RAM 2500 Power Wagon: A Capable Beast For Every Occasion
If you want a truck that looks as good as it’ll make you feel, you’re going to need a Power Wagon.
The 2020 RAM 2500 Power Wagon is everything you could ask for in a truck. It’s beefy without feeling like you’re driving a yacht. It’s as functional for a family commute as it is for hauling everything you could possibly need. You can take it off-roading, then pop back onto the highway without a problem. And, best of all, you just feel like you’re the king of the road when you’re behind the wheel. What more could you want from a truck?
I’m new to the truck world, but even I couldn’t get enough of the Power Wagon (in fact, you can read more about me waxing poetic about it here). Now, I’m going to run you through everything you’ll need to know.
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What’s New?
Why mess with a good thing? The 2020 RAM 2500 isn’t massively different from its 2019 predecessor, but it does add a lot of goodies that I wouldn’t want to live without:
- Adaptive steering
- Auxiliary cameras
- Black wheels
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane keep assist
- Optional 50-gallon fuel tank
- Trailer tire pressure monitoring
- Upgraded 12,000-pound Warn winch
So, we’re not talking about a massive overhaul. More a refinement.
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Lush Interior
The RAM 2500 can comfortably sit four to six people depending on how you arrange the seats, and with the Level 2 Equipment Group package addition, you get heated seats for everyone, a heated steering wheel, automatic windshield wipers, dual-zone climate control, and more. You can adjust this thing to accommodate everyone, and it’ll still feel classy—kind of like how it feels to enjoy a rugged-themed cocktail lounge. It’s great.
But I think my favorite thing about the interior of the Power Wagon has to be the sheer amount of storage and flexibility offered here. I wrote more about this in my earlier review, but I just can’t praise it enough. With under-seat storage, floor storage, foldable seats, and a whole entire truck bed, you could pretty effectively pack a whole house worth of goodies inside and still have room for the kids to sprawl out.
One of the most surprising things—to me, at least—is how quiet the interior is, even when you’re well off the beaten path or cruising at speed down the highway. It’s like your own little oasis.
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Power Stance
The RAM 2500 Power Wagon looks exactly the way you want a truck to look, from its eye-catching blue color with black stripes to the heft of the front end. It simultaneously looks tough and inviting, like it’s just begging you to come try your hand at something outside of your comfort zone. You’ll feel cool as hell driving this down the street (or down the trail).
Enough Technology to Make Your Heart Sing
You can easily turn the Power Wagon into your mobile workspace. It has enough USB chargers for four passengers, plus a traditional outlet and a cigarette lighter plug—and that’s just the interior! With WiFi capabilities, bluetooth, and a gorgeous set of 17 Harman/Kardon speakers, you can easily live out your best boss babe goals on the go.
And there are plenty of options to make the driving process easier, too. There are more cameras on the outside of the truck than I knew what to do with, which was incredible when it came to checking my surroundings while off-roading and even to ensure that I’d lined myself up properly in a parking space. And that’s not all. It also features:
- Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- SiriusXM radio
- Trailer reverse guidance
- Lane departure warning
- Adaptive cruise control and steering
- Heated and ventilated seats
- Memory seating
Capabilities
If you need a vehicle to tow or haul, go off-roading, make the daily commute, or run errands, you’ll find the Power Wagon ticks all the boxes. In the same way that it has memory seating, the Power Wagon features four different memory tow settings for different trailers—you won’t have to reprogram all your settings every time you swap the camper for the boat.
You can also take this bad boy off-roading. It has 33-inch-tall tires on 17-inch wheels that provide plenty of space under your vehicle to tackle some serious obstacles—including 30 inches of water. With that softer, off-roading suspension, you do compromise a little on towing capacity, but you’ll still be able to haul over 10,000 lbs of goodies. That’s plenty for most folks.
And the best part is, you can hop right from the trail to the tarmac. My husband and I took the Power Wagon off-roading through some snowy hills in a hydro easement just off the highway, and it was such a simple transition from road to snow and back again that I couldn’t believe it. It’s awesome.
There Are Some Downsides…
As a Certified Short Person (I clock in at 5’3″ on a good day), the prospect of driving a massive truck was daunting, but I do have to give credit to RAM for making the Power Wagon super accessible. There are running boards and handles for easy access to the seats, and the driver has the ability to adjust everything: pedals, steering wheel, seat position, etc.
The main problem is with the truck bed itself. There’s no simple way to step up without needing a stretch. I struggled to climb up and down easily, and my husband even struggled despite the fact that he’s almost a foot taller than me and has legs for days. I was more comfortable using an external step (or a boost from my husband). If you aren’t tall, you might run into the same problem.
I also thought the 12-inch screen was a little much because of the way it reoriented some of the buttons you use most frequently: climate control, volume, etc. The window defrost button, for example, was on the far right side of the screen, which makes it tough to reach for someone in the driver’s seat. I did love the screen size when it came to using backup cameras and maps, but I think that could have been just as effective with a slightly smaller screen and some more centrally-located buttons.
Who Is This Truck For?
Not sure if the Power Wagon is right for you? It certainly can be for:
- Smaller families
- People who like extra power or feeling powerful when they drive
- The frequent hauler
- A practical person who still wants comfort
- A rural dweller
Basically, if you’ve ever looked at your SUV and wished it was a little beefier and a little more rugged, you might be the target audience for a Power Wagon.
The Nitty-Gritty
Looking into nabbing a 2020 RAM 2500 Power Wagon for yourself? Here’s what you need to know:
- Base price: CAD $65,294 (US $53,350)
- Total price of the model we drove: CAD $83,150 (US $64,817)
- Engine: 6.4-liter HEMI V8
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Torque: 429 lb-ft
- Horsepower: 410
- Drivetrain: 4WD
- Towing capacity: 10,290 lbs
- 12-inch infotainment system
- The model we drove featured the following option: Towing Technology Group, Safety Group, RamBox Utility Group, Power Wagon Level 2 Equipment Group, power sunroof, Harman/Kardon speakers, tri-fold bed cover
For a full suite of images, click here.
Full disclosure: FCA Canada provided me with a RAM 2500 Power Wagon for a week. All opinions are my own.
Categorized:Car Reviews Pickup Trucks
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