It’s part of the human psyche to want to have our cake and eat it too, but very rarely are we actually able to do this in real life. When the news came along that the new 2009 Dodge Ram would be more powerful and be tops in the segment for fuel economy, we thought our time had come. But as another adage goes, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
A report surfaced last month that the 2009 Ram equipped with a 5.7L HEMI V8 would be capable of achieving 23 mpg on the highway – a stat that would move the Ram to the head of the class. However, PickupTrucks.com has revealed that the most fuel-efficient version of the new Ram – a regular cab, short bed, 4×2 model equipped with a 3.7L V6 and a four-speed automatic transmission – will only hit 20 mpg on the highway.
Moreover, it turns out that Dodge was actually sandbagging the output ratings of the Ram ’s updated HEMI V8. Dodge originally claimed that the 5.7L powerplant would kick out 380 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque but, as it turns out, the engine will actually produce 390 horsepower and 407 lb-ft of torque. Despite the extra power on tap, the new engine will actually be more efficient than the outgoing motor – by about 4 percent. So while 23 mpg on the highway is out of the question, the new HEMI is expected to return just a hair under 20 mpg (13 mpg city).
Dodge was also selling us short on the performance of the Ram R/T model. When the ’09 Ram debuted at the Detroit Auto Show last January, Dodge claimed the truck would hit 60 mph from a standstill in under 7 seconds. The Michigan-based automaker has since adjusted that claim, now saying the Ram R/T will take fewer than 6 seconds to hit 60 mph.
