I liked the new interior DaimlerChrysler designed for the Ram. Though not exactly an exciting exercise in design, it is very functionnal. Instrumentation is conventionnal but easily readable. My tester Sport Ram was a four-door model. The front seat was of the 40-20-40 split type. The place in the middle could be transformed into an armrest that hid a very well designed storage compartment. The seat bottom could also be lifted to unveil another compatment under it. Only complain, none of these could be locked, not even the glove box! The rear seat was also divided 40/60 and by raising the bottom, there was a steel floor that could be unfolded in case the owner wants to carry heavy or dirty material he does not want to put in the bed. But let me tell you that with the optional 20-inch wheels, it takes quite a lot of acrobatics to climb aboard. Fortunately, there are grab handles to help people climb in. Still, it would not be an easy task for a lady wearing a tight dress or even older people. By the way, there are quite a few safety improvements to the new Ram such as dual front airbags, dual side bags and optional side curtains. Child seat anchors are provided and optional adjustable pedals are an interesting feature. Huge side rear-view mirrors make driving safer. As for the bed, I had the shorter version (a little more than five feet) but it came in handy to carry Christmas trees and a few wood planks. A traditional 4 x 8 sheet of plywood would lay flat between the wheel wells but would require the tailgate to stay open.
City driving needs getting used to. Its mighty size and its height make the Ram difficult to park, especially in its 4 x 4 version. But highway driving was very easy and comfortable. I could imagine myself travelling the American highways from my home city of Montreal to the southern tip of Florida pulling a reasonably sized house-trailer (or fifth-wheel) as the Dodge Ram is very comfortable and quiet. At cruising speed, it has enough power to make passing easy and other than the rumbling exhaust tone when the throttle is pressed, the Ram is quiet on the highway. By the way, interior fit and finish made the cab quieter than ever.Visibility is great and the seats are comfortable enough for very long rides. Suspension is pretty smooth but more up front than for the rear passengers.