Leave it to Chrysler to allow Ram to sell two generations of it’s 1500 pickup, simultaneously (relax Chrysler/Dodge/Ram fanboys). What the heck right? Well there might be some method to their madness. The “old” Ram 1500 now goes by the name of 1500 Classic while the “new” Ram 1500 is just the 1500, confused yet? Well the good news is that they are almost completely different trucks. For starters, the 1500 Classic is working on the DS platform while the 1500 is on the new DT platform. What does this mean? Let’s break it down.
Exterior
The Ram 1500 is completely different than the 1500 Classic on the outside with the new one being designed to be more aerodynamic. The whole truck has a more futuristic look to it over the elder 1500. The exterior will mostly come down to personal preference, whether you like the rugged look of the 1500 Classic or if you want something that looks more relevant to the times.
Interior
There is no doubt about it, the Ram 1500 interior will turn heads. It features all new features, like a optional 12 inch touch screen, genuine leather and wood trim, reclinable rear seats and more. The Ram 1500 Classic interior is more simple, and if you’ve been in a Ram 1500 from 2009 to 2018, it’ll pretty much be the same.
Performance
The Ram 1500 comes available with a 3.6L V6 motor producing 305 horsepower and 269lb feet of torque. If you don’t like that you can go for a 3.0L V6 turbodiesel that makes 260 horsepower and 480lb feet of torque. Finally, if you want hemi power then go for the 5.7L Hemi v8 engine that produces 395 horsepower and 410lbs feet of torque. As far as the difference with the 1500 Classic, it comes with the same engine choices. The only difference is that the 1500 comes with a eTorque mild hybrid system which is supposed to improve fuel economy. If you don’t want that you can still ditch it on the classic.
So which one is best? Well if you want tons of options then go for the Ram 1500. If you want a proven truck that is well documented, go for the 1500 Classic. Personally, I prefer the 1500 Classic. It is packed with tons of features, has great aftermarket support and all the issues are well documented. Did I mention that the 1500 Classic is significantly cheaper than the 1500?
Enjoy!
