AzRamLover
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2014
- Posts
- 433
- Reaction score
- 98
- Ram Year
- 2014
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
TL; DR: Have 2014 Ram. Drove 2015 Sierra today. Still like Ram better
Been reading a lot about the Sierra in 2015, especially since the 6.2L V8 makes a lot more torque (460 ft-lbs) and they upgraded to 8-speed transmissions also. The 2016s will get LED headlamps, too (AHEM, RAM REPRESENTATIVES - get after that!)
But I still like my Ram better (details below)
My truck: 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
Test truck: 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Crew Cab 4x4
Where Sierra is better (IMO):
1) Quieter at 70 mph by maybe 2 or 3 dB (didn't have an SPL meter but just my best guess); largely due to side mirrors about 70% the size of the Ram's
2) "Drives Smaller" - feels like you're driving a vehicle much smaller than it is
3) Clearer gauges (Ram, you should look into this)
4) 4G LTE Hotspot
5) Telescoping steering wheel (Dammit, Ram - this is really simple to implement!)
6) Driver & passenger grab handles on headliner (Ram, why don't we have these?)
7) Steps integrated into bumper. NGL - these were nice to have
8) Dampened tailgate. Yeah, we got Deezee tailgate assist but it should be simple to implement at the manufacturer
Where Ram is better (IMO):
1) Higher ride height; went offroading yesterday on a tough trail and no issues - I couldn't see saying the same about the Sierra I drove today.
2) Better ride quality. Even with the Magnetic Ride Control shocks on the Sierra, the small, high-frequency impacts were unpleasant compared to Ram's coil springs
3) V8 engine soundtrack. I'm really sound sensitive and while the Sierra was quieter (I strained to hear the engine below 2500 RPM), I enjoy Ram's blend of "V8 badass soundtrack" and "hushed freeway experience." YMMV.
4) Interior materials quality. Sierra, while nice, was still a work truck with lipstick & rouge. The interior execution couldn't compare to Ram in the details like how the air vents adjusted and the flimsy protective caps over the power & USB ports. Even a year older, Ram still wins hands down on interior quality.
5) Rear A/C vents from center console and under seats. I was surprised to see that Sierra had neither, even as an option.
6) Rear fold flat floor. Sierra didn't have it, even as an option.
7) Rear underseat storage. Sierra had this really, really cheap, flimsy, molded black plastic **** that wasn't even bolted down in 4 corners. I kid you not, this POS would lift up at the front b/c there was only 1 screw per side, near the back of the cab, holding it place. Totally unacceptable and really trashy.
8) Rear floor storage. Ram has it - Sierra does not, simple as that.
9) Rear legroom. Yeah, they're within an inch of each other but Ram's feels bigger.
10) Rear armrest. I think Sierra had one but I feel like Ram's was better executed and felt more premium when moving into place.
11) Side view mirrors. Sierra's mirrors were substantially smaller. The tradeoff is they made less noise at freeway speeds.
12) 0-60, sort of. Ram is slower to 60 by the stopwatch but doesn't feel like it. Sierra is measured faster but also doesn't feel like it. [Source: Car & Driver, etc.] I thought this would be a big thing but it's not; the Ram is fast enough.
13) Rambox is available. Sierra has nothing similar.
So there you have it - 10 months after buying and 16,000 miles later, I still like my Ram better and happy to say so. YMMV, of course.
Hope this helps someone out there doing some cross shopping.
Been reading a lot about the Sierra in 2015, especially since the 6.2L V8 makes a lot more torque (460 ft-lbs) and they upgraded to 8-speed transmissions also. The 2016s will get LED headlamps, too (AHEM, RAM REPRESENTATIVES - get after that!)
But I still like my Ram better (details below)
My truck: 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
Test truck: 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Crew Cab 4x4
Where Sierra is better (IMO):
1) Quieter at 70 mph by maybe 2 or 3 dB (didn't have an SPL meter but just my best guess); largely due to side mirrors about 70% the size of the Ram's
2) "Drives Smaller" - feels like you're driving a vehicle much smaller than it is
3) Clearer gauges (Ram, you should look into this)
4) 4G LTE Hotspot
5) Telescoping steering wheel (Dammit, Ram - this is really simple to implement!)
6) Driver & passenger grab handles on headliner (Ram, why don't we have these?)
7) Steps integrated into bumper. NGL - these were nice to have
8) Dampened tailgate. Yeah, we got Deezee tailgate assist but it should be simple to implement at the manufacturer
Where Ram is better (IMO):
1) Higher ride height; went offroading yesterday on a tough trail and no issues - I couldn't see saying the same about the Sierra I drove today.
2) Better ride quality. Even with the Magnetic Ride Control shocks on the Sierra, the small, high-frequency impacts were unpleasant compared to Ram's coil springs
3) V8 engine soundtrack. I'm really sound sensitive and while the Sierra was quieter (I strained to hear the engine below 2500 RPM), I enjoy Ram's blend of "V8 badass soundtrack" and "hushed freeway experience." YMMV.
4) Interior materials quality. Sierra, while nice, was still a work truck with lipstick & rouge. The interior execution couldn't compare to Ram in the details like how the air vents adjusted and the flimsy protective caps over the power & USB ports. Even a year older, Ram still wins hands down on interior quality.
5) Rear A/C vents from center console and under seats. I was surprised to see that Sierra had neither, even as an option.
6) Rear fold flat floor. Sierra didn't have it, even as an option.
7) Rear underseat storage. Sierra had this really, really cheap, flimsy, molded black plastic **** that wasn't even bolted down in 4 corners. I kid you not, this POS would lift up at the front b/c there was only 1 screw per side, near the back of the cab, holding it place. Totally unacceptable and really trashy.
8) Rear floor storage. Ram has it - Sierra does not, simple as that.
9) Rear legroom. Yeah, they're within an inch of each other but Ram's feels bigger.
10) Rear armrest. I think Sierra had one but I feel like Ram's was better executed and felt more premium when moving into place.
11) Side view mirrors. Sierra's mirrors were substantially smaller. The tradeoff is they made less noise at freeway speeds.
12) 0-60, sort of. Ram is slower to 60 by the stopwatch but doesn't feel like it. Sierra is measured faster but also doesn't feel like it. [Source: Car & Driver, etc.] I thought this would be a big thing but it's not; the Ram is fast enough.
13) Rambox is available. Sierra has nothing similar.
So there you have it - 10 months after buying and 16,000 miles later, I still like my Ram better and happy to say so. YMMV, of course.
Hope this helps someone out there doing some cross shopping.
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