"I was going to say this rig pulls well for a 4.7-liter V-8, but then I popped the hood and found the good ol' 360 (5.9-liter) V-8. That said, it certainly isn't as peppy as GM's 6.0-liter Vortec."--Ron Sessions
So far, our favorite thing about this long-term Ram is its ability to let us live out our fantasies of being firemen and blasting down city streets in an oversize red truck. Everything about the Ram is huge and we love it.
2002 Dodge Ram Sport
| Base price | $25,710 | | Price as tested | $35,950 | | Vehicle layout | Front engine, 4WD, 4-door, 5-pass | | Engine | 5.9L V-8 OHV, 2 valves/cyl | | Hp @ rpm | 245 @ 4000 | | Torque @ rpm | 335 @ 3200 | | Transmission | 4-speed automatic | | 0-60 mph, sec | 9.7 | | EPA mpg | 11 city/15 highway | | Total mileage | 7981 | | Average test mpg | 12.0 | | Problem areas | None | | Non-warr cost | $42.20 (oil change) |
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Yet, there'll always be gripes, and one of our biggest is the 5.9-liter's lack of power and poor fuel efficiency. Now that we've driven and tested Dodge's new 5.7-liter Hemi motor, we wish we could magically swap the more powerful and efficient Hemi for the 5.9-liter. Even so, a recent tow trip demonstrated the Ram's ability to pull a car trailer, topped with a 3330-pound Bronco II, with little fanfare.
Other complaints stem from the truck's excessive jounce over concrete freeways when the bed is empty or slightly loaded.
We are thankful for a full-size back seat (rather than an extended cab), but have noticed that the seatbacks don't provide much upper back or head support and are rather uncomfortable on long drives.
The Ram's odometer has rounded the 7500 mark, thus earning it a trip to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation. Other than that, the truck has been completely problem-free and more than up to the tasks we demand of it.