This is my first Ram. Owned several Chevy and Ford trucks over the years. My favorite truck was the 1992 Ford F150 with the 4.9L, the ram just replaced it as my favorite.
I was getting a new travel trailer this year and after making the trailer selection went truck shopping to find the right truck to go with it.
We paid cash for the trailer and financed the truck, budget limitations meant any of the top level trims, 3/4 ton or diesels were out of our price range. With used truck prices high I decided to go new.
The criteria I was looking for were comfort, MPG (daily driver) and payload/towing capacity. After test driving the lower trim trucks from Ford, Chevy, Nissan and Toyota I decided on the Ram 1500 Tradesman.
Best price and equipment packages.
Best seat comfort and ride quality, I can drive this thing all day and not get sore back or legs.
Ram was the quietest.
Ram had the best radio in the base model.
Best v6 MPG, got the v6 for the flex fuel as it is usually about .8 to 1.00 cheaper here.
Loved the handling.
V6 has a nice sporty sound to it, like a mean Chihuahua growling in the upper revs.
I am very happy with the choice as it meets all my needs.
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BTW, I had 2019 Tradesman 5.7 ETorque loaner last week while my truck was being serviced, the gave me the loaner because they really wanted to sell me the 2019 since they are overstocked and the Ram Classic still is outselling the new truck locally.
The 2019 was quieter, I had to roll the window down for that nice V8 sound so this is a bit of a negative for me.
Slightly smoother ride (positive).
Seats were worse, cushion shorter and seat height too low, felt more carlike and was sitting lower.
Then there is the steering, they ruined it. The 2018 has good weighting and on-center feel, real comfortable for the long drives without constant corrections. The 2019 had zero on-center feel and the steering weight was really light where you have to make constant corrections.
The throttle response was kinda wacky, the 2018 you touch the pedal and it just goes, very linear. The 2019 I hit the gas and first part of the travel it does not do much, then after about 1/2 and inch it just takes off. It felt really weird to me compared to the 2018, It make the truck much harder to drive in stop and go traffic.
If I were shopping now for the same truck I would not buy the 2019 Ram 1500. Guess that is why they are still building the 1500 Classic for old guys like me that can't quite get with the times.