The Ram’s “guts” continue to earn “glory” as the 2017 Ram 1500 half-ton pickup topped all challengers in the 10th anniversary edition of the Canadian Truck King Challenge.
Words and pictures by Clare Dear
The victory marks the fourth time in six years the Ram 1500 has been named the overall winner of the Canadian Truck King Challenge. The Ram 1500, powered by the 5.6-litre Hemi V8, earned this year’s title over 10 other entries with a collective score of 79.4%. It was also judged the best among four entries in the full-size ½-ton category. Ram also topped the field in the full-size ¾-ton category with the Ram 3500, powered by a 6.7-litre Cummins diesel V8. It outscored the other two ¾-ton entries with a collective total of 77.0%. In the mid-size category, the all-new Honda Ridgeline took top honours with a collective score of 75.5%, while the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 was judged the best one-ton pickup, earning a collective score of 75.1%.
The Canadian Truck King Challenge, conceived and organized by expert truck journalist Howard Elmer, is unique as it evaluates the real-world capabilities of entries as working pickups – carrying payloads, towing and off-road driving. Overall this year, evaluations in 20 key categories were conducted, including the more typical testing criteria, such as powertrain performance and vehicle dynamics, plus styling and ergonomics, in head-to-head comparisons on the same day, over the same roads and driving conditions. Fuel consumption was also monitored throughout the testing using onboard recorders that transmitted the data in real time to FleetCarma, a Waterloo, Ont.-based fleet management firm.
Six judges – with a combined total of more than 200 years of trucking experience and all accredited members of AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) – spent three full days in October evaluating a total of 11 entries from five manufacturers. Two days of testing were conducted at Howard’s Ironwood facility in scenic Kawartha Lakes, while another day was spent evaluating the heavy-duty one-ton entries on roads in Southwestern Ontario near London. Overall, the judges logged about 4,000 kilometres of driving during this year’s event.
The list of 2017 entries were: the Honda Ridgeline and Chevrolet Colorado in the midsize category; Ram 1500, Chevy Silverado 1500, Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in full-size ½-ton; Ram 2500, Nissan Titan XD in full-size ¾-ton, and a pair of one-ton duallies – the Chevy Silverado 3500 and Ram 3500.
It should be noted that Ford declined to participate for the first time in the event’s 10-year history. Despite its success as a sales leader, its pickups have never won the Canadian Truck King title, although its Transit van did top its category twice – in 2014 and again in 2015.
The entries were first evaluated by driving with no payload over a series of gravel and paved secondary roads as well as a stretch of highway. Each judge drove every entry over the same 17-kilometre loop, assessing such dynamic factors as ride, handling, steering and braking, as well as interior noise, engine and transmission performance, and occupant environment features that included ease of access, driver and passenger comfort, visibility and convenience/entertainment features. The Honda Ridgeline impressed the judges in this test, outscoring the other mid-size and half-ton trucks with its comfortable cabin and car-like ride.
A 454-kg (1,000-lb) skid of concrete slabs was strapped into the bed of each half-ton pickup for an evaluation of the truck’s capabilities while hauling a payload over the 17-kilometre test loop. (The mid-size entries carried a 227-kg (500-lb) load over the same circuit.) The new gasoline-fueled Titan ranked second only to the Ram in this challenge.
A critical issue for many truck buyers is towing capability – how well does a truck haul a trailer. For Truck King testing, a 908-kg (2,000-lb) dual-axle flatbed was hitched to each truck, then loaded with a weight appropriate for its rated towing capacity. The two mid-size entries took on a total weight of 1816 kg (4,000 lb), including the trailer; the full-size ½-ton trucks were challenged by a total load of 2722 kg (6,000 lb), while the ¾-ton pickups had to haul 4536 kg (10,000 lb). Both Rams – the 1500 and the 2500 – scored highest in their categories in towing capability, while the Chevy Colorado proved to be better a s a hauler than the Ridgeline in the mid-size class.
One of the test categories was off-road capabilities. An off-road course, carved out of the woods and terrain at the Ironwood test site, included such challenges as crawling over obstacles, negotiating a mud-filled trough, traversing rugged trails and negotiating chassis-twisting divots.
The Toyota Tundra, with its TRD Pro suspension upgrade, was the hands-down king of the trails, outscoring the other mid-size and ½-ton entries. (The HD ¾-ton trucks were not tested on the off-road course.)
The ultimately winning 2017 Ram 1500 Sport Crew Cab 4X4 ($60,005 as tested) was powered by a 5.7-litre Hemi V-8 channelling its output through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its powertrain scored well with the judges – the Hemi engine delivered excellent power and response while the transmission shifted smoothly as it worked its way up and down through the eight gears. It seemed to make no difference to this truck’s ride and performance whether it was loaded, towing, or simply running along.
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Crew Cab 4WD ($61,485 as tested) was equipped with the Z71 off-road upgrade. It was powered by a 5.3-litre V-8 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This particular Silverado also had the Rally-2 Edition trim ($5,595), with slick black graphics to accent the truck’s bright red finish. A set of black, 22-inch six-spoke aluminum wheels set off the stunning exterior look. This Chevy worked as well as it looked, scoring 76.7% to finish second among the ½-ton entries.
