Ram 1500: Top 5 Most Exciting Improvements Over The Last 5 Years

What have been some of the most significant changes made to the Ram 1500 series over the last five years? Some people might say it’s the eTorque system that has appeared in recent years. The instant torque for improved off-the-line acceleration is quite popular. Others might argue the multifunction tailgate has been a big improvement for the utilitarian aspects of the Ram 1500. A few might even say that the infotainment upgrades have been one of the biggest treats yet. If you were considering an older model year from a used Ram dealer, which model might be the one that has the feature you just can’t live without? Well, that’s the premise for this article. The team at Orange Coast CJDR takes a look at the last five years of the Ram 1500, outlining some of the key improvements to the light-duty pickup truck.

2017 Ram 1500: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

You may not think of it as a huge change, but the Uconnect upgrade to the 8.4 iteration that came packed with a complete media hub helped pave the way for a lot of exciting tech that would be added to the Ram 1500 in the following years. In fact, the media hub integration is what opened the door for some of the most popular infotainment features to make their way into the Ram 1500’s line-up. Such features included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you have the option to stream your media playlists through the vehicle’s infotainment hub. You can also access additional features and content right from the comfort of your vehicle’s touchscreen. This kind of integration reduced the need to have to constantly look down at your phone to change songs, make calls, send messages, or modify audio controls. Using Siri, it became possible to easily make changes using voice-activated controls for a completely hands-free experience.

The integration for the smart device connectivity was a real game-changer at the time. You could very easily and conveniently make use of your phone’s media capabilities by plugging it into the Ram 1500’s center dashboard media hub using a USB cable. Over time this feature would eventually evolve where you could pair your smart device to the cabin without cables. Nevertheless, every advanced feature needs a starting point, and the 2017 Ram 1500’s infotainment upgrade was the perfect place to really get the ball rolling.

2018 Ram 1500: Standard Integration of 4G LTE

Following on the heels of the Uconnect upgrade that made smartphone integration a standard feature for the Ram 1500, the engineers at Ram decided to further elevate the infotainment capabilities of the light-duty pickup. This came in the form of standard integration of 4G LTE hotspot connectivity.

Basically, if you found yourself out and about on the road and you felt the need to listen to your favorite rock song from your favorite band, the 4G LTE hotspot feature allowed you to connect online and access media with up to eight devices. The 4G support opened a huge gateway for media access and connectivity while on the go.

What’s more is that the 4G LTE integration paired with the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality, making it more seamless than ever to not only access your apps and media but also to make calls and send messages. So even if your phone was out of range or out of sync with the telecommunications provider, the 4G LTE hotspot functionality within the Ram 1500 could net you much-needed network access, even in remote locations.

2019 Ram 1500: eTorque Hybrid Powertrain

It’s hard to pick just one feature from the 2019 model year of the Ram 1500 as a standout, because there are a lot of great new additions for this outing, which would obviously make it quite popular. However, among many of the new additions to the Ram 1500, from weight reduction and improved durability, as well as towing and payload improvements, the eTorque hybrid powertrain is the real standout. Simply put, this was the real highlight of the year.

The improvements everywhere else were complimented by the additional instant torque provided by the mild hybrid system. It consists of a belt-driven motor generator powered by a small 48-volt battery pack. It adds up to 130 pound-feet of instant torque access, for better start times and acceleration. It