Leave It to Ram Trucks to Be Three-Peat Winners of MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year Award

Ram dealers and drivers have plenty to celebrate when it comes to their truck of choice. For years, they’ve known that nothing gets the job done quite like a Ram truck. And with the announcement of Ram’s Three-Peat as MotorTrend’s “Truck of the Year” in 2019, 2020, and 2021, the appreciation for Ram trucks is expanding far beyond loyal brand fans. As your Ram dealer near Covington, we were certainly excited to see Ram win this award once again.

In 2019, the Ram 1500 broke Ford’s four-year running streak as “Truck of the Year” recipient. MotorTrend explained its choice quite simply, stating, “The newest version, more than any other, seems poised to meet the needs of the 21st-century truck buyer, with more variety, capability, comfort, convenience, and value than ever before.” While this came as no surprise to Ram drivers, devotees of other truck brands began to take notice.

Then the Ram Heavy Duty trucks took the prize in 2020, this time for creating an attractive truck that could simultaneously work hard and be comfortable for the driver and passengers. The public’s ears really perked up. The 2021 Truck of the Year is Ram’s 1500 TRX, which drops a 6.2L supercharged Hemi V8 engine in an off-road-ready truck to create a near-perfect work/life balance. Before you rush off to our dealership to check out each Truck of the Year in detail, check out some of the highlights. It turns out there’s a lot to like for nearly every driver.

2019 Ram 1500

Coming into the 2019 model year, the public knew that the Ram 1500 was going to receive a complete refresh and reimagination. But the public’s own thoughts couldn’t prepare them for what Ram brought to the table. Even the most experienced automotive critics threw around words like “sophisticated” and “unbelievable.” So what was the magic formula that escalated the Ram 1500 from “a decent truck” to “Truck of the Year?” It was actually a little bit of everything.

First, the 2019 1500 just looked cool. Offered initially as Quad Cab and Crew Cab configurations, the brand new 1500 can tow up to 12,750 pounds, and drivers could select a 5’7” bed or a 6’4” bed. Whatever it takes to get the job done.

Under the hood, drivers were given the choice of a 3.6L V6 or a 5.7L V8 engine. The V6 comes with eTorque mild hybrid technology, which adds a small battery and motor-generator to increase torque and efficiency in four-cylinder mode. All told, this system generates 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque while maintaining a reasonable fuel economy for a truck of its size. Rear-wheel drive models receive about 20 miles per gallon of fuel on city streets and 25 miles per gallon on the highway. Four-wheel drive models drop only slightly to 19 miles per gallon city and 24 miles per gallon highway.

The 5.7L V8 could be chosen with or without eTorque technology. With its 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, it was clear this beast was made for power and performance. Still, the eTorque makes a difference in the fuel economy. Those models without eTorque can expect 15 miles per gallon city and 21 miles per gallon highway, while those with the addition of eTorque manage 17 miles per gallon city and 22 or 23 miles per gallon highway, depending on whether four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive is chosen.

So now that they had the power and performance down, where could Ram go next? The cabin of the 1500 was filled with features that made it a reliable, safe, and comfortable companion for work or play. A 12-inch infotainment screen with Uconnect, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto interface could be had. You could also get reclining heated leather seating in front and rear, surround-view camera, and custom configured cabin sealed the deal for a lot of drivers, and new Ram fans were born.

2020 Ram Heavy Duty (2500 and 3500)

The Ram 3500 was already a big deal before MotorTrend crowned it “Truck of the Year.” With the addition of a High Output Cummins 6.7 inline-6 turbodiesel engine, a non-commercial heavy-duty truck broke into the 1,000 lb-ft torque realm for the first time. As a result, it could perform big-rig duties while still being an enjoyable passenger vehicle. In fact, it was this combination of capability and comfort that led to the 2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 HD trucks winning the Truck of the Year award. Sure, it’s one thing to be able to tow up to 35,100 pounds or haul a 7,680-pound payload, getting a great ride out of the deal? Now that’s a game-changer.

Ram pioneered the idea of creating trucks with passenger car-level luxury interior features, with innovative additions in the late 1990s. Today, nearly every truck manufacturer has an elite trim. The Ram HD trucks take this to a new level. Not only are exterior appearance packages offered to allow drivers the opportunity to make their trucks look super-aggressive and cool, but a full suite of standard features makes driving them fun. Safety features like lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive steering are standard across the trim lineup, along with a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and smartphone integration. Still, drivers don’t have to climb the trim levels too far to find standard heated, power adjustable seats and leather upholstery.

For those who require heavy-duty but not quite big rig level power, rest assured the standard engine option is a little more sedate. Many 2020 Ram 2500 and 3500 models come well-equipped with a 410 horsepower 6.4L V8 gasoline-powered engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Those who crave diesel power but don’t need the size or capability of the 3500 also have a 6.7L inline-6 diesel option, which does not disappoint at 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque.

2021 RAM 1500 TRX

Heading into the 2021 model year, automotive enthusiasts were making a great noise about the rivalry between the Ram 1500 TRX and other dinosaur-themed off-road-ready trucks. Ram indicates that the 2021 TRX is over 74% re-engineered to meet the demands of an off-road, do-anything, go-anywhere truck. The team considered common requests, mistakes, and problems encountered by off-road vehicles of days gone by and put the data to the test with the latest TRX.

Unlike some trucks, which are off-road “capable,” the TRX can handle some intense situations. It features 11.8-inch ground clearance, with 13-inch suspension travel in the front and 14 inches in the rear. The shock system is one-of-a-kind: The Bilstein Black Hawk e2 system can only be found in production trucks on this particular vehicle. The design team handled the details the average driver might not even think of. For example, instead of using a regular old steering wheel, the TRX includes a flat bottomed performance wheel with built-in aluminum shift paddles, transferring the power right to the driver’s hands.

The TRX has six performance modes, including Sport Mode with a 30/70 torque split for paved roads, Snow Mode with a launch control method that prevents grinding on slick surfaces, Rock Mode for powerful climbs and controlled descents, Baja Mode, and a custom mode that lets drivers set their own suspension, torque, and steering feel controls. Of course, the supercharged 6.2L Hemi V8 engine is quite impressive, as well. With 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Ram 1500 TRX can do 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds, just as well as it can tow up to 8,220 pounds. With superpowers like that, it’s easy to see how it managed to become Truck of the Year.

How Ram Stays On Top

Pulling a hat trick in the automotive industry is something of a miracle. Competition is fierce, and it isn’t too long after a feature is added to the mix that it becomes an industry standard. Ram has maintained its hold on MotorTrend’s “Truck of the Year” award for many reasons. At the forefront of every driver’s mind is the capability factor. Everyone wants to be able to tow more, stow more, and go further with their trucks. But as Ram taught us in the late 1990s, we don’t have to suffer on a cramped vinyl bench seat with no heat to do it.

Ram trucks are well-appointed at every trim level and provide plenty of options to allow drivers to further customize their experience. While some truck manufacturers are focused on bigger rigs, Ram is determined to be the next big thing. And that means impressing drivers from every angle, inside and out. If you want to check out the newest winner of MotorTrend’s “Truck of the Year” award, visit us today.