Here's Why Our Ram 1500 Has Become Our Go-To Road Trip Machine

• I just road-tripped our Ram 1500 from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
• This truck makes for an incredible long-distance cruiser, but it also costs nearly $90,000.
• It crossed the 11,000-mile mark on my way back to Los Angeles.

It has stiff competition at Edmunds HQ

To say that our team is spoiled would be an understatement. At any given moment, our One-Year Road Test fleet consists of between 15 and 20 vehicles, ranging from sporty options like our supercharged Ford Mustang Dark Horse to off-roaders like our Lexus GX 550 Overtrail. That said, the Ram 1500 stands out when covering vast distances, thanks mainly to the fact that it's the Limited trim, the second-highest offered. It pairs a plush interior with a powerful 540-horsepower engine and all the driver assist features you'll ever need. 

As I set off, quickly leaving Los Angeles behind, the Ram offers plenty of confirmation that I've made the right choice. For one, it's far quieter than expected. It's no secret that full-size trucks have doubled as luxury vehicles for quite some time, but this 1500 serves as a good example of how this shift can significantly add to a truck's versatility. Its cabin is well isolated, with only minimal wind and tire noise permeating its interior, and its 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo is more than powerful enough to drown out any unwanted sounds that do make it through. 

Yet as I cruise on the highway, it's what I don't feel that stands out most. While full-size trucks are more luxurious than ever, their ride quality is often the area that fails to embrace this persona. Rival trucks have a few issues dealing with larger road imperfections at higher speeds, but it's the small ruts on the road that often send harsh vibrations through their passenger compartments. 

This isn't the case with the Ram 1500 Limited, which features an air suspension that easily absorbs bumps of all sizes. It's something that may seem small at first, but it goes a long way in creating the sense that you're driving something expensive. 

Welcome the V8's return, but don't write off this inline-six

As a fan of burbly exhaust notes and a pushrod V8's laid-back nature, I'm glad Ram has decided to bump the 1500's cylinder count back up to eight, should you want it. However, that doesn't mean that you should automatically dismiss this truck's turbocharged inline-six. Producing a considerable 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque in its high-output guise, this truck never feels slow. Even as you're already cruising at highway speeds, there's still plenty of power available for passing. Due to its inline-six configuration, the engine note is smooth and enjoyable to listen to. 

During my nearly 750-mile trip, the Ram managed to consume an average of 18.3 mpg, which is just above its estimated 17 mpg combined figure, but not particularly impressive when you consider that it covered most of those miles on the highway, where it struggled to return the 21 mpg it should have been able to achieve. That places it not far off from what its V8-powered predecessor would've managed, meaning you won't get a significant efficiency gain if you opt for this engine's high-output configuration, as we did.

As you can probably tell from the photos of it parked by the Golden Gate Bridge, our Ram 1500 had to traverse San Francisco's narrow streets to get there. Surprisingly, it never struggled. Despite the Ram being a full-size truck that towers over the many hatchbacks and small sedans that dot the city, its towing mirrors offer a wide-angle view that shows you exactly where its rear corners are. As such, making a tight turn or judging a small gap is made easier than expected. 

What about the not-so-good bits?

If there's one area where this truck begins to show some kinks in its armor, it's in its interior. While its cabin is mostly leather-lined, well equipped and quiet, its material choices aren't exactly what you'd expect if you shell out the $88,475 that this Limited trim costs. As usual, it's in the details, with some of the 1500's plastic being more suitable in a vehicle that costs half as much. And while there's leather practically everywhere you look, it doesn't immediately strike you as being of the quality you'd expect from a vehicle at this price point. 

While the Ram's central screen is enormous and has all the features you'd ever want, you'll want to leave a cleaning cloth stashed in its center console, as fingerprints quickly go from dotting parts of the display to fully covering it. 

Should you engage some of the truck's driver assist features, you'll want to keep a close eye on their performance, as even though this Ram offers a hands-free system, it's about as competent at tracking straight as a teenager with a newly minted license. It'll also follow cars like a new driver, waiting until the last second to apply the brakes.

There are still plenty of miles to come

My journey to the Golden City and back made it easy to understand just why the Ram 1500 is so popular. After all, while we only acquired it back at the end of February, it's closing out the summer with over 11,000 miles on the clock. If I were to place a bet, I'd wager it'll surpass the 20,000-mile mark before the year is over. With a powerful engine, a quiet and comfortable cabin, and the ability to easily maneuver tight spaces, it's not hard to see why. 

Photos by Gabriel Vega Cortés