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Park a 2013 Ram 1500 in plain sight at your local home improvement store and a random shopper will likely push his cart straight past without a glance. The Ram's new midcycle refresh just isn't that dramatic on the outside.
After all, the Ram's cab, hood, front fenders and bed look no different. Its headlights and taillights appear similar and fit into the same openings. The only substantive new styling element is a larger grille that gapes about an inch lower at the bottom lip, with a resculpted front fascia and bumper styling to match.
But that "carryover" hood is now made of aluminum and weighs a full 26 pounds less. The use of high-strength steel in the reshaped front bumper lops off another 4 pounds. Then there are the active shutters that lurk behind the enlarged grille to improve aerodynamics when cooling demands are low. All together, the subtle front styling tweaks help shave critical points off the drag coefficient, dropping it from 0.386 to 0.360.
If you smell an emphasis on improved fuel economy, you would be right. But these changes are mere tweaks compared to the 2013 Ram 1500's big improvements that are hidden out of sight.
Pentastar Equipped
That aluminum hood conceals the most familiar of the Ram's improvements. That would be the 305-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, an engine that makes its first Ram truck appearance after being spread far and wide across the Chrysler landscape, from the Dodge Challenger to the Chrysler 300 to the Jeep Wrangler.
Compared to the 3.7-liter lump it replaces, the Pentastar brings 90 additional horsepower, 34 more lb-ft of torque and greater efficiency to the table. In so doing it transforms the Ram 1500 V6 offering from a loss-leader no one wanted to a legitimate choice worthy of serious consideration.
Unlike last year, you can pair the V6 with four-wheel drive. You can also get it with a Crew Cab or SLT trim or both. You can even have all of them at once, like the SLT Crew Cab V6 4x4 test sample we're sitting in now.
The result is surprisingly good as there's enough motivation on tap to make us buy into Ram's 7.5-second 0-60 claim for the lighter 4x2 version. The Nashville-area roads we're driving today don't feature the sorts of grades we're used to back home, but in this environment, at least, the Pentastar goes about its business smoothly, with no thrashing or shortness of breath.
Eight Is Enough
A heaping helping of credit goes to the revolutionary piece of pickup hardware the Pentastar is bolted to, a new eight-speed Torque-Flite automatic transmission. For now this gearbox (code name: 8HP45) is limited to use with the Pentastar V6, but a beefier 8HP70 version will come out for the 5.7-liter V8 Hemi in early 2013.
The presence of eight closely spaced gears means its torque converter is not a particularly slushy one, and since the added ratios primarily tighten the gaps at the low end it's able to lock up readily in any gear, right from the get-go, for increased efficiency.
Between this and the new V6, 4x2 fuel economy soars from last year's 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway up to an estimated 17 city and 25 highway, a massive 20 percent jump that boots Ford's 3.7-liter V6 (17 city/23 highway) off the best-in-class podium. A new Ram 1500 HFE model adds a start/stop system and other tweaks that are good for 18 mpg in the city.
For our part it's hard to detect a distinct progression through the transmission's eight ratios. We expected lots of activity, but the gear changes are so smooth they're often hard to pick out. Instead the Ram motors along confidently, the V6 never far from its sweet spot as the electronic brain quietly chooses from among 40 available shift strategies as needed.
The engineers at Ram say this has rendered the familiar tow-haul switch unnecessary, even with a tow rating of 6,500 pounds, some 2,700 more than the old V6 setup. We'll reserve judgment until we test it on steeper terrain with a sufficient burden latched behind, but manual shifting via a thumb-operated steering button is available if they're wrong.
Stronger Bones
Drilling farther down we get to the very frame itself, which has been redesigned to incorporate high strength steel, hydroformed sub assemblies and larger cab mounts. Ram engineers tell us the reworked skeleton delivers significant improvements in torsional stiffness, noise, vibration and harshness while managing to shed up to 30 pounds of weight.
Along with the frame's new structural changes, there's a new size offering, too. It's a 149.5-inch wheelbase version that allows the Ram 1500 lineup to offer the popular Crew Cab with a 6-foot-4-inch standard-length bed for the first time.
Running along that frame is an entirely new wire harness that does more than passively supply power to all the subsystems; it's more of a smart grid that can also communicate effectively with them. Things like the electric fuel pump and engine cooling fan can now be adjusted to meet demand.
