2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty

Episode 2933
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Last year we chose the Dodge Ram 1500 as our Driver’s Choice Best Pickup Truck of the Year. We found its overall design, especially the RamBox cargo system and the coil spring suspension, perfect for personal use buyers. But, what about the hoards of Ram faithful that need a pickup as a hard working tool? Well, they’ve not been forgotten. There is now a Ram Heavy Duty. And it’s a big reason why we, again this year, picked the Ram as our Best Pickup Truck. Now for the details.

When the Chrysler Group redesigned the light duty Ram 1500 for 2009, the aim was to build a personal use pickup focused on flexibility.  But now, for 2010, their attention swings back to the work truck faithful; those in need of serious haul and tow capabilities.  Enter the all-new Ram Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 pickups.

Gross Weight Ratings and limits are up almost across the board, with a Max Tow Package GCWR elevated to 25,400 pounds. Touting familiar big-rig styling, the Heavy Duty models differentiate themselves from the Light Duty with unique grille, hood, and bumper designs. Like with the 1500, a true Crew Cab is now available. It slots between Regular and Mega Cab.  Two bed lengths - 6-feet-four-inches and 8 feet - both remain.

Under the hood, is a choice of two carryover, yet seriously Heavy Duty engines.  The standard 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 delivers 383 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. Optional is the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel producing 350 horses and a stout 650 pound-feet of torque at just 1500 rpm.  This engine meets 50-state emission standards, without Urea injection, and includes a class-only, big-rig style exhaust brake.

The RAM HD offers a choice of three transmissions. For the HEMI, a five-speed automatic. The big diesel gets a pair of six-speeds: either a standard manual with ultra-low tow-friendly first gear, or an optional automatic.  Ram 4x4s utilize a traditional, part-time two-speed transfer case.

In a straight line on pavement, our HEMI 4x4 Crew Cab tester surprised us with its swiftness.  The big truck hit 60 in just 7.2 seconds - that’s a second and a half faster than when we last tested the HD back in ‘04.  Our truck barreled through the quarter mile in an impressive 15.4 seconds at 95 miles per hour.

With its hydro-formed, fully boxed frame, HDs utilize coil springs up front, and again, a traditional multi-leaf spring geometry in the rear. Still, both ride and handling are improved thanks to a thorough re-tuning, as well as a new C-pillar structure with fluid-filled hydromounts.

Through the slalom, our 2500 felt big, but not to the extent we were expecting. Turn-ins were quick, and the truck felt amazingly flat.  Steering was responsive, though somewhat heavy.  Overall, what you have here is a very solid full size pickup that moves in a confident, almost nimble manner. While on normal roads, the HD feels plusher and smoother than before. 

In terms of top-end capability, the Ram Heavy Duty 3500 has a max trailer tow limit of 17,600 pounds and a max payload of 5,150.  How’s that for a work truck? And to bring this monster to a halt are four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes.  Stops averaged 145 feet from 60 to zero.  For something this hefty, we were impressed with a sub-150 number.

The Ram HD also gets a handsomely redesigned interior, similar to that of the Ram 1500, complete with upper and lower gloveboxes. The truck-like cabin of the past now gives way to more style and better materials throughout.

Ram HD also can be outfitted with plenty of luxury with heated and ventilated front, and heated rear seats. The Crew Cab’s rear seats also offer lots of room for up to three well-fed adults. And for weekends, new in-floor storage bins double as coolers.

But size usually translates to thirst, and our HEMI Ram HD was thirsty.  We managed 16.4 miles per gallon on regular gas in real-world driving. Still, a lot of light duty pickups do no better. Add the Cummins diesel and mileage approaches 20. 

Base prices for the new Ram HD range from $28,165 to a lofty $51,595.  And that’s before adding options. The 2010 Ram Heavy-Duty 2500 and 3500 are tough-looking platforms that are more capable than ever, but can also be jammed full of creature comforts. With new entries from both Ford and GM, the HD truck arena is really heating up. But for our buck, the Ram Heavy Duty is the way to work!

Specifications

  • Engine: 5.7-Liter Hemi V-8
  • Horsepower: 383
  • Torque: 400 Lb Feet
  • 0-60 MPH: 7.2 Seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 15.4 Seconds @ 95 MPH
  • 60-0 MPH: 145 Feet
  • Mixed Loop: 16.4 MPG
2024 Polestar 2 3/4 Front

2024 Polestar 2

More Range And More Power For The Polestar 2

Episode 4333
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Volvo is well on their way to making the transition to an all-electric brand, but their sister-brand Polestar is already there. Now, we’ve spent lots of time in their all-wheel drive, five-door Polestar 2, having tested it in 2021, and a year later when a two-wheel drive version arrived. But, EV updates are coming quickly. So, let us be your guide for all that’s new with the Polestar 2.

While we are driving more EVs than ever, we’ve also been spending a lot of time recently circling back to ones we’ve previously tested. As in this new era of electrified vehicles, significant updates are arriving quickly, with R&D investments increasing and retrofitting them easier than ever. This is often done through software updates that can even be accomplished over the air. For 2024, the Polestar 2 has indeed gotten some software updates, but some physical ones as well.

