Our Hemi-powered '03 Truck of the Year continually impresses us, especially in the towing department. When Florida-based Online Editorial Director Jeff Bartlett bought an '80 LT1-powered Corvette in Houston, Texas, we met him there with the Dodge for a vehicle swap. From Los Angeles to Houston, the HD averaged 12.4 mpg; with Vette and trailer attached (around 4000 pounds), fuel economy dipped only to 11.4 for the trek to Tampa. "You certainly can feel the weight of the trailer, but there's gobs of power in reserve," Bartlett wrote in the logbook. "On the massive, steep Louisiana bridges, the Ram had no problem keeping a steady 70 mph, and the brakes are well up to managing the extra weight." So far, our 2500 HD has been a pillar of reliability, and it'll head for the local service bay for its first scheduled maintenance soon.
| 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 HD |
| Base price | $30,305 |
| Price as tested | $38,895 |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, 4wd, 4-door, 5-pass |
| Engine | 5.7L V-8, OHV, 2 valves/cyl |
| Hp @ rpm | 345 @ 5400 |
| Torque @ rpm | 375 @ 4400 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| 0-60 mph, sec | 8.1 |
| EPA mpg | Not rated |
| Total mileage | 5028 |
| Average test mpg | 10.6 |
| Problem areas | None |
| Non-warr cost | $0 |