Additional fuel savings (and NVH improvements) come from changing the 2013 Ram 1500 over to electric power steering. Feel and composure are improved over the old hydraulic setup, but we could use a smidge more natural return-to-center behavior. That said, an F-150 provided for comparison suggests the tables may have been turned on Ford, as the EPS calibration in that truck seems to have backslid from our favorable initial first drive and full test impressions toward a bygone era of overboosted numbness.
Riding on Air
There are significant suspension upgrades as well. The front end's upper control and lower control arms are lighter, with the lower ones making the switch to aluminum. We're unable to say exactly how this unsprung weight reduction affects ride and handling, though, because our test truck is also equipped with a significant new option: four-wheel height-adjustable Ram Active Level air suspension.
The Ram's exclusive use of a five-link axle and rear coil springs made this relatively simple to execute by swapping out the coil springs for airbags at each corner. Height sensors, a compressor, under-bed accumulators and a control system add or subtract air to keep the vehicle at its normal ride height no matter how the truck is loaded.
A switch on the dash allows the truck to kneel 2 inches to ease liftover and step-in heights when parked. Two off-road settings also allow increases of 1.2 and 2 inches above standard height for extra clearance. The suspension automatically drops 0.6 inch at freeway speed to save a bit of fuel, too, but the fuel savings aren't captured by the window sticker because the system is a $1,595 option.
As expected, the ride is buttery-smooth much of the time, filtering out coarse textures as only air springs can. On a handful of rougher surfaces, though, the ride seems a tad tight, giving the impression that the bump stops are closer at hand. More time on familiar home soil will prove whether this means much.
Take a Seat
Our 2009 long-term Ram 1500 Laramie was certainly a pleasant place to sit, but the 2013 Ram 1500 is markedly better. Similar in overall design, the new cabin benefits from a subtle restyling of the A/C vents on the center stack and new upgraded climate control switchgear that gives off a more premium vibe.
And the center console is more spacious because?hey, where's the shifter? Turns out a mechanical linkage can't handle eight gears, and Ram designers seized this opportunity to replace the clunky column and console shifters with a chunky rotary knob mounted just to the right of the ignition key. Positive detents give it appropriate heft, and it's less odd to use than we expected — certainly less weird than any goofy Prius joystick.
New for 2013 is a large 7-inch TFT display between the speedometer and tachometer. Switches on the steering wheel provide access to numerous data screens, ranging from towing and off-road status to real-time readouts of transmission temperature and the like. Or you can choose a big, fat digital speedometer.
There's also a new 8.4-inch touchscreen on the center stack, which opens the door to a vastly more capable and user-friendly UConnect system that controls audio, phone and optional navigation functions. It's a massive step up from the previous setup, and within minutes of use it's clear to us this interface is likely more responsive and intuitive than anything coming from the competition.
Bottom Line
Prices for the 2013 Ram 1500 are similar to 2012, beginning at $23,585 for a Tradesman regular cab with two-wheel drive, including destination charges. The SLT V6 Crew Cab we're driving today didn't previously exist, but the base price of $34,515 for the 4x2 is only $225 more than last year's similar 2012 Ford F-150 XLT. Our Crew Cab 4x4 V6's $37,735 price tag can't be matched by Ford, which sells its competing version with a 5.0-liter V8.
As for the 2013 Ram 1500 V8s, the 4.7-liter continues in a diminished role, appearing as the base engine in the Tradesman and nowhere else. The marquee 5.7-liter Hemi soldiers on in the Sport and Laramie with a six-speed until its high-torque eight-speed transmission arrives a few months down the road.
No EPA fuel economy hints are available for this combo just yet, but the hidden improvements detailed above apply equally here. The 2013 Hemi eight-speed rating will likely gain a point or two over the 14 city/20 highway mpg earned by the current six-speed, and beyond that there's a Hemi HFE model with start-stop that'll go one better.
It's no surprise that the average parking lot pedestrian would overlook all of the Ram's improvements. To him the new 2013 Ram 1500 looked like it had a few minor upgrades; a good job, but nothing special. Lurking beneath the surface, however, are substantive improvements that make the 2013 Ram a significantly more competitive pickup. Whether it's better mileage you're after, a more useful interior or an innovative new suspension, this Ram delivers in ways that you'll never expect from just looking at it.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Used 2013 Ram 1500 listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2013 Ram 1500s for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 1,384 used and CPO 2013 1500s listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 7,977 and mileage as low as 16,578. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2013 Ram 1500. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 630 on a used or CPO 2013 1500 available from one of 2,630 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2013 Ram 1500 ?
