2014 Ram 1500 Will Launch Diesel Model at $24,200

When configured with its new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine and TorqueFlite 8 eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2014 Ram 1500 will have an MSRP of $24,200.

Now, there are a couple of ways of putting that number into context, and Ram notes that it is $2,850 more expensive than a comparable 2014 Ram 1500 with a 5.7-liter HEMI V8. But on the other hand, it’s also about $2,000 less than the most affordable Ford F-150 with an EcoBoost engine. The EcoDiesel and the EcoBoost powerplants serve two different purposes, of course, but they are certainly comparable in the sense that they’re both among their brands’ marquee motors.

And when you get right down to it, the two powerplants are almost equally powerful in terms of torque. The 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will serve up 410 lb.-ft. of it, while the EcoBoosted F-150 makes 420 lb.-ft. True, the Ford also packs 365 hp, versus the Ram’s 240, but since torque is more important for hauling, the bottom line is that the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will have a nice price advantage over similarly work-ready pickups, then also show off some eye-popping fuel-economy numbers.

Consider another slightly apples-to-oranges comparo, this time between with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It, too, will offer the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel and eight-speed automatic, and it’s slated to reach 30 mpg highway with a towing capability of 7,400 lbs.  A 30-mpg full-size pickup may be too much to hope for at this point—although you never know—but the brand has confirmed that the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel would out-efficiency the thriftiest current Ram, which combines a Pentastar V6 and TorqueFlite 8 transmission to reach 25 mpg.

2014 Ram 1500: Going Green

The Ram 1500 has turned into quite the all-around winner for the Chrysler Group, earning high praise from critics and customers alike: The former have honored the 2013 model with awards like the North American Truck of the Year, Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year and the Truck of Texas, while the latter have helped the truck become a fixture on the top-10 monthly sales list, with year-to-date deliveries running ahead of last year’s pace by more than 20 percent.

Helping the cause for the 2014 model year will be a comprehensive efficiency upgrade for the Ram 1500 that relies on a wide range of best- and first-in-class features like:

• Fuel Saver cylinder de-activation that lets the truck run on fewer cylinders while under light loads
• Stop/start technology that shuts off fuel to the engine at stop lights, etc., until the driver is ready to accelerate
• Active aerodynamics, including automatic grille shutters, that give the 2014 Ram 1500 the lowest coefficient of drag in its class
• An exclusive air suspension that not only boosts fuel economy by automatically adjusting the truck’s ride height, but also delivers improved handling—on the road and off—and easier access to the Ram’s cabin and bed
• Numerous engineering enhancements, such as pulse-width modulation and a variable-displacement compressor, both of which help reduce parasitic electrical losses
• The debut of a new air-conditioning refrigerant specifically designed to help lower greenhouse emissions

The 2014 Ram 1500 gains some nifty convenience content as well, including a front-park assist feature and a cabin humidity sensor for enhanced de-fogging capabilities.

The 2014 Ram 1500 range is scheduled to start reaching dealerships in the fourth quarter of this year.