2020 Ram 1500 Classic Review

Price Range: $11,700 - $30,990

Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn Crew Cab Pickup Exterior Shown

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2020 Ram 1500 Classic Review

Pros

Smooth-riding suspension provides plenty of comfort
Quiet and attractive cabin
Smooth and efficient eight-speed automatic transmission

Cons

Limited availability of features compared to current 2020 Ram
Missing many of the latest driver assist technologies
Limited selection of trim levels

What's new

Trim levels pared down to Tradesman, Express and Warlock
Part of the fourth Ram 1500 generation introduced for 2009

Overview

Written by automotive expert Reese Counts

5/7/2020

You probably know that the 2020 Ram 1500 is a full-size light-duty pickup truck. But what's this 1500 Classic all about? Well, when Ram introduced its fully redesigned 1500 last year it decided to keep building the previous-generation truck at the same time. That means you're going to find the old truck, now called the Classic, alongside the new Ram 1500 on dealer lots.

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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2020 Ram 1500 Classic
Tradesman Crew Cab
$19,786
great price
$2,847 below market
- 81,698 miles
- 3 accidents, 1 owner, corporate fleet vehicle
- 5'7” bed, 3.6l, 6cyl
- Auto Group (19 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
Close
Located in Manassas, VA
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
19 Combined MPG (16 City/23 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C6RR7KG9LG131726
Stock: INC2697
Certified Pre-Owned: No
2020 Ram 1500 Classic
Tradesman Regular Cab
$22,998
- 38,173 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use
- 8'2” bed, 5.7l, 8cyl
- CarMax Frederick (18 mi away)
- Free delivery available*
- Back-up camera
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- USB Inputs
- Trip Computer
- Stability Control
Close
Located in Gaithersburg, MD
Wanna drive? CarMax puts you in the driver's seat-and that includes transparency. Certain cars may have unrepaired safety recalls, so check nhtsa.gov/...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: Yes
Features and Specs:
20 Combined MPG (17 City/25 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3C6JR6DT3LG310605
Stock: 28120007
Certified Pre-Owned: No

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Why bother with the 1500 Classic? Well, it's sort of a budget model. It has a lower base price than any version of the new model, but it's also unavailable with many of the new truck's features and equipment. Compared to the latest offerings from Ford and Chevrolet, the Ram 1500 Classic looks and feels dated. That said, if you're in the market for a relatively affordable utility vehicle and don't mind the lack of bells and whistles, the 1500 Classic is definitely worth a look.

2020 Ram 1500 Classic trim level differences

The 2020 Ram 1500 Classic is available in three trim levels: Tradesman, Express and Warlock. There are three cab configurations (regular cab, crew cab and Quad Cab) and three bed lengths (5 feet 7 inches, 6 feet 4 inches, and 8 feet) available, though certain combinations are limited to specific trims.

Which 1500 Classic trim does Edmunds recommend?

While you could step up to the Express or Warlock model, we suggest going with the base-level Tradesman. It packs in a ton of utility for the price and is offered in the widest array of cab and bed configurations. You can get it with nearly as many optional features as the other two trims too.Compare 2020 Ram 1500 Classic trim levels

See Edmunds pricing data

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Reliability

The 2020 Ram 1500 Classic has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and no recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5, ranks it #1 out of 19 among Fullsize Trucks. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent

#1 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

$522/yr

vs. $752/yr
for Average Fullsize Truck

Frequency

0.4x/yr

vs. 0.98x/yr
for Average Fullsize Truck

Severity

8.1%

vs. 19.9%
for Average Fullsize Truck

Recalls

There are no recalls for the 2020 Ram 1500 Classic

Warranty

3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles

Ram 1500 Classic Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.3

61 reviews

5(66%)

4(18%)

3(4%)

2(6%)

1(6%)

See all 61 reviews of the Ram 1500 Classic

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

New full size truck owner

SSBroly, 01/23/2020

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn 4dr Crew Cab 4WD 5.6 ft SB (5.7L 8cyl 8A)