The 2017 Nissan Titan PRO-4X Crew Cab ($63,050 as tested) was the newly introduced gasoline-fueled model, featuring a 5.6-litre V-8 coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. The Titan was extremely quiet and comfortable – and it was so impressive while driving without a load that it scored 8.0 points, just a tenth of a point behind the Ram. Other bonus features included a handy, well-crafted tiedown system and removable storage boxes in the pickup bed. The Titan placed third in the ½-ton segment, earning a total score of 74.3%.
The Toyota Tundra 4X4 CrewMax SR5 ($61,913.47 as tested) was equipped with the rugged optional TRD Pro off-road package ($13,595), and those upgrades proved their worth as the Tundra easily conquered the off-road course. For power, the Tundra had a 5.7-litre V-8 under its hood, with a six-speed automatic transmission to feed the output to the four-wheel drive. The rear seat area was huge – you wouldn’t need to invest in a tent as there was plenty of space to camp in the cabin. The exhaust note was amazing, especially when you hit the go pedal hard, although it would probably become tiresome after listening to it for a few hours. The Tundra finished with a score of 73.7%.
The powertrain of the all-new mid-size Honda Ridgeline CrewCab in Touring trim ($47,090 as tested) featured a 3.5-litre V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission. The Ridgeline’s capabilities were surprisingly impressive, especially as a comfortable driver and also with a payload. Its weakness was as a hauler, with the lack of a brake controller putting extra strain on the vehicle’s braking system. Still, it outscored the Colorado, winning the mid-size category with a collective total of 75.5%.
The mid-size Chevy Colorado Crew Cab 4WD with Z71 trim ($46,490 as tested) was powered by a 2.8-litre Duramax turbocharged diesel, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The diesel, with its stout torque output, easily handled both the payload in the bed and the loaded trailer. Its final score was 72.2%.
The Ram 2500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 ($88,725) gained its grunt from a 6.7-litre Cummins inline-six turbo diesel feeding its power through a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain, combined with the rigid chassis and automatic air-lift rear suspension, wasn’t bothered at all when loads were dumped in its box or hitched to its tail. It handled it all with ease, yet was impressive quiet and comfortable regardless of the role it was asked to play. The big Ram was especially adept at towing, with virtually no sway or bucking, feeling totally stable despite the load. One small feature diesel truck owners will appreciate: the Ram 2500 was the only diesel entry with a DEF gauge in the instrument panel. The Ram 2500 outdistanced the other two entries in the ¾-ton category, finishing with a score of 77.0%.
Nissan is marketing its Titan XD as a “heavy-duty” ½-ton, but in this event it was compared with the real big boys – and it responded to the challenge quite well. The model entered was a 2017 Titan XD PRO-4x Crew Cab powered by a 5.0-litre Cummins V-8 Turbo Diesel with a six-speed automatic transmission ($64,950, not including taxes, PDI, freight or other prep costs.) While outgunned by the true ¾-ton entries, it towed well, although there was some bounce when pulling the trailer over imperfections on the road surfaces. The brakes were firm and the throttle tip-in was excellent. The Titan XD finished tied with the Silverado 2500 for second place in the ¾-ton category, both earning scores of 74.9%.
The Chevrolet Silverado LTZ 2500 4WD Crew Cab ($84,355 as tested) was powered by a 6.6-litre V-8 Duramax diesel coupled to a six-speed Allison automatic transmission. Like the Ram, the Chevy felt quite stable with the 10,000-pound trailer load hitched to its tail, although there did seem to be a bit more bounce than its rival. The interior was spacious with seats that felt like they’d be quite comfortable on a long road trip. The gauge layout was the best of the entries in its category, with good-sized analog gauges that were readily readable. The Silverado 2500 joined the Titan XD in the category’s runner-up spot, each earning 74.9%.
The two entries in the one-ton category had their own testing session, held in Southwestern Ontario in the London area. It consisted of a highway drive with no payload, hauling an 1814-kg (4,000-lb) palette of asphalt shingles and finally, hooking up the fifth-wheel hitch to 38-foot luxury RV trailers weighing approximately 6,500 kg (14,300 lb). These beautiful homes on wheels were graciously provided by Andy Thomson of Can-Am RV Centre in London. (Thomson, who is internationally recognized as an expert in matching hitches and trailers to virtually any vehicle, also served as one of the three judges for this category.) All the judges had shifts behind the wheel as the two entries hauled the trailers on a drive to the town of Parkhill, ON and back to London.
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4WD Crew Cab entered in the one-ton category was fitted with the premium, full-leather-appointed High Country trim package ($85,185 as tested.) It was powered by a 6.6-litre V-8 Duramax diesel engine with its power output handled by a six-speed Allison automatic transmission. The Chevy outscored the Ram in all three major categories – payload, towing and empty and won the one-ton title with a collective score of 75.1%.
The powertrain in the Ram 3500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 ($88,185, as tested) consisted of a 6.7-litre Cummins inline-six turbo diesel and Aisin six-speed heavy-duty automatic transmission. While the Ram certainly had the power to handle all the load demands it faced, it just didn’t feel as stable as the Chevy with that big RV trailer attached. The Ram earned a collective score of 71.8%.
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