Review: 2014 Ram 2500 HD – Next Generation of Clydesdale

2014 ram 2500 hd laramie longhorn

Ram is not resting and updates the 2014 Ram 2500 HD lineup with more options than ever before.  This test truck is a Crew Cab 4×4 Laramie Longhorn with a Cummins diesel.  Next to the Laramie Limited model, this is Ram’s 2500 is one of the top dogs.  Can it beat the Denali trucks from GMC, Platinum Super Duty from Ford, and LTZ from Chevrolet on features and capability?  Read on to learn more about the new options.

STATS Starting Retail Price As Tested Price HP / Lb-Ft
2014 Ram 2500 Crew 4×4 LL $59,075 $66,850  370 / 800
EPA Rating MPG As Tested MPG
Rating: BUY IT! not rated Combined 16.3

First Impression:

This is one tall truck.  It’s a good thing it comes with side steps, you will actually need them in this case to get up in to the cab.  The 6.7-liter straight six Cummins diesel has a satisfying rumble as heard from the driver’s seat.

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Design:

Similar to its light-duty Ram 1500 cousin, this Laramie Longhorn HD has a two-tone paint job and a western motive.  Big news is the newly available rear spring suspension.  It’s supposed to make an empty truck ride a little smoother, while still offering all the payload and towing capability.  The new trailing arms and suspension geometry firmly locate the rear axle and are also good for putting all the torque to the ground.

2014_ram_2500_interior_dash_laramie_longhorn

The interior is a comfortable place to be and would make any cowboy proud.  The heated wood and leather steering wheel is top notch not only for the truck segment, but would put many luxury sedans to shame.  That being said – the plastics around the infotainment section and the seat leather do not feel as lush as on the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn.  The materials look to be tuned for durability and longevity, which is fitting for a truck capable of heavy lifting and tough daily work.

Ram and other Chrysler products have one of the most straight forward user interfaces, and this HD takes it to the next level.  It has a full color LCD screen in the gauge cluster in addition to the large screen in the center stack.  You can toggle through a ton of useful information: MPG and trip information, integrated trailer brake controller, turbo boost, exhaust brake horsepower, tire pressure monitor, engine hours (idle and working), and on and on.  Four steering wheel mounted buttons is all you need to look through the different screens and reset whatever information.

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Power:

The engine bay of this beast is full of 6.7-liter I6 Cummins.  This big-rig style power plant does not rev very high, but it does not need to.  There are three versions of the Cummins and this one makes 370 hp @2,800 rpm and 800 lb-ft of torque @1,600.   The 68RFE automatic transmission 6-speed automatic transmission sends the power to the wheels.  The other versions of the Cummins are the 350 hp version which comes with the 6-speed manual, and the 385 hp version teamed with Aisin 6-speed auto for the Ram 3500 top dog.  This motor has a satisfying diesel sound and you can hear the turbo once in a while.  If you have not driven a Cummins before, it may take you a little bit to get used to it’s very low red line.  Also, the new 2014 traction control system cannot be fully defeated (or at least we were not able to get it fully disengaged after numerous attempts).  It means – no smoky burnouts.

Handling:

We did not have a chance to load this truck near its capacity (this will come in a few weeks), but this behemoth made quick work of towing TFL 5,740 lbs test boat and trailer.  It’s still true that the more you load a heavy duty truck – the smoother ride is. However, the new Ram did not jump around when empty, thanks to the reworked suspension.  Our test trailer was nearly unnoticeable.  It runs straight and narrow on the highway and will handle corners with a controlled lean.

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Competitors:

Starting Retail Price Max Towing Lbs HP / Lb-Ft
2014 Ram 2500 Crew 4×4 Laramie Longhorn $59,075 16,870 370 / 800
2014 Chevrolet 2500 Crew 4×4 LTZ $57,915 14,700 397 / 765
2014 Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4×4 Platinum $61,715 15,900 400 / 800
2014 GMC 2500 Crew 4×4 Denali $61,735 15,800 397 / 765

The Ram stands up strong to the competition.  It has a competitive price, a powerful engine, and best claimed towing ability (even with the RamBox feature).

On the TFLcar scale of:

  • Buy it!
  • Lease it!
  • Rent it!
  • … or Forget it!

I give the 2014 Ram 2500 HD Laramie Longhorn CrewCab 4×4 a Buy It!

This Ram heavy duty comes in at $66,850 as tested, and this is the only thing that gave me pause when choosing the rating on this truck.  It’s not the only diesel rig which can be configured to push the $70,000 barrier.  You can do the same with a GMC HD Denali or a Ford SD Platinum.  Still, if you are in the market for a luxurious workhorse, you will not go wrong with this one.  This truck would feels at home hauling hay at a mega ranch, towing a large trailer, or pulling up to a fancy restaurant.  Yes, this configuration will not haul or tow the most, but it won’t disappoint either.  My only other complaint has to do with interior materials.  I understand the materials have to be durable, but I had very high expectations from a $66,000+ pickup truck and this Ram did not quiet reach it.

 

Andre Smirnov
Andre Smirnov

Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFL since 2011. When not working or spending time with the family – you can find him tinkering in the garage or simply ‘going for a drive’.