[quote_box_right]Up: All the same features you would expect in a Mercedes or BMW.
Down: The price tag will tug at your inner blue-collar.
Neutral: It has WiFi?![/quote_box_right]Dust off your spurs for this one because this is not your ordinary, everyday pickup truck. The 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn has all the luxuries of a high class sedan mixed with the brute force of a V8 Hemi engine. The list of features included in this vehicle are just as long as it’s name and it’s reasonably priced to boot!
When I first hopped in the cab, Mike Anderson, the Billion Ram representative, gave me a tour of all of the bells and whistles. The first thing I noticed was the giant 8.4″ screen in the middle of the dash that is exclusive to the Longhorn. Ram calls it UCONNECT and it can control everything from climate and music all the way to 3D terrain maps designed by Mopar. It will even allow your whole family to connect to wireless internet up to 150 feet away without any cell towers. How does Ram do it? It must be magic.
Looking around the interior, the Longhorn also has tons of fine details that really make this truck stand out. The seats had laser etching in them that really brings out the cowboy in you. There was heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, double tiered arm rest for maximum storage, and even another 7″ screen between the gauges that will display all relevant information to your trip. Most important functions could be performed from the steering wheel or from voice commands too.
Now I’ll admit, I am pretty green when it comes to trucks of all sizes, but the ride was super smooth and comfortable. The first thing that I noticed, and couldn’t believe, was how quiet it was. The quiet ride has to do with a newly redesigned electronic power steering that is now eliminates belt-driven noises. The classic 395 hp Hemi V8 is still there but will drop down in cylinders when at cruising speed to get one of the highest rated MPG’s in it’s class. And if you start to drift-off the road, the electronic steering will sort of “tug” you back on.
One thing that I’ve noticed lately is that almost every car under the sun is coming out with optional screens and back-up cameras and this Ram 1500 is no different. The thing that sets it apart, and I’ve only seen this on a few vehicles so far, is that while backing up, the screen will show you your trajectory. There are lines that appear on the display that actually show you where the vehicle is going to go and it is incredibly accurate. This, I believe, is going to become an essential feature for vehicles this size and it will make a lot of people in busy mall parking lots happier.
When it comes down to it, the old stereotypical views of how a truck should feel and act are almost obsolete. This Longhorn edition had more features in it than some other upscale sedans that we’ve driven at Short Shift. Even the base model Ram Tradesman comes with all the luxuries you would expect in a base model car. Ram has really set a benchmark for the new industry of luxury trucks and I honestly can’t wait to see what’s next.
