Trucks Make A Comeback In 2013

For years, pickup trucks were in a difficult position. They are the quintessential American vehicles. Pickups, apple pie, and bald eagles are all up there with the stars and stripes when it comes to symbols that define the United States. But the economic reality of the post-2007 world has, until now, made pickup trucks a not so great buy. But 2013 is beginning to see a reversal of that trend. As gas prices have leveled off and people are starting to build homes again, reliable trucks have come back in style, so to speak. The eco-minded compact cars that have been so popular simply can't match the practical use of a large sized pickup truck when it comes to getting things done.

The Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra have been popular buys this year. Many companies have tweaked their trucks to make them more modern and appealing. But no one is having as good a year as Dodge. The Dodge Ram 1500 has been receiving rave reviews for its new and improved 2013 iteration. Some are calling it Dodge's best truck ever. Not only that, but it crushes its competition from other companies as well.

So, what is it about the 2013 Ram 1500 that has made it such a hit with reviewers and drivers alike? Well, Dodge took its already successful Ram design and kicked it up a few notches for this year's release. The 2013 model has an eight-speed transmission and V-6 engine. When this current line of Rams began in 2009, they had a less than satisfactory V-6 (if you couldn't afford a V-8) and four-speed automatic transmission. Thanks to the new drivetrain and other upgrades, it's expected that the Ram 1500 may actually overtake the Ford F-150, which has been the dominant truck in its class in recent years. In another effort to knock Ford off its pedestal, Chrysler has added its Pentastar engine into the 2013 Ram 1500 which gives it respectable power while also conserving fuel.

The V-8 is optional, but the V-6 has stood up well in review tests. It makes 305 horsepower and 269 pound feet of torque. Two wheel drive models can pull 4,350 pounds, though with the optional add-ons, that gets bumped up to 6,050 pounds. The eight-speed transmission is a first for full-sized trucks and is sure to be the lure that Chrysler has designed it to be. Fuel economy also holds up. It averages about 17mpg city driving and 25mpg on the highway.

Simply put, the 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 has been positioned to be a blockbuster of a seller. It's also luckily come at a time when people want to buy pickup trucks again. Interestingly enough, the new Ram also has the kinds of amenities that you'd imagine a luxury car would have. It has a touchscreen in the dash, a state of the art sound system (the optional is the 506-watt Alpine stereo system) parking sensors and a backup camera. Really, it's a perfect marriage between functionality and comfort. It makes moving supplies much easier because you can now actually park the truck with relative ease on city streets.

Author Bio:
Ashely is a part of a team of writers who have contributed to tons of car blogs. Follow her @AshelyMarie1985 to see what else she has to say!