more about this model There isn't much new about the 2017 Ram 1500 full-size pickup. This brawny half-tonner has been around in its current familiar form since 2009, and Ram customers don't seem to be eager to see it change. It's a solid, stolid and versatile truck, even if newer designs from both American and Japanese competitors are more stylish.
If the Ram 1500 has a secret weapon — and it's not that secret — it's the coil spring rear suspension that sits under the bed. Compared to the leaf springs used by all its direct competition, the coil springs produce a more settled, less harsh ride without compromising the truck's abilities in any noticeable way. Yes, leaf springs have their advantages when it comes to handling larger loads, but it's hard to argue with the Ram's coil springs when it comes to using the truck in everyday situations.
The Ram 1500 is available with three cab configurations and three cargo box lengths. Regular cab models can be had with either an 8-foot bed or a 6-foot-4-inch bed. The extended Quad Cab comes only with the 6-foot-4 box. And the Crew Cab four-door can be had with a 5-foot-7 bed or the 6-foot-4 one.
The Ram 1500 is also offered with three engines, starting with a strong and thrifty 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 305 horsepower. Next, the V8 option is the legendary 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 395 horsepower and fitted with a cylinder deactivation system that allows it to run as a six-cylinder under light loads. And the Ram 1500 is the only light-duty full-size truck that offers a diesel option in the form of a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that makes just 240 horsepower but a thick 420 pound-feet of torque. All three engines are backed by rugged eight-speed automatic transmissions, and of course four-wheel drive is an option.
Big trucks don't get great fuel mileage. A two-wheel-drive Ram 1500 running the gas-burning V6 is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined (17 city/25 highway). A 1500 4x4 with the Hemi V8 burns fuel at the rate of 17 mpg combined (15 city/ 21 highway).
It's almost dizzying how many Ram 1500 models are available: 10. They range from the stout Tradesman work truck up to the Limited at the top of the range. If you want something with off-road ability and some spunk in its personality, there's the Rebel. If you like your truck named after a city in Wyoming and a breed of sheep, there's the Laramie Longhorn. Throw in all the possible options, and ordering your Ram 1500 should be done only after careful consideration.
All new full-size trucks have virtues that must be weighed against one another to find the best 2017 Ram 1500 for you. There's no better analytical tool for doing that than this website. Rely upon Edmunds.com to find the right truck at the right price.
Is the 2017 Ram 1500 a good car?
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2017 Ram 1500 and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2017 1500 featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
All of our reviews are written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
How do people like the 2017 Ram 1500?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2017 Ram 1500 and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2017 1500 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2017 1500.
Vehicle
Tradesman 2dr Regular Cab LB (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
Review
This is my third Ram. I've owned a 1996, a 2007, and now a 2017 and they just keep getting better. The Tradesman is a high quality, yet basic truck, with enough options available to dress it up at a reasonable price. And the 3.6L V6 is powerful while also being economical - it tows my 2000 pound ski boat with ease.
See all consumer reviews and retings for the 2017 Ram 1500
How can Edmunds help?
Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color
Is the 2017 Ram 1500 safe?
The 2017 Ram 1500 earned a 4-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "GOOD" ratings from the IIHS in the following caregories: Rear Crash Protection/Head Restraint, Moderate Overlap Front Test Results, and a JD POWER overall quality rating of 2.0 out of 5. Among Edmunds' many tools and resources for finding your perfect car are detailed safety ratings and analysis from NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power, including overall ratings, frontal barrier crash ratings, side impact tests and crash ratings, rollover test results, roof strength tests, rear crash protection and head restraint ratings, side barrier ratings, combined side barrier and pole ratings, and more.
What options are available on the 2017 Ram 1500?
Available Ram 1500 2017 Submodel Types: Crew Cab, Quad Cab, Regular Cab
Available Trims: Big Horn, Tradesman, SLT, Laramie, Express, Sport, Rebel, Longhorn, ST, Night, Limited, Outdoorsman, Laramie Longhorn Edition, Harvest, Lone Star, R/T, Lone Star Silver
Exterior Colors: Bright White Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat, Delmonico Red Pearl Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Pearl White, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Black Forest Green Pearl Coat, Luxury Brown Pearl Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Blue Streak Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Bright White Clearcoat, Deep Water Blue Pearlcoat, Flame Red Clearcoat, Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Prairie Pearl Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat, Pitch Black Clear Coat, Western Brown (Late Availability), True Blue Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat (Late Availability), Black Gold Pearl Coat (Late Availability), Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Copperhead Pearl Coat, Rugged Brown Pearlcoat, Western Brown, White Gold Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearlcoat, Saddle Brown Pearlcoat, Walnut Brown Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Hunter Green Pearlcoat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Prairie Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Bright White Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearlcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Low Vol Detonator Yellow Clear Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Black Clear Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Black Gold Pearl Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Bright Red, Bright White Clear Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Bright White Clearcoat/Light Graystone Pearlcoat, Bright White Clearcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Copperhead Pearl Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Deep Molten Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Low Vol Agriculture Red (Fleet), Low Vol Bright Green, Low Vol Light Cream, Low Vol Omaha Orange, Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Mojave Sand Clear Coat, Prairie Pearl Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Saddle Brown Pearl Coat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Tequila Sunrise Pearl Coat, Torred Clear Coat
Interior Colors: Black/Diesel Gray cloth, Black leather, Black/Diesel Gray vinyl, Black/Diesel Gray premium cloth, Dark Slate/Medium Graystone cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige leather, Black premium leather, Black premium cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium leather, Black/Red premium cloth, Black cloth, Black/Cattle Tan premium leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium cloth, Dark Slate leather, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige cloth, Dark Slate cloth, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium cloth, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium leather, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) premium cloth, Indigo/Frost premium leather, Dark Slate Gray/Russet premium leather, Black/Yellow premium cloth
Popular Features: Aux Audio Inputs, Post-collision safety system, Tire Pressure Warning, Stability Control, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Trip Computer, 6ft Bed, USB Inputs, Crew Cab, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, AWD/4WD, 10,000lb+ Towing Capacity, Towing Hitch, Bluetooth, Back-up camera, Upgraded Engine, Power Driver Seat, Alarm, Remote Start, Mobile Internet, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Parking sensors, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Auto Climate Control, Heated seats, Navigation, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Cooled Seats, Keyless Entry/Start, Upgraded Stereo, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, 8000lb Towing Capacity, Standard Cab, 8ft Bed, Rear Entertainment System, 5000lb Towing Capacity
Engine/Mechanics: 8, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: regular unleaded, flex-fuel (unleaded/E85), diesel
Drivetrains: four wheel drive, rear wheel drive
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
