Yahoo Autos The 2019 Ram 1500 North Edition Is the Snow Belt’s Texas Special
For too long, Texans have corraled truck manufacturers into building them special-edition pickups that aren't sold outside their borders. But now Ram has tipped a hat to New England-and all northerly states without oversize belt buckles-with the 2019 Ram 1500 North Edition, which it unveiled in the Boston area.
The North Edition is a subtle bundle of existing options offered at a discount versus buying each separately. Available on the four-by-four crew-cab model, the North Edition is essentially a Big Horn (one step above the base Tradesman) that mixes the Off-Road and Level 2 equipment groups with the monochrome style from the Sport appearance package, plus an engine-block heater and deep-grooved Mopar rubber floor mats. On the outside, the North Edition brings body-color bumpers, grille, and door handles with either 18- or 20-inch Falken Wildpeak white-letter tires. Instead of conventional all-terrain tires, these winter-rated Falkens are part of the new all-weather category of tires that grip better in warmer weather while offering greater snow and ice traction than an all-season.
Sitting on a one-inch lift, the North Edition includes an electronically locking rear axle, heavy-duty shocks, exposed tow hooks, a Class IV receiver hitch, hill-descent control, and front and rear parking sensors perfectly camouflaged in the black sections of each bumper. Inside, Ram adds heated front seats (with a 12-way power driver's seat with four-way lumbar support), a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and an 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment screen with SiriusXM satellite radio. Unfortunately for road trippers, the North Edition can't be paired with factory navigation, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on board, along with heated mirrors and remote start. The Tesla-like 12-inch display-along with the fanciest wheels, leather upholstery, and driver-assistance systems-is reserved for Laramie trims. Still, the North Edition's available tan and black cloth interior feels plenty upscale, and you can outfit one with a panoramic moonroof, air suspension, LED headlights, and the Hemi 5.7-liter V-8.
At $47,585 for the eTorque 3.6-liter V-6 model, the North Edition is $6095 dearer than the Laramie, which offers more interior upgrades but skips out entirely on the Big Horn's beefier off-road parts. Our only complaint, really, is how Ram refused to stick "North Edition" markings on the exterior like the chunky red, white, and blue badge on the Lone Star edition. Ram says that's because it's offering this trim to all 50 states instead of just one but conceded it just might add a badge later if customers persist. Perhaps the state of Massachusetts just isn't as shapely or recognizable as Texas. We'll concede to the Texans on that one.
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