 6.7-liter Cummins turbocharged diesel inline six-cylinder (370 hp, 850 lb-ft) with a six-speed automatic
- Optional high-output version of the diesel with 420 hp and 1,075 lb-ft
Equipment highlights for each trim level are as follows:
Tradesman
When you seek the maximum capability at the minimum price, the Tradesman offers:
- 18-inch steel wheels
- Locking tailgate
- Vinyl seats and floors
- Manual locks and windows
- Air conditioning
- Cruise control
- 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Bluetooth hands-free calling
- Backup camera
- Tire fill alert system
Big Horn
The Big Horn goes beyond the basics, adding:
- Chrome exterior trim
- Power, heated tow mirrors
- Power windows
- Power door locks with remote keyless entry
- Cloth seats and carpeted floors
- Trailer brake controller
Laramie
For a little more luxury and livability, the Laramie supplies:
- 18-inch aluminum wheels
- LED headlights and taillights
- Power-folding chrome tow mirrors
- Power-sliding rear window
- Soft-opening tailgate
- Leather seats
- Power-adjustable, heated front seats
- Power-adjustable pedals
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Heated steering wheel
- 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
- Satellite radio
- Nine-speaker premium sound system
- Remote engine start
- Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Longhorn
For a more premium pickup, the Longhorn installs:
- Upscale design details
- LED cargo bed lighting
- Spray-in bedliner
- Remote tailgate release
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Premium leather
- Front bucket seats
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated rear seats
- Navigation system
- Connected services including 4G LTE Wi-Fi
Limited
Choose this trim for the most luxurious and technologically advanced version of the Ram 3500:
- 20-inch wheels
- Power running boards
- Exclusive leather seats
- Real wood interior trim
- 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless smartphone charger
- Blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change)
- Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is approaching from the side while reversing)
Depending on trim level and configuration, numerous individual and packaged options are available for the 2021 Ram 3500. Significant upgrades for the truck include:
- Dual rear wheels
- Cargo bed storage bins (RamBox)
- Night Edition package with blacked-out exterior trim
- 17-speaker premium Harman Kardon sound system
- Digital rearview camera
- Trailer-reverse guidance camera
- Towing equipment, including fifth-wheel/gooseneck preparation
- Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
- Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Ram and the car in front)
- Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Ram and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Is Ram's Off-Road Lineup Missing Out?
Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
2.5 out of 5 stars2.5/5Average
#15 out of 19 among Fullsize Trucks
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Ram 3500 from 2008-2022.$1,284/yr
vs. $752/yr
for Average Fullsize Truck
for Average Fullsize Truck
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).0.95x/yr
vs. 0.98x/yr
for Average Fullsize Truck
for Average Fullsize Truck
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).25.1%
vs. 19.9%
for Average Fullsize Truck
for Average Fullsize Truck
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Ram 3500.
5 star(56%)
4 star(0%)
3 star(7%)
2 star(15%)
1 star(22%)
27 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
1 out of 5 stars
Unsafe Vehicle from company w/NO customer service
Mdewolf, 11/30/2020
2020 Ram 3500 Longhorn 4dr Crew Cab LB (6.4L 8cyl 8A)
This is our 2nd ram, first was a two year battle with numerous issues. Finally hired a lawyer and dodge bought it back. So we upgraded as I still love the truck...Bad mistake, left on the side of the road in the dessert with livestock and my family. Power steering just turned off. 3 days stuck in a hotel with livestock in a trailer, 1 hr after they fixed it, it failed again. Now we are … going on 3 weeks with no communication from FCA, just a run around. No answers and no support..meanwhile we lose money on rentals and canceling things because we have no truck.
1 out of 5 stars
5 gen 🍋
I hate chrysler , 01/29/2021
2020 Ram 3500 Big Horn 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (6.4L 8cyl 8A)
Ram 3500 6.7 bad turbo, fuel pump and front-end. Chrysler will take their time to repair it 1 to 2 months. All that went bad at 3k mile and I have 4 other friends had the same issues. I hate Chrysler customer service. I hate the whole company. I'm switching all my trucks over to semi. I don't even want trade this one in. I'll have it crushed then use it a paper weight.
1 out of 5 stars
Fuel pump problem
disappointed , 11/17/2020
2020 Ram 3500 Lone Star 4dr Mega Cab 4WD SB (6.4L 8cyl 8A)
We have owned this truck for three months. It has about 2500 miles. The fuel pump came apart, mechanic's words. The truck left use on the side of the road with a load of cows. It is now in the shop awaiting repair. 5hey have to replace the entire fuel system, but cannot obtain all of the parts. Its been in the shop for weeks. Needless to say we are not happy, its a brand new truck!
1 out of 5 stars
Horrible Work truck
Chris Adams, 06/01/2021
2019 Ram 3500 Tradesman 4dr Crew Cab LB (6.4L 8cyl 8A)
I have a 2019 ram tradesman 3500. 32k miles on a cummins turbo diesel with connecting rod and connecting rod bearing failure on piston 5. They are not covering under warranty even though the exact same motor (only difference is the HO turbo) has been recalled for connecting rod failure. I will never purchase a work truck from RAM or Dodge again. Chevy takes care of their customers. …
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Ram 3500, so we've included reviews for other years of the 3500 since its last redesign.
2021 3500 Highlights
Crew Cab
Tradesman
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $39,250 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Seating | 6 seats |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Max Towing Capacity | 24,150 lbs. |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the 3500 models:
- Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus
- Warns you of an imminent front-end collision and can apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a stop.
- Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Path Detection
- Warns you if another vehicle is in your blind spot or is approaching from the side as you reverse. Includes automatic trailer detection.
- Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
- Warns you if the truck is drifting out of its lane and steers the truck back into the intended lane of travel.
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