2015 Winner: Ram 3.0L EcoDiesel DOHC V-6 - Ward's Auto (subscription)
A Ram diesel can be had for $31,000, compared with the X5 diesel’s starting price of $57,000. The Ram also wins for being the first modern light-duty diesel in a fullsize pickup, whose work cycle is well suited for torque-rich combustion ignition. The Ram narrowly bested the Transit diesel in fuel economy and clearly offered superior noise attenuation. The cargo van we tested was like a big drum inside with a lot of hard surfaces while the fully loaded Ram 1500 was passenger-friendly and remarkably quiet. Finally, ’s all-new F-150 presented the Ram with a considerable challenge for its excellent NVH and drivability. The Ram and F-150 were the only two pickups in this year’s competition. Ford’s new 2. 7L EcoBoost V-6 is quiet and moves the truck well, but the F-150’s real-world fuel economy was disappointing, lagging the Ram diesel by a wide margin, even with the new stop/start system working often. And in the case of the Ram 1500, the diesel sound that used to annoy now is ideally tuned to be downright soothing while capturing the steely work ethic necessary for a long-haul delivery route. Source: wardsauto.com
