2016 Ram 2500 Review

Availability of the 5.7-liter V8 fueled by compressed natural gas has been expanded to include regular cab and crew cab/rear-wheel-drive configurations. The top-tier Laramie Limited trim gets a revised exterior.

The 2016 Ram 2500 is a top pick for a heavy-duty truck thanks to its refined interior, forgiving ride and tremendous towing and hauling capabilities.

If you're looking for a pickup and find that regular light-duty 1500-series trucks can't meet your towing or payload requirements, it's time to step up to a heavy-duty workhorse from Ram. Like the smaller Ram 1500, the 2016 Ram 2500 is available in several different configurations involving cabin, powertrain and box length choices. But the difference between the two is in the 2500's superior towing and hauling abilities.

When properly configured, the heavy-duty 2500 can tow up to 17,980 pounds and carry 3,990 pounds in the bed.

There are few competitors in this segment, but none enjoy one of the Ram's best features: a coil spring rear suspension. Whether you're towing or driving around with the bed empty, the coil spring provides a more compliant ride compared to the leaf spring setup used by its rivals. Note that if you are also considering the Ram 3500, that even more capable machine uses traditional leaf springs in the rear.

Subtlety is not part of the 2016 Ram 2500's repertoire.

Competition is limited to the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD (and its GMC Sierra counterpart) and the Ford F-250. All boast similar tow ratings, although the Ram earns a slight advantage thanks to a third engine choice, a 6.4-liter V8 that slots between the 5.7-liter V8 and turbodiesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder. The Ram also gets a nod for its best-in-class interior. More than just utilitarian, the 2500's interior is plush and inviting. It makes the truck eminently livable outside of work duty, and the comparatively supple ride only enhances that quality. Its "A" rating reflects its top standing in this class.

Standard on most versions of the 2016 Ram 2500 is a 5.7-liter V8 gasoline engine that produces 383 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. The 5.7 is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A modified version of this engine that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG) is available, producing identical power figures to the gasoline-fed version.

The 2500 is available with either rear-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive, except the Tradesman and all versions of the Power Wagon, which are available in 4WD form only. Tradesman and Power Wagon models feature a manually engaged transfer case for the 4WD system; an electronic transfer case is optional on the Tradesman and standard on non-Power Wagon Rams.

There are two optional engines for the 2500: a 6.4-liter V8 and a turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel-fueled inline six-cylinder. The 6.4-liter produces 410 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque and is backed by a six-speed automatic. The turbodiesel produces 350 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque when matched with the available six-speed manual transmission, or 370 hp and 800 lb-ft of torque with a beefed-up six-speed automatic.

In Edmunds testing, a 4WD Ram 2500 crew cab with the 6.4-liter V8 went from zero to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. Equipped with the 6.7-liter turbodiesel, another 4WD crew cab accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds.

Depending on body style and rear axle ratio, the Ram 2500 is rated to tow up to 13,890 pounds with the 5.7-liter V8 (the CNG version tows up to 12,520 pounds), 16,320 pounds with the 6.4-liter V8, 16,890 for the manual-equipped diesel and 17,980 with the automatic and diesel engine. (Ram stipulates that any trailer over 17,000 pounds requires a fifth-wheel hitch.)Properly equipped, the maximum payload for the 5.7-liter is 3,060 pounds (2,350 pounds for CNG), rising to 3,990 pounds for the 6.4-liter engine but falling back to 3,160 pounds for the diesel.

Standard safety equipment for the 2016 Ram 2500 includes antilock disc brakes, front-seat and side curtain airbags, stability and traction control and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Power-adjustable pedals are available on all models except the Tradesman. A rearview camera is available across the lineup.

In Edmunds testing, various versions of the Ram 2500 came to a stop from 60 mph in 136 to 144 feet, depending on equipment. This is average for the segment.

Even though the 2016 Ram 2500 is built for serious towing and hauling jobs, it's fairly civilized in everyday driving, and wind and tire noise are nicely suppressed. The coil spring rear suspension makes the heavy-duty Ram's ride smoother and more comfortable than you might expect. Mind you, there's no getting around a firm ride quality in a truck built to tow and haul this much, but that suspension certainly makes the ride less bumpy and skittish. The Power Wagon feels stiffer on pavement, but its modified front suspension, hill descent control, electronically disconnecting sway bar and locking differentials significantly increase off-road performance.

No one will complain that the "RAM" lettering on the 2500's tailgate is too small.

All three of the Ram's engines provide solid performance, but if you're regularly towing and hauling very heavy loads, there's no doubt that the turbodiesel engine paired with the automatic transmission packs the biggest punch. The diesel does emit a signature diesel growl when accelerating, but it quiets down at cruising speeds.

The Ram 2500 offers the nicest interior in the heavy-duty full-size pickup kingdom. On higher trim levels, soft-touch materials and tasteful stitching are abundant throughout the cabin, while the plush seats and metallic accents transform this work truck and are almost too nice for work truck status.

Is there such a thing as a heavy-duty luxury truck? That's how fancier versions of the Ram 2500 feel.

As is typical in full-size trucks, there's plenty of room for passengers of all sizes; however, if you make regular use of the rear seats (and don't need a long cargo bed), you'll find that the Mega Cab is particularly accommodating thanks to expanded legroom and reclining seatbacks. Interior storage is generous, with plenty of bins and pockets to supplement the dual gloveboxes. The unique RamBox feature places a pair of lockable compartments over the rear fenders adjacent to the truck bed.

Cabin controls are within easy reach and user-friendly, especially in trucks with the 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen interface. With large, logically located virtual buttons, reasonably quick response times and ample functionality for smartphone users, this is one of the best executions of a touchscreen in any vehicle. When equipped with the optional cargo-view and rearview back-up cameras, the cargo camera displays on the 8.4-inch screen, while the conventional back-up camera displays on a smaller screen in the rearview mirror. It's nice to have both cameras onboard, but in practice, it can be hard to see the back-up camera display.