Save up to $300 on one of 104 used 2013 Ram 1500s for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $7977 as of Apr 23, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 53 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2013 Ram 1500 trim styles:
The used 2013 Ram 1500 Sport is priced around $25998 with average odometer reading of 37310 miles.
The used 2013 Ram 1500 Tradesman is priced around $18782 with average odometer reading of 83715 miles.
The used 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Edition is priced around $25450 with average odometer reading of 109251 miles.
The used 2013 Ram 1500 SLT is priced around $22920 with average odometer reading of 74890 miles.
The used 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie is priced around $19995 with average odometer reading of 137882 miles.
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What options are available on the 2013 Ram 1500?
Available Ram 1500 2013 Submodel Types: Crew Cab, Quad Cab, Regular Cab
Available Ram 1500 2013 Trims: Big Horn, Express, Rebel, Big Horn/Lone Star, Limited, Longhorn, Night, ST, Tradesman, Harvest, Outdoorsman, SLT, SLT Fleet, Lone Star Silver, Sport, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn Edition
Exterior Colors: Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, Delmonico Red Pearl Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat, Diamond Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Billet Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Pearl White, Black Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Black Forest Green Pearl Coat, Bright White Clear Coat, Deep Water Blue Pearlcoat, Low Vol Agriculture Red (Fleet), True Blue Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Low Vol Holland Blue (Fleet), Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Bright White Clearcoat, True Blue Pearl Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Walnut Brown Metallic Clear Coat, Copperhead Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clearcoat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), True Blue Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat (Late Availability), Hunter Green Pearlcoat, Luxury Brown Pearl Coat, Black Gold Pearl Coat (Late Availability), Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat, Bright White Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Bright White Clearcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearlcoat, Flame Red Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Patriot Blue Pearl Coat, Rugged Brown Pearl Coat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Black Gold Pearl Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Bright White Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Holland Blue, Light Cream, Low Vol Detonator Yellow Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Midnight Blue Pearlcoat, Pitch Black Clear Coat, Prairie Pearl Coat, Prairie Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Rugged Brown Pearlcoat, Tequila Sunrise Pearl Coat, Tree Green, Western Brown (Late Availability), White Gold Clearcoat
Interior Colors: Black/Diesel Gray premium cloth, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) cloth, Black/Diesel Gray vinyl, Dark Slate/Medium Graystone cloth, Black/Diesel Gray cloth, Black premium cloth, Black premium leather, Black/Red premium cloth, Dark Slate leather, Black leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige cloth, Dark Slate cloth, Indigo/Frost premium leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown leather, Mountain Brown/Light Frost Beige leather, Mountain Brown/Light Mountain Brown premium leather, Black/New Saddle leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium cloth, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium leather, Dark Slate Gray/Russet premium leather, Black/Yellow premium cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige (Fleet) premium cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige leather, Black cloth, Black/Cattle Tan premium leather, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) premium cloth, Black/Light Frost Beige premium cloth, Black/Light Mountain Brown premium cloth, Black/Red vinyl/cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige (Fleet) cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium leather, Mountain Brown/Light Mountain Brown leather
Popular Features: Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Keyless Entry/Start, Automatic Emergency Braking, Upgraded Headlights, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Post-collision safety system, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, 6ft Bed, 10,000lb+ Towing Capacity, Crew Cab, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, AWD/4WD, Blind Spot Monitoring, Towing Hitch, Upgraded Engine, Bluetooth, Power Driver Seat, 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Back-up camera, Alarm, Remote Start, Parking sensors, Auto Climate Control, Heated seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Navigation, Cooled Seats, Leather Seats, Standard Cab, Mobile Internet, Sunroof/Moonroof, Upgraded Stereo, 8000lb Towing Capacity, 8ft Bed, Rear Entertainment System
Engine/Mechanics: 8, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: diesel, regular unleaded, flex-fuel (unleaded/E85)
Drivetrains: four wheel drive, rear wheel drive
Used 2013 Ram 1500 Overview
The used 2013 Ram 1500 is offered in the following submodels: Quad Cab, Regular Cab, Crew Cab. Available styles include Tradesman 4dr Crew Cab 4WD 5.6 ft SB (4.7L 8cyl 6A), SLT 4dr Crew Cab 5.6 ft SB (3.6L 6cyl 8A), and Sport 4dr Quad Cab 4WD SB (5.7L 8cyl 8A). Pre-owned 1500 models are available with a 0-liter flex-fuel (FFV) engine or a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2013 1500 comes with four wheel drive or rear wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic, 8-speed shiftable automatic.
