2013 RAMCrew Cab 5.7L V8 HEMI 6AT 4×2 (383 HP)

Vehicle Overview

RAM refreshed the heaviest lineup of its pickup trucks for the 2013 model year and offered it in several cab versions, including a family-friendly Crew Cab that could also tow the heaviest trailers behind it without the need for a CDL license.

After it became a separate brand dedicated to utility vehicles, RAM pushed harder in the pickup segment with the heavy-duty 3500 lineup that was fitted with dual rear wheels. It also provided customers the option for a gooseneck trailer hitch that allowed them to carry full-size campers or a trailer with heavy equipment.

While it wasn’t a vehicle fit for daily routines, school runs, and grocery getters, it could easily tow a school bus and an entire grocery store behind it without sweating. Furthermore, the cabin’s occupants could relax in comfort thanks to the wide cabin and rich equipment, especially for the Longhorn trim level.

The automaker kept the crosshair design language for the front grille and emphasized it by chroming the horizontal and the vertical slat. 3500’s quad headlights that flanked it were corner-mounted and featured a sloped-down ending on the front fenders. Lower, on the front fascia, the automaker installed a fat chromed or contrasting color bumper, depending on the trim level and options. From its profile, the big pickup truck showed its powerful stance with shoulder-like front and rear fenders and a cabin with large doors.

Customers could order the vehicle with a set of side steps to help with ingress and egress to the vehicle. The large bed in the back was big enough to carry a full-size ATV or a camper on top of it. But the automaker knew that customers also wanted this heavy-duty pickup truck for construction sites to pull loaded trailers behind it, so it offered the option for a fifth-wheel system.

Inside, the large cabin provided enough room for five passengers with wide seats at the front and a bench seat in the back. The center console for the front passengers was very wide and housed ample storage areas under the center armrest, two cup holders for large-size mugs, and an additional storage tray next to it. On the center stack, depending on the options, RAM installed an infotainment system fitted with a touchscreen.

The SUV-inspired interior continued with a large instrument cluster placed in front of the driver and filled with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, plus four other gauges. In addition, on a TFT display placed in the middle, drivers had the option to see other information provided by the vehicle’s onboard computer.

Under the hood, RAM installed its famous 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine paired with a six-speed automatic or a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel. Both versions were available either as rear-wheel-drive only or all-wheel-drive with shift-on-the-fly feature.