Is the Ram 1500’s Available Air Ride Suspension Worth the Upcharge?
For $1,805 you can upgrade your Ram 1500 with adjustable air suspension at all four corners. It’s an advanced feature that gives your truck a bunch of cool capabilities. But Ram primarily advertises it as a fuel-saving feature, so will you ever see your $1,805 back at the pump?
Will the Ram 1500’s air-ride suspension pay for itself in fuel savings?
Almost certainly not. The Ram 1500’s “Active-Level” four-corner air suspension costs $1,805 and won’t save you much more than one mpg on the highway, and even less at lower speeds.
Ram has not released much information on how much the Active-Level system increases efficiency. But Chrysler Factory Plans points out that it only drops the truck’s 8.7-inch ride height half an inch and puts fuels savings at “as much as 1%.” So a truck getting 20 mpg might get 22.022 mpg.
For comparison’s sake, The Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid drivetrain is currently a $3,300 option. It improves the truck’s mpg by several gallons, more during stop-go driving. But TFL Truck calculates that for many owners, the advanced powertrain will never pay off. Owners with a commute that’s primarily city driving might see the up front cost of the PowerBoost offset.
What does the Ram 1500’s air-ride suspension do?
The Ram 1500’s air ride suspension option replaces the truck’s front and rear coil springs with air springs. The truck can use its onboard compressor to increase or decrease its ride height. This unlocks a variety of useful features.
Want to hook a trailer up to your Ram 1500 equipped with air ride suspension? You can simply back up to your trailer and then use the suspension to adjust your truck to the perfect height. Once you’ve hooked up your trailer hitch, you can lift your trailer off any landing gear it has instead of messing with a jack.
The Ram 1500’s air suspension also helps with towing once you get underway. The air suspension can adjust on the fly to stiffen in the rear if your truck begins to squat. One owner, who has even towed more than his Ram’s rated for, says he’s never known his air-ride-equipped 2019 Ram 1500 Limited to squat.
Is the Ram 1500’s air-ride a luxury feature?
The Ram 1500’s air ride suspension can be programmed in a number of ways. You can have your truck lower when you unlock the doors to make it easier to climb in. You can increase the height when you are off-road. The truck can drop down to improve fuel efficiency and stability when you accelerate above 65 mph, or when you choose efficiency mode.
Ram 1500 owners who do a lot of towing may select air ride just for its stability. Other truck owners prize the feature for its smooth ride and height customization. For drivers who don’t need the feature for towing, then yes Ram’s “Active-Level” air suspension is probably a luxury feature. But it does improve the ride significantly, and there’s no shame in being comfortable in your truck.
Find out which truck manufacturer still not offering air ride suspension or learn more about the Ram system’s reliability in the video below:
