Is a Ram 1500 a Good Daily Driver?
Many people love the look of the Ram 1500 and the power it can deliver.
But does it actually make a good car for daily use?
Overall, the Ram 1500 does rather well as a daily driver. It gets good gas mileage, is pretty safe to drive, and is reliable. However, it is a bit too big for city streets and doesn’t have much leg room compared to similar trucks.
In this article, I will list the main pros and cons of using the Ram 1500 as a daily driver.
Then, I will discuss whether the Ram 1500 is expensive to maintain and whether it has a good sound system.
4 Pros of Driving the Ram 1500 Daily
Overall, the Ram 1500 has some pretty significant pros on its side when it comes to daily driving, and I will discuss each in the sections below.
1. Gas Mileage
When compared to other trucks, the Ram 1500 gets rather good gas mileage.
The 2021 Ram 1500 averages 20 mpg (32 kpg) in the city and 25 mpg (40 kpg) on the highway.
For comparison, here are the gas mileages for similar trucks:
- 2022 Ford F-150: 19 mpg (31 kpg) city / 24 mpg (39 kpg) highway
- 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 19 mpg (31 kpg) city / 22 mpg (35 kpg) highway
- 2022 Toyota Tundra: 18 mpg (29 kpg) city / 24 mpg (39 kpg) highway
- 2020 GMC Sierra 1500: 19 mpg (31 kpg) city/ 22 mpg (35 kpg) highway
So, as you can see, the Ram 1500 does pretty well when compared to other trucks.
Of course, though, when it comes to popular sedans, the Ram 1500 can not compete.
For example, the 2022 Honda Civic offers 33 mpg (53 kpg) in the city and 42 mpg (68 kpg) on the highway.
Thus, if you aren’t attached to the idea of driving a truck, you may want to go with a sedan or similar small vehicle to get the best gas mileage.
2. Reliability
Although not the most reliable vehicle on the market, the Ram 1500 does quite well.
JD Power gave the 2022 Ram 1500 a reliability score of 86, placing it in the “Great” range.
To compare, here are the JD Power reliability scores for similar trucks:
- 2021 GMC Sierra 1500: 85
- 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 83
- 2021 Ford F-150: 77
- 2021 Toyota Tundra: 86
3. Longevity
When considering which vehicle you should choose as a daily driver, longevity is another important factor.
And luckily, the Ram 1500 will last quite a long time, with most making it between 200,000 miles (321,869 km) and 250,000 miles (402,336 km).
For comparison, here are the longevity estimates for similar trucks:
- Ford F-150: 200,000 to 300,000 miles (~322,000 to 483,000 km)
- Toyota Tundra: 150,000 to 250,000 miles (~241,000 to 402,000 km)
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 150,000 to 200,000 miles (~241,000 to 322,000 km)
- GMC Sierra: 200,000 to 300,000 miles (~322,000 to 483,000 km)
So, although the average Ford F-150 and GMC Sierra are likely to outlast a typical Ram 1500, the Ram still does pretty well.
4. Safety
The Ram 1500 is quite safe, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
In crashworthiness, the 2022 Ram 1500 scored top marks of “Good” in all categories.
The 2022 Ram 1500 also did well in crash avoidance, scoring a “Superior” in vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention and “Advanced” in vehicle-to-pedestrian avoidance.
However, regarding seatbelt reminders and seatbelt ease of use, it only received a “Marginal” rating.
Still, the IIHS chose the 2022 Ram 1500 as one of its top safety picks in the large pickup category.
3 Cons of Driving the Ram 1500 Daily
Although the Ram 1500 is a rather good pick for a daily driver, there are some downsides to using this truck as your primary vehicle.
1. Parking
One of the biggest cons of driving the Ram 1500 is that it can be difficult to park.
You see, the Ram 1500 ranges from 19 feet and 1 inch (5.8 m) to 20 feet and 2 inches (6.1 m) long.
However, the average parking space length is only 19 feet (5.8 m).
In many places, such as large parking lots, this isn’t a big deal, and your truck will just stick out of the space a bit.
But, when it comes to cramped parking in the city, you may have a hard time finding a suitable spot.
Thus, if you often drive in urban areas, you should look for a vehicle that’s smaller than the Ram 1500.
2. Width
The second major con of driving a Ram 1500 as your primary vehicle is that it is rather broad.
The Ram 1500 is between 6 feet and 10 inches (2.1 m) and 7 feet and 4 inches (2.2 m) wide.
Compare that with a typical sedan, like the Toyota RAV4, which is only 6 feet and 1 inch wide (1.9 m), and you can see that driving the Ram in certain places can get tricky.
Even the Ford F-150 isn’t as wide, with a width of only 6 feet and 8 inches (2 m).
3. Leg Room
When compared to similar pickup trucks, the Ram 1500 lacks leg room.
In the new Ram 1500s, you only get 41 inches (104 cm) of leg room in the front seats and 36 inches (91 cm) in the back seats.
Meanwhile, the Ford F-150 gives you 44 inches (112 cm) of front leg room and 34 to 44 inches (86 to 112 cm) of rear leg room, depending on the cab type.
The GMC Sierra also allows you more leg room, with 45 inches (114 cm) in the front and 43 inches (109 cm) in the back.
Is the Ram 1500 Expensive to Maintain?
Of course, when it comes to picking a car for daily driving, maintenance cost is an essential factor to consider.
So, how does the Ram 1500 compare?
When compared to other pickup trucks, the Ram 1500 is not expensive to maintain.
While the average pickup truck owner pays around $930 a year to keep up their vehicle, Ram 1500 owners only pay around $700.
Does the Ram 1500 Have a Good Audio System?
For many people, the audio system can make or break a car.
So, how does the Ram do on this front?
The factory speakers in the Ram 1500 are pretty good, even those in the base model.
Overall, it is doubtful that the average person will notice any problems with the Ram’s factory sound system.
However, if you are really into sound quality, you might want to upgrade the system to get it exactly how you’d like it.
Conclusion
The Ram 1500 is a pretty good daily driver, as it gets good gas mileage, is reliable, lasts a long time, and is pretty safe.
However, its length and width make it hard to park and navigate in the city, and it doesn’t provide you with much leg room.
