The 2023 Ram 1500 is one of the best-selling trucks in America. There are many reasons why Americans are buying this truck. However, it isn’t flawless. Here’s a look at two disadvantages car shoppers might want to consider before buying the truck.

An overview of the 2023 Ram 1500’s specs

The Ram 1500 starts at about $39,000. According to TrueCar, the automaker offers a variety of engine options. It starts with a 3.6-liter V6 that gets 305 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The standard V6 also comes with the automaker’s mild hybrid system, allowing the truck to get 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on highways, for 23 mpg combined.

Its most powerful option is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. Ram also offers a 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine, which gets 260 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. This diesel option gives the truck a high towing capacity as well as a high fuel economy. It gets 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on highways, for 27 mpg combined.

The best part about the Ram 1500, however, is its interior. Its cabin is often considered to be the best in its class. The 2023 model year brought many updates to the interior. One of the bigger updates is the truck’s infotainment system. Owners can now equip it with a 12-inch digital gauge cluster display and a 12-inch touch screen. 

1. The 2023 Ram 1500’s towing capacity falls short compared to its rivals

While the Ram 1500’s interior is the most luxurious in the segment, the truck’s engine options aren’t the most capable. Few trucks can boast about having a 702-hp engine option, but that horsepower doesn’t translate to towing capacity. When the Ram 1500 is properly equipped, it only tows about 12,750 pounds. The truck gets that capacity when equipped with the 5.7-liter V8 engine option, which reaches 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. 

That’s more towing capacity than most drivers will need, but it’s short of what its main rivals can do. The Chevy Silverado, for example, can tow about 13,300 pounds when it’s properly equipped. The Ford F-150 has a max towing capacity of about 14,000 pounds. This means that the Chevy can tow about 550 pounds more, and the Ford can tow about 1,250 pounds more.

2. Truck shoppers will have to pay extra to get access to smart safety features

Another disadvantage that truck shoppers have to consider is that the automaker has put many safety features behind higher trim levels. The truck’s starting trim is the Tradesman trim, and it’s designed to be a work truck. As such, it has a minimal amount of standard features, especially tech features. For instance, one of the few safety features that it starts with is a backup camera.

Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are two of the most common smart safety features, and they’re standard on many modern cars. The F-150 gets those smart safety features as standard while having a starting price tag of about $35,000. Despite being $4,000 more expensive than its Ford rival, the Ram 1500 doesn’t start with forward collision warning or automatic emergency braking.

Other common smart safety features, such as blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert, are also options that drivers will have to pay extra for. Those safety features are standard on the Limited trim, but that’s the truck’s top trim, and it costs $63,000.