Yahoo Autos 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Misses Its EPA Highway Rating in Our Testing
Hybrid and electric pickups are on the horizon, but 2020 is the year of the diesel. This model year, diesel engines are available in the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500, with each offering six-cylinder oil burners. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel V-6 pioneered the combination in 2013, and it's back with more power after a brief hiatus. We've previously tested an EcoDiesel Ram in the burly Rebel trim. This particular Ram 1500 Limited sheds the off-road hardware, and as a result, improves on the Rebel's fuel economy and performance.
In Ram 1500 Limited-trim pickups the diesel engine costs an extra $4995 over the base 3.6-liter V-6. Displacement remains 3.0 liters, but Ram has tweaked almost everything else compared to the prior-generation engine, including its water-cooled turbocharger, fuel injectors, intake ports, and combustion chambers. The compression ratio has increased from 16.0:1 to 16.5:1, and output is up eight percent to 260 horsepower at 3600 rpm. More importantly, torque climbs 14 percent to 480 lb-ft at 1600 rpm, which is best in class, and it peaks 400 rpm sooner than before. The third generation of this DOHC engine, which also is smoother and quieter than before, is assembled at Fiat Chrysler's Cento facility in Ferrara, Italy.
While Rams with the EcoDiesel start at $38,585, this stacked Limited crew cab, which comes standard with a smooth-riding air-spring suspension and 20-inch Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza all-season tires, cost $67,530—about $2000 more than the Ram Rebel EcoDiesel we tested previously. Smaller-diameter tires and a roughly 50-pound weight advantage give the 5734-pound Limited a considerable dynamic advantage over the taller off-road–oriented Rebel, which rides on a knobbier set of 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTracs. The Limited EcoDiesel sticks to the skidpad with 0.75 g in grip and stops from 70 mph in 179 feet. Both metrics easily outperform the Rebel's lackluster 0.69-g and 208-foot measurements.
