The Ram 1500 is one of the best pickup trucks in America, but it has many trims and options available. Choosing and customizing the truck to your needs may be appealing, but some drivers just want to keep it simple and drive the best truck possible. MotorTrend equipped a Ram 1500 with a mix of fun and utility in mind, and that may be the best way to equip a new Ram 1500.

Upgraded utility

The base trim that MotorTrend got was a Ram 1500 Laramie Sport. MotorTrend then upgraded the engine and got a 5.7-liter V8. This V8, according to MotorTrend, is a semi-hybrid engine as it has a small electric motor that replaces the alternator.

This engine generates 395-hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. It also allows this particular Ram 1500 to get a fuel economy of about 17 MPG combined. According to Ram, this V8 will allow the Ram 1500 to tow over 12,750 lb of cargo. This is one of the highest towing figures in its class. This V8 also allows the Ram 1500 to get some sporty performance numbers. MotorTrend says that this configuration of the Ram 1500 can go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 6.4 seconds.

MotorTrend didn’t stop there. MotorTrend equipped its Ram 1500 with a 5-foot 7-inch long truck bed as well as Ram’s RamBox cargo holds. The RamBox will eat up some of the Ram 1500’s cargo capacity, but it’ll provide a lot of other utility features for MotorTrend. This cost MotorTrend about $1,000.

In regards to ride quality, this standard Ram 1500 had a new suspension system installed. MotorTrend’s test driver said that the ride quality from that new suspension system gave the Ram 1500 a smoother ride than any other comparable pickup truck. Ram offers an even superior suspension system, but MotorTrend opted for the standard one since it was already so great. 

The V8 engine cost MotorTrend an extra $2,500. MotorTrend also got the four-wheel-drive option, which costs another $2,500.

Upgraded amenities 

The standard Ram 1500 already has a great and luxurious interior, but MotorTrend’s build upgraded it even more. MotorTrend spent about $1,400 to upgrade the interior and technology of the Ram 1500. The most basic Ram 1500 comes with a 5-inch touchscreen. With MotorTrend’s build, the Ram 1500 got a 12-inch touchscreen. According to MotorTrend, the 12-inch touchscreen is the second-largest touchscreen available on a car.

MotorTrend also spent $4,600 upgrading a lot of other accessories on the Ram 1500. That money went to heated and cooled seats, automatic headlights, an upgraded speaker system, a remote tailgate opener, blind-spot monitoring, a rear under-seat storage compartment, and more. The sport package that’s in the name of the trim gave the Ram 1500 leather seats, power-heated doors, and a wireless phone charger among other amenities. 

Everything else

Furthermore, MotorTrend also bought an additional package that upgraded the truck bed. This costs about $950 and it includes things like a spray-in liner, LED lights, and four tie-downs on the corners of the truck bed. 

MotorTrend also outfitted its Ram 1500 with some sizable 20-inch wheels, some rear wheel-well liners that’ll reduce the road noise when driving, and some rubber floor mats among other less important features. 

Overall, MotorTrend spent about $62,000 on its Ram 1500. For comparison, the Ram 1500 starts at about $35,000. MotorTrend will test drive this version of the Ram 1500 for a year. With that said, MotorTrend’s test driver is already praising it for how it’s performing so far.