2013 Ram 1500 Wins Consumer Reports Truck Shootout

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2014 Ram 1500

The folks at Consumer Reports have announced their results for 2013 model year pickup truck testing and for the first time ever – the Ram 1500 has come out on top.  This doesn’t come as a huge surprise when you consider that the 2013 Ram 1500 has been named the top truck by pretty much every other automotive publication in the US but when you look at the fact that Consumer Reports rarely loves the same vehicles as the likes of Motor Trend or Car & Driver, it secures the Ram 1500’s claim of being the best half ton pickup sold in America.  In addition to being named the highest scoring truck in the Consumer Reports testing process among current production trucks, the newest Ram 1500 has also been added to the CR “recommended” list.

“Continued interior and powertrain improvements make the Ram a particularly well-rounded choice,” said Jake Fisher, director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Connecticut.

The 2013 Ram 1500 received 78 points in the Consumer Reports tests – putting it 9 points better than the Toyota Tundra and 10 points better than the Ford F150.  The score for the 2013 Ram 1500 was also 11 points better than the previous Ram 1500.  Among the key points that made the Ram 1500 the top dog in the half ton pickup tests from CR was the fact that the 5.7L Hemi V8 mated to the new 8-speed automatic transmission offered an average of 15 miles per gallon; a figure which was the best among those trucks tested.  The judges from Consumer Reports were impressed with the Ram’s rear coil suspension while also loving the UConnect system enough to refer to it as one of the best in the business.  The biggest downsides to the Ram 1500 were a heavy tailgate (which is true in comparison to others in the segment) along with the high step to get into the truck…which can be cured by those models equipped with the adjustable air suspension.

One of the rules of the Consumer Reports awards is that an automaker is prohibited from using the “award” in any sort of marketing or advertising campaigns so we arent likely to see the Chrysler Group bragging too much in public about the honors handed out by CR.  However, with so many shoppers relying closely on the consumer-oriented publication, this comes as a major announcement for the Ram 1500.

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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