I purchased my 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn as a fleet vehicle with 14k miles on it. It had everything I wanted except bed liner. I later decided to get the side steps for the kids and wife easier access. Not an ad, just trying to help others in similar situation. Purchased side steps from carid.com saved about $450, and has lifetime warranty. Bed liner from a local shop also with … lifetime warranty for about $600 less than if dealer installed. I wanted to address the only 1 star review on here regarding dash brightness...you can dim the dash lights on the left side under the headlights switch. There is a slide knob/gear (?) Which turns on interior lights. If you turn it the other way, it dims the lights. The only 3 star review commented on no radio controls on the steering wheel. I found them after a week of ownership. The volume controls are on the BACK right side of wheel and the skip controls are on the back of the left side of wheel. Weird I know lol! **Back to my review** I have used this truck to tow my trailer camper (6400 pounds, 23ft long) on three different occasions. ~6.5 mpg. The 2nd trip I was towing in 45 mph winds and it handled it like a champ. At 55 mph driving over an open bridge in gusty winds I felt in control the whole time. Plenty of room for my family (wife, 4 yo son, 2 yo daughter with car seats). Cabin is very quiet, comfortable and upscale. Lots of cupholders and storage, including two coolers in the floor in the back. The engine is powerful, easy to safely merge, pass etc. Easily handled my camper. Overall amazing truck! I have only owned smaller trucks (1998 Ranger, 1996 Ranger, 2001 S10, 2002 S10 and 1984 Mazda B2000) so I was worried about parking it, driving around in traffic (narrow streets etc), but it is a breeze. There are sensors on the front and back to help along with a very detailed back up camera. CONS: Gas mileage as expected, but not as bad as I imagined (15-18 mpg). I must say I do have the off road tires installed by the prior owner so obviously that is a big factor. Not really complaining, just worst than my little 2012 civic lol. Duh right?!? SiriusXM radio was initially AMAZING however since the trial period ended and I chose not to continue it ($16.99 a month), I have been getting letters from SiriusXM with deals and promotionals ever since at least twice a week. Kind of annoying. I downloaded free apps on phone, sync on bluetooth and listen for free =) If you want it, let it lapse and not respond at first and you will get promotions for 6 months free etc afterwards. *** I have had the truck for about 5k miles so far. I will update after a year. Good luck out there!

Checks every box

Juan, 08/15/2019

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn 4dr Crew Cab 4WD 5.6 ft SB (5.7L 8cyl 8A)

I wanted to all of my consolidated my vehicles into one that does it all. Needed to combine the utility if my old avalanche with the performance of my focus ST while still being able to haul the kids around comfortably. I looked at the new Sierra and Silverado and was impressed with the performance but not the price. Finally settled on the RAM 1500. It has more space than I'll ever need, …

Dodge’s best kept secret

Nick, 01/20/2019

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn 4dr Crew Cab 5.6 ft SB (5.7L 8cyl 8A)

Just bought a Classic 1500. This last run of the 4th gen 1500 will go down as Dodges best kept secret. They are giving these trucks away at a steal of a price. The Big Horn I got is equipped just perfectly for a truck. I don’t need a crazy fancy truck with tons of extras that jack the price north of 50K. I think the gen 4 1500 is the best looking Dodge ever made, I’m not a fan of the …

2019 RAM Classic 1500 Big Horn 4x4

John, 09/05/2019

2019 Ram 1500 Classic Big Horn 4dr Crew Cab 4WD 5.6 ft SB (5.7L 8cyl 8A)

This is my first RAM(Always been a Ford Guy). I LOVE this truck! I looked at Ford and Chevy and both were in the $45-$50K range for a well appointed truck. I discovered the Classic at a local dealer and decided to take a test drive...WOW! This truck so smooth and quite even at highway speeds. It handles fantastic and has plenty of go with the 395 HP Hemi V8 and a great exhaust note. …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 Ram 1500 Classic, so we've included reviews for other years of the 1500 Classic since its last redesign.

2020 1500 Classic Highlights

Type:

Quad Cab

Trim:

Tradesman

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$32,105
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	20 MPG
Cost to Drive	$174/month
Seating	6 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Max Towing Capacity	10,510 lbs.
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the 1500 Classic models:

Electronic Stability Control: Helps maintain control of the truck in low-traction conditions. Uses the brakes to mitigate wheelslip and trailer sway.
Side Curtain Airbags: Helps mitigate side-impact injury to the driver and passengers by deploying from the area above the windows.
ParkView and ParkSense: Warns the driver through visual and audible cues when the truck is getting close enough to potentially impact an object.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover19.8%

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2020 Ram 1500 Classic Review

Price & Payment

2020 Ram 1500 Classic Review

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