Which 2019 RAM 1500 trim is best for you?
- 2019 RAM 1500 Tradesman - Buyers looking for an affordable work truck and only willing to pay for the essential convenience features will gravitate to the Tradesman.
- 2019 RAM 1500 Big Horn/Lone Star - Buyers who want to dive into a comprehensive options list will appreciate all the opportunities Big Horn/Lone Star offers to customize their ride.
- 2019 RAM 1500 Rebel - The Rebel will appeal to buyers who want the ultimate off-road experience or who wish to look like they want it. All of the appearance and most of the off-road upgrades are standard for RWD and 4WD versions alike.
- 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie - With Laramie, Ram targets buyers looking for a healthy dollop of luxury in their pickup truck.
- 2019 RAM 1500 Longhorn - Buyers looking for a uniquely themed interior and lots of luxury will appreciate the 1500 Longhorn.
- 2019 RAM 1500 Limited - The Limited is for the buyer who wants it all.
2019 RAM 1500 Overview - Totally redesigned, the 2019 Ram 1500 rolls into showrooms more efficient and capable than ever. For 2019, you will also find the Ram 1500 Classic. Ram chose to continue producing the previous generation 1500, and marketing it throughout 2019 as the Classic. We review the 1500 Classic elsewhere. Not to diminish the 2019 1500’s work ethic, but we can’t stop praising the quality of its interiors and the wealth of its technology. As is the nature of full-size pickups, the 1500 has no shortage of trims or options. Consequently, drilling down into them all is simply impossible in one short bit of prose.
Ram offers the new-from-the-ground-up 1500 in seven trims: Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, and Limited. Ram markets the Big Horn grade as the Lone Star in Texas. There is also a stripped-down HFE fleet version of the Tradesman, which we won’t bother with here. To get a Regular Cab 1500 in 2019, you’ll need to locate that configuration as a 2019 1500 Classic. The Quad Cab is standard for most grades, with the Crew Cab as an option. The Crew Cab is standard for the Longhorn and Limited. The standard for both cab configurations is a 6-foot-4 cargo box. A 5-foot-7 box is optional on Crew Cab models. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard for all grades. You may opt for 4-wheel drive (4WD) on any trim for $3,500. Ram offers three engines for the 1500. Standard is a 3.6-liter V6 with eTorque. Optional are a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and a 5.7L Hemi V8 with eTorque. An 8-speed automatic transmission with a rotary shifter is standard for all three engines. Author:
Russ Heaps
What is the best 2019 RAM 1500 trim? - If you are serious about off-roading, the Rebel with 4WD is the trim for you. However, in terms of a solid truck with plenty of convenience features, the Laramie is a good pick for value. We’d add the Crew Cab.
Which 2019 RAM 1500 trim level has the best miles per gallon? - It’s not so much about the trim level as it is the engine because every Ram 1500 trim level comes with FWD or AWD and with the same engine selection. Let’s use the Laramie as an example. With the base 3.6-liter V6 eTorque, it gets 20 mpg city/25 mpg highway/22 mpg combined with RWD. With 4WD it gets 19 mpg/24 mpg/21 mpg. Stepping up to the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with RWD the numbers are 15 mpg/22 mpg/17 mpg. Opting for 4WD makes almost no difference at 15 mpg/21 mpg/17 mpg. Pick the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 eTorque RWD, the mileage is 17 mpg/23 mpg/19. Again, with 4WD, you just lose 1 mpg for highway driving. It’s pretty much the same story whether it’s the Tradesman, the Limited, or any trim in between.
Which 2019 RAM 1500 trim level is the safest? - Only the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has crash/safety tested the 2019 Ram 1500. It awarded the 1500 its highest overall rating of five stars. Other than government mandated safety features like stability control, traction control antilock brakes, a rearview camera, and so forth, most advanced safety features are among the options. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert show up as options on the Rebel and higher grades. They don’t become standard until the Limited trim. Front-rear parking sensors become optional with Big Horn/Lone Star and standard on Longhorn and Limited. Optional on Limited is the M1 Equipment Package. It includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a surround-view camera and more.
2019 RAM 1500 Tradesman - All eTorque means is this V6 is a mild hybrid (MHEV) that gets a little help from an electric motor. The government-estimated city and highway combined driving number is 22 miles per gallon with RWD and 21 mpg with 4WD. Optional are a 395-hp 5.7-liter V8 with a combined mileage of 17 mpg with either RWD or 4WD. Adding eTorque to the 5.7L V8 improves the combined mileage to 19 mpg, regardless of the number of drive wheels. A fairly bare-bones work truck, the Tradesman comes with a minimum of convenience features. Standard are tinted windows, auto on-off halogen headlights, heated power outboard rearview mirrors, a locking tailgate, and a Class III hitch. Also included are 18-inch painted wheels, air conditioning, a 40/20/40 front bench seat, power door locks and windows, vinyl-covered seats, and vinyl floor covering. A second-row folding bench seat, cruise control, remote keyless entry, push-button start, and a tilt-telescopic steering wheel are also standard. Within the infotainment system are the Uconnect 5.0 interface, a 5-inch touchscreen, a 6-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, and voice recognition. The Tradesman doesn’t offer any advanced safety systems beyond stability control, hill-start assist, traction control, a rearview camera, and trailer-sway control. Ram doesn’t make available the overwhelming number of options for Tradesman it does for other grades. However, you can add running boards, a bed step, a dampened tailgate, fog lights, and more from the options list. An adaptive 4-corner air suspension is optional across all trim levels, except for the Limited, which provides it as standard. The key features of the 2019 RAM 1500 Tradesman include:
- Heated outboard mirrors – Electrically heated, these mirrors automatically clear away ice, snow, and fog.
