2019 Ram 1500 Beats Silverado LTZ in Half-ton Duel
Business Insider crowns the new Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn as the better truck in every area inside, outside and under the hood.
Business Insider’s automotive reviewer Matthew DeCord recently spent time in the 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn and the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ. Both trucks had their premium V8 engine options, both trucks had four-wheel-drive, both trucks had their larger four-door cab and both trucks were dressed in a trim level that was one step below the top-of-the-line package.
However, with the Laramie Longhorn offering far more standard and optional features, the Ram 1500 had a price that was $12,000 higher than the Silverado LTZ. Is the Laramie Longhorn good enough to justify the added price over the Chevy? If you have been in these new trucks, you likely know the answer, but we will give you a hint. Yes, the Hemi-powered pickup beat the new Silverado and it did so in just about every way.
The Hemi Hybrid
If you are not familiar with the Business Insider review model, they take a unique approach, showcasing a ton of the writer’s favorite features in pictures with a short description rather than long portions of text with a picture or two.
DeCord starts with the 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn, talking up the exterior of the new half-ton pickup. He calls the front end “a study in forcefulness, intended to invoke semis and deliver a singular road presence” while crushing on all of the chrome trim and the Patriot Blue Pearl exterior paint. He showcases all of the unique exterior badging, reminds us that this truck weighs 5,400 pounds and can tow 12,750 pounds and talks up the step aspect of the rear bumper.
Next, he looks at the Hemi V8, which is outfitted with the new eTorque system. This drivetrain offers 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, with the eTorque system helping to reach fuel economy numbers of 17 miles per gallon around town, 22 on the highway and 19 combined. Other highlights from around the outside includes the automatic running boards and the ability to lower the suspension.
Finally, he heads inside, talking about the premium UConnect system with the segment’s biggest touchscreen, the booming Harman Kardon sound system, the massive amounts of storage space, the plush two-tone leather and the gigantic panoramic glass roof.
He ends the Ram 1500 portion with this:
“The 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4×4 is a staggeringly good pickup truck. The secret weapon, of course, is the four-corner air suspension —competitive pickups from Ford and Chevy continue to use rear leaf-springs.”
Silverado LTZ
Next, DeCord talks all about the new Silverado LTZ, which costs $12,000 less than the truck from FCA. The reviewer doesn’t love the front end of the Chevy and he points out that it packs more power than the Hemi, but it gets worse fuel economy and, more importantly, it lacks the hybrid system that gives the Ram a little more pop.
He calls the interior “utilitarian” and calls the cabin the “significant difference between the Silverado and the more expensive Ram 1500”, going so far as to call the interior drab.
He continues to talk about how the Chevy comes up short in terms of the information panel and the infotainment system, being a good truck, but coming up short of the Ram 1500. He closed with the following comment:
“With the all-new 2019 pickup, RAM might have moved past that No. 3 niche and positioned the Silverado in its sights. The RAM 1500 is a no-compromise pickup, perfectly pitched for the new pickup market, which is as much about everyday driving as hardcore performance.”
Click here to check out tons more pictures of both trucks and to read the full head-to-head comparison of the two half-ton pickups.
Photos: Business Insider
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