Brian Chee’s 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Driving Impressions:
It’s a simple enough procedure, most of the time. You pull into a parking lot, let’s say, aim your vehicle for the best available space, turn in, turn off the ignition, open the door and climb out of the cab. Sometimes, if the spaces are small or your aim is off, well, you have to be careful when you open the door – swapping paint and handing out dings being a very unfriendly gesture.

It’s simple. People do it all the time. Except, that is, for people who drive the 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab. For these poor souls, parking is a three-point adventure into the unknown: will I hit that car? And is the rear of this big mutha gonna get clipped by some absent-minded driver?

Only your insurance agent knows for sure.
Parking is just one example of the challenges people face using the Mega on a daily basis. Driving the Mega – the only appropriate name for such a monster – is a trying experience in common practices such as parking, changing lanes, backing up and, really, doing anything that requires more than straight-ahead maneuvering. As a commuter, it’s a joke, so buyer beware: if you’re thinking about getting one, prepare to change the way you approach driving – even if you’re coming into it from another truck. It’s simply a matter of size: the Mega takes some getting used to, from the width of the machine to its height.

Taking its size into account, then, we found the Mega to be pretty nimble, offering quick acceleration from a standing start and a nice cruising pace. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is a great engine, the highlight of the truck, with its 345 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s also remarkably quiet inside the cab; with far less vibration and wind noise than one would expect from a vehicle this size. All the way around, the Dodge Ram Mega Cab proves itself as a capable and comfortable BIG truck. Steering is good, providing surprisingly good feel and accuracy for a recirculating ball setup. With an empty bed, the ride is a bouncy, which is to be expected. Fill up the bed or hitch a trailer to this monster, however, and the ride will improve considerably.

It’s just so darn big.

Ron Perry’s 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Driving Impressions:
Maneuvering this behemoth of a truck around the freeways and side streets of southern California requires skill and the driver’s utmost attention to the surroundings. The Mega Cab doesn’t drive like a normal-sized truck because it isn’t. Turns require a wide line and changing lanes means checking both side view mirrors (two mirrors, one convex and one standard, are provided – just like a big rig). It takes two of those compact spaces that shopping centers increasingly offer, so be prepared to park out in the north forty. The ride is rough to say the least, though with a load on the springs it might handle road surfaces better. Acceleration and torque was good, as you would expect from the Hemi engine. Brake pedal feel was solid and the ability to pull the massive truck to a stop was never questionable. The steering on the Mega Cab felt a bit too light, but when hauling a big load this overboosted assist would be appreciated.

Once you’ve climbed up inside the Ram Mega Cab, you’re sitting high above traffic. It gives you a sense of power you don’t get from smaller trucks. The interior is huge, front and back, so space isn’t an issue inside the Mega Cab. The seats were comfortable and could be easily adjusted to meet my seat position requirements. The large center console was definitely designed with the contractor in mind. It is very large and deep, capable of holding lots of paperwork or small tools and provides a great resting area for your right arm. Everything is laid out for easy access with no negatives to speak of.

This isn’t a truck you would buy just to have a truck. It is a serious work vehicle best purchased by those who need to tow large loads or haul alot of materials.

Thom Blackett’s 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab Driving Impressions:
Love is a Hemi badge and a gargantuan rig that spreads traffic like melted butter. Whether it was the massive chrome cross-hair grille barreling down on them at 85 mph or just coincidence, I noticed a definite tendency by Camry and Accord drivers to yield as I hauled butt in the Mega Cab to a press event in San Diego. With 345 horses and 375 lb.-ft. of twist on tap, the biggest Ram provides surprising acceleration, though that 6,628-lb. curb weight is noticed. Around town, the truck’s drive-by-wire throttle allows for smooth acceleration. Drop the hammer out on the highway and the five-speed automatic transmission, normally a seamless operator, is quick to drop down a gear or two for better response, making it easy to slide the Mega Cab into tight spaces amongst quick-moving traffic. In more confined quarters, however, the 160.3-inch wheelbase and 247.7-inch body make for some skilled maneuvering. School bus drivers would likely love the Mega Cab’s need for a wide, sweeping arc when attempting a 90-degree turn into a parking lot, or the cross-your-fingers-and-pray approach to blind reversing. And make sure to brush up on multi-point turns before taking the wheel.

Clearly, the 2006 Dodge Mega Cab is a big truck, and driving it takes some getting used to. Yet, once acclimated, the Ram is just like most other pickups, with capable brakes, light steering providing little road feel, and a high center of gravity that makes fast corners a very bad idea. For that matter, drivers will want to keep the speed down on bumpy highways, too, as the Mega Cab’s unladen rear end has a tendency to buck; maintain 65 mph or less and at least three out of the four contact patches should stay connected to the road.