The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is redesigned with freshened styling, new comfort and convenience features, and more available power. This large pickup truck is offered as a 2-door regular cab and two 4-door cabs with conventional doors–the Quad Cab and the Crew Cab. The regular cab offers 6.4- and 8-foot cargo beds. The Quad Cab comes with a 6.4-foot bed while the Crew Cab uses a 5.7-foot bed. Regular cabs seat up to three passengers, the others up to six.

Ram 1500 is available with three engines: A 215-hp 3.7-liter V6; a 310-hp 4.7-liter V8; and a 390-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The 390-hp engine replaces 2008’s 345-hp 5.7-liter Hemi. The 4.7 V8 is capable of running on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. The V6 comes only with a 4-speed automatic transmission, V8s only with a 5-speed automatic. The V6 is only available on rear-wheel-drive models. ST, SLT, and Laramie trims are offered. All Rams are available with rear-wheel drive or with 4-wheel drive that should not be left engaged on dry pavement. Optional is 4WD that can be left engaged on dry pavement. Both 4WD systems include a low-range gear for off-roading. Maximum towing capacity is 8950 pounds. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, and curtain side airbags. New for 2009 is the Ram Box Storage System. Available only on Crew Cabs, the Ram Box option includes lockable cargo-bed storage bins and a bed divider that doubles as a bed extender.

Also available are a wireless cell phone link, DVD entertainment, a 30-gigabyte hard drive for storing digital music files and photos, a navigation system, and rear-seat in-floor storage bins. A rearview camera with park assist and heated and cooled front seats are due later in the model year.

COMPETITION

Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Large Pickup Trucks are traditionally the vehicles of choice for heavy-duty hauling and towing. They offer an array of cab styles and bed lengths and usually feature powerful V8 or diesel engines. For personal use, consider light-duty half-ton models. For heavy-duty or commercial use, consider three-quarter- or one-ton models.

Our Best Buys are the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150. Our Recommended picks are the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tundra. New or significantly redesigned models in the class include the Dodge Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 each add a gas/electric hybrid model for 2009.

Back When the hammer H3 was introduced, we lamented the lack of power from the five-cylinder mill, and the need for additional drivetrain options and a front locking diff. The Hummer guys were listening though, and responded with the H3 Alpha (First Drive, Jan. ‘08), which sports a 5.3l V-8, but no front locker. But we still wanted bigger tires, regular cogs behind the V-8, a front locker, and maybe even an sUT or a diesel mill. it was only a matter of time before the highly capable H3 followed its genetic destiny. Enter the H3T, a four-door shortbox pickup, with lockers front and rear!

We were fortunate enough to tag along on a recent engineering testdrive where components are validated, yet the looks are camouflaged for secrecy. By the time you read this, the beast will have been exposed, but we’re the first to give you our impressions of the new Hummer. While obviously longer than a regular H3, the shortbox can still carry plenty of gear, especially with the tailgate down. The rear camo makes the unit look more like a suburban than a pickup, while the front camo covers up nothing you haven’t seen before.

On the blacktop, the additional length of the H3T with its 134-inch wheelbase (23 inches longer that the H3) is immediately noticeable, adding an enhanced feeling of stability at speed. On long grades, the 295-horse 5.3l did as we expected, pulling the additional weight onfidently and without protest. The rigwith the five-cylinder i-5 still required pegging the tach and quick shifts to keep up.

On the trail, our immediate thought was that the 134-inch wheelbase would require a football stadium to do a U-turn. However, the engineering team was two steps ahead of us with a tight-ratio steering box that almost makes turns as tightly as the shorter H3. The flip side of the additional length is a reduced breakover angle and a strong argument for the heavy-duty skidplates. With both lockers engaged, the five-cylinder model mated with the fivespeed worked flawlessly in the rocks, as did the V-8. Both versions of the Adventure package are equipped with the 4:1 transfer case and lockers fore and aft, and provided a solid feel for the terrain. Once we get a chance, we’ll test them with the camo off and let you know about visibility as well.

Unfortunately, the H3T will still be burdened with the full array of electronic bells, whistles, bling, curtain airbags, child safety locks, DVD players, satellite babysitters, and other electronic nannies. But the heart of the beast is within, and the fact that you can slip your quad or a ton of gear in the bed, put a couple of kids in the backseat, and have dual-lockers right out of the box is a big plus in our books.

At low speeds with the inline-5, there is sufficient punch to handle the cut and thrust of city driving. But when faced with freeway merging and inclines, the 2009 Hummer H3T grows winded, a result of its insufficient power for the vehicle’s 4,900 pounds and bricklike aerodynamic efficiency. The H3T Alpha fares better. Throttle response is crisper with the V8 and it pulls harder through the midrange, but again, due to the considerable mass at hand, it’s not the massive transformation one might expect.

Even though the H3T’s longer wheelbase makes it less maneuverable on trails than the regular H3, it’s still basically unstoppable when equipped with the Adventure Package. With 9.5 inches of ground clearance, loads of wheel travel, aggressive approach and departure angles, oversized all-terrain tires and standard skid plates, the H3T can pretty much go anywhere without taking damage. Given this off-road capability, the H3T performs admirably on pavement, with decent stability at speed. The ride is surprisingly smooth and belies the H3’s tough-truck nature. But we would still advise you to steer clear of the H3T if you never intend to take it off the beaten path.

All 2009 Hummer H3T models come with full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. All except the Alpha are powered by a 3.7-liter inline five-cylinder engine that makes 239 hp and 241 lb-ft of torque. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual, and a four-speed automatic is optional. Although the five makes decent power, it’s simply outmatched by the H3T’s near-5,000-pound mass, so acceleration is leisurely at best. Towing capacity is rated at 4,400 pounds when properly equipped, and EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined with either transmission.

The Alpha features a 5.3-liter V8 (with 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque) mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity goes up to 5,900 pounds, and we’d expect its performance to be about the same as the H3 Alpha, which sprinted from zero to 60 mph in a relatively quick 8 seconds flat. With this engine, fuel economy drops slightly to a 13/16/14 mpg rating.