- Cruise control – This is also called speed control. When you reach the desired speed, you can lock the system to that speed. The vehicle will maintain that speed until you engage the brakes.
- Remote keyless entry – You can unlock and lock the vehicle remotely when in range using the fob
2019 RAM 1500 Big Horn/Lone Star - Both engine options are available. 4WD versions get an electronic on-demand transfer case. Standard are fog lights, 18-inch aluminum wheels, second-row seat armrest, a locking glove box, cloth seating, and a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, a sliding rear window, and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls are also included. What Big Horn does is open a gateway to a massive number of option packages and options. For example, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8.4-inch touchscreen, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power-adjustable pedals, and more are available. Key features of the 2019 RAM 1500 Big Horn/Lone Star include:
- Plenty of options – This trim level opens the flood gates to a bevy of options.
- Power-adjustable driver’s seat – With 12-way adjustments, this power-operated driver’s seat helps secure the ideal driving position.
- Sliding rear window – This allows the driver to open the rear window for added fresh air.
2019 RAM 1500 Rebel - That’s because it’s the off-road specialist among 1500 trim levels. Rebel adds a 3.92 axle ratio, an electronic locking differential, upgraded shocks, powder-coated bumpers, LED fog lights, and LED headlights and taillights. Also included are a unique hood, two-tone exterior paint, a full range of skid plates, a fully dampened tailgate, front tow hooks, and a Class IV tow hitch. A 7-inch color driver information display, vinyl/cloth front bucket seats, a center console, soft-touch dashboard covering, and a power-sliding rear window are standard. Among the other features are a 115-volt power outlet, a 400-watt inverter, and hill-descent control. Again, there are plenty of options. Key features of the 2019 RAM 1500 Rebel include:
- Locking rear differential – Electronically operated, you can lock this differential to ensure the rear wheels spin at the same speed. This feature is beneficial when off-roading.
- LED exterior lighting – This includes headlights with auto on-off, taillights, and fog lights. LEDs illuminate a broader and longer area than regular incandescent or halogen lights. That means they are also easier for other drivers to see.
- Skid plates – These are steel plates fixed to the undercarriage to protect the front suspension, the transfer case, the power steering unit, and the fuel tank.
2019 RAM 1500 Laramie - Laramie is where Ram begins to turn up the luxury heat. Laramie builds on the Big Horn/Lone Star by adding LED headlights, auto-dimming outboard rearview mirrors with integrated turn signals, and keyless entry. Leather seating, heated/ventilated bench front seats, a 12-way power-adjustable passenger seat, and driver memory settings are included. Also standard are an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a heated steering wheel, a Homelink transceiver, a rear window defroster, and a 115-volt power outlet. Dual-zone automatic climate control is included as well, along with a 400-watt inverter, an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an upgraded 10-speaker audio system, and five USB ports. The Laramie offers plenty of options for upgrading things even more. Key features of the 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie include:
- Keyless entry – If the key fob is on your person, the doors automatically unlock when you touch the door handle. Push-button start pairs with keyless entry.
- Dual-zone automatic climate control – A set-it-and-forget-it system, it divides the vehicle into left and right regions. It provides separate temperature settings for each region. Once set, it automatically maintains the preset temperatures.
- Auto-dimming mirrors – Using photosensors, they recognize bright headlights closing from behind. They then automatically dim the reflection of those lights. Auto-dimming mirrors include the inside rearview and both outboard mirrors.
2019 RAM 1500 Longhorn - To Laramie, Longhorn adds a 26-gallon fuel tank, a spay-in bedliner, high-beam assist, a cargo-box tonneau cover, and wheel-to-wheel chrome side steps. Also standard are a power tailgate release, chrome exterior accents, ranch-style interior elements, 20-inch cast aluminum wheels, and rain-sensing wipers. Front bucket seats, a heated/ventilated rear seat, a leather-wrapped actual wood steering wheel, and rear in-floor storage bins are included. Front-rear park assist with full-stop braking is standard, as well. And still, there are loads of options. For example, the R1 Equipment Package adds wireless phone charging, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a 12-inch touchscreen, and more.
- High-beam assist – If your vehicle has this system, the high beams are always on. When photosensors or a forward pointed camera detects oncoming headlights or taillights, the system automatically switches off the high beams then automatically switches them back on when no vehicle lights are detected.
- Rain-sensing wipers – When the system senses moisture on the windshield, it automatically engages the wipers. The wiper speed adjusts according to the volume of the rain.
- Front-rear park assist – Sensors on the front and rear bumpers detect when an object is close, triggering a warning.
2019 RAM 1500 Limited - Building on the Longhorn, Limited adds the features in Longhorn’s R1 Equipment Package. It also includes an active four-corner air suspension, power-deployable running boards, and premium leather seating. There are still options for the Limited, like the 4×4 Off-road Group and the M1 Equipment Package. It includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a surround-view camera, and more. Key features of the 2019 RAM 1500 Limited include:
- Power-deployable running boards – The running boards automatically deploy when you unlock the doors. They automatically retract when all the doors close.
- Blind-spot monitoring – This radar-based system warns of traffic approaching your flanks. It also includes rear cross-traffic alert to warn of vehicles crossing behind you when in reverse.
- Smartphone charging – You can charge any Qi-compatible smartphone without using a cable.
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