I posted this in my new member into thread, but it is probably more applicable here:
I just got back from a vacation to the Pocono mountains in PA. My roadtrip experience driving my Porsche Cayenne diesel on this trip has convinced me (I was really convinced long ago) that a 3.0l turbo diesel in a 1500 Ram would be perfect. I will paste what I wrote on my Cayenne forum below. Keep in mind that a 2013 Porsche Cayenne diesel is only 350 lbs lighter than a 2013 Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 SLT (Pentastar V6 w/8spd). The Cayenne never needed to downshift even on the steepest hills when cruising at 75 mph (1850 rpms in 8th gear). My cayenne has the same power ratings as the Fiat sourced 3.0l diesel, and is definitely quick...basically what I am saying is a 3.0l turbo diesel in a RAM 1500 will get great fuel economy, have good tow capability, and WILL NOT be under powered in any situation unless comparing to the Hemi's top end power.
"I am happy to report the Cayenne diesel is an AWESOME road trip vehicle. I drove from Baltimore, MD to the Pocano mountains in PA, took a short vacation, and drove back. This vehicle is pure magic for power, comfort, and fuel economy in the 75-80 mph range I was usually driving. Here are a few quick bullet comments explaining my fuel economy and the trip:
- 450 miles highway driving (mostly hilly/mountainous)
- 100 miles in and around town (mostly hilly/mountainous plus winter driving conditions)
- 700 lbs of passengers and luggage
- 30+ mpg there & 33+ mpg back
In a nutshell, I drove 556 miles on 3/4 tank under non-optimal conditions (extra weight, lots of hills, driving faster than speed limit, some city driving, etc). If I had driven like this until empty, it would equate to getting 740+ miles on a tank."
Realizing this, I'm pretty sure if you put it on cruise control at 70-75 mph on a flat surface without traffic you could probably get 36-37 mpg, which could yield a theoretical 950+ miles on a single tank of diesel (26.4 gal). Crazy."