Clearly aimed directly at Tesla’s Model 3 when it arrived; the Polestar 2’s build quality was vastly better, but range definitely came up short. So, addressing that was priority No. 1; and for ’24 the Polestar can travel up to 20% farther than before while consuming 9% less energy, and when it comes time to charge it back up, it can do that 34% faster too.

2024 Polestar 2 Dead Front
2024 Polestar 2 Profile
2024 Polestar 2 3/4 Rear
2024 Polestar 2 Dead Rear
2024 Polestar 2 Charge Port
2024 Polestar 2 Wheel
2024 Polestar 2 Badge
2024 Polestar 2 Badge 2
2024 Polestar 2 Dead Front2024 Polestar 2 Profile2024 Polestar 2 3/4 Rear2024 Polestar 2 Dead Rear2024 Polestar 2 Charge Port2024 Polestar 2 Wheel2024 Polestar 2 Badge2024 Polestar 2 Badge 2

Range in the Single Motor version increases from a max of 270 to 320 miles thanks to a larger 82-kWh battery pack, and that solitary motor now powers the rear wheels, not the front wheels. It’s also bigger, coming in at 220 kW compared to the previous 170 kW front-wheel drive version, going from 231 to 299 horsepower.

Dual Motors keep the same 78-kWh battery, but still sees a boost from 260 to 276 miles and takes advantage of the larger rear motor for a new combined 310-kW output with 421 horsepower. Our test car has the added Performance Pack, which uses an additional 35 kW to deliver 455 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, though max range drops to just 247 miles.

The new battery in rear-drive 2s will also charge faster, now accepting up to 205 kW for an 80% charge in 20 minutes; max for dual-motors stays at 155 kW, which puts an 80% charge at 34 minutes. Using 32 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, the Dual Motor earns a good efficiency rating.

The [Polestar] 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor.

Unfortunately, extremely cold temperatures kept us from seeing that increased range, as we were only on pace for about 194 miles in our test.

The 2 has always been one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive, even more so now with that additional power coming from the rear motor. And especially when equipped with the Performance Pack as it not only includes more power, but adds 20-inch forged wheels, upgraded brakes, and adjustable Ohlins Dual Flow Valve performance dampers. It greatly improves handling prowess without affecting ride quality, and is easily worth the $5,500 charge if you at all enjoy driving.

Even on a 20-degree track day there was plenty of grip through our handling course. No understeer or oversteer, and lots of feedback through the wheel. There was a nice, strong launch off the line that properly planted us firmly in the seat, and rocketed us to 60 in 4.5 seconds. Power delivery stayed pretty intense up until about 80 mph when there was a definite tapering off. Still, it was a 13.4-second quarter-mile at 102 mph; smooth, quiet, and stable the whole way.

2024 Polestar 2 Driver Side Dash
2024 Polestar 2 Passenger Side Dash
2024 Polestar 2 Front Seats
2024 Polestar 2 Steering Wheel
2024 Polestar 2 Instrument Cluster
2024 Polestar 2 Center Display
2024 Polestar 2 Shifter
2024 Polestar 2 Rear Seats
2024 Polestar 2 Front Trunk
2024 Polestar 2 Trunk
2024 Polestar 2 Driver Side Dash2024 Polestar 2 Passenger Side Dash2024 Polestar 2 Front Seats2024 Polestar 2 Steering Wheel2024 Polestar 2 Instrument Cluster2024 Polestar 2 Center Display2024 Polestar 2 Shifter2024 Polestar 2 Rear Seats2024 Polestar 2 Front Trunk2024 Polestar 2 Trunk

When this car debuted, its Google-based infotainment setup was a novelty, but since then, more and more manufacturers are just “Googling it” so it doesn’t seem out of place at all. The wireless phone charger is easy to access, and there’s a great Harmon/Kardon sound system and panoramic sunroof to enhance the in-cabin experience. Exteriors have also been enhanced with a smooth grille insert and new wheel choices.

Hatchback practicality means 14.3 cu-ft of easy to access cargo space with split-folding seatbacks for longer items and expanding the space to 38.7 cu-ft. Plus, there’s even a sizeable storage bin up front under the hood.

Single Motor Polestar 2 pricing now starts at $51,300, with Dual Motors starting at $56,700; topping out at $64,400.

For a car manufacturer that hasn’t even been around for a decade yet, Polestar has kept itself busy, totally transforming their latest model in just a few years, making the 2024 Polestar 2 even more appealing. They are certainly off to a good start, and with a host of Polestars just over the horizon, including some all-important utility vehicles, this star will be shining even brighter.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Horsepower: 455
  • 0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
  • EPA Range: 247 miles
  • Efficiency : 32 kWh / 100 miles
  • Battery Size: 78-kWh
  • Torque: 546 lb-ft
  • 1/4 Mile: 13.4 seconds at 102 mph
  • MW Test Loop: ~ 194 miles
  • Peak Charging Rate: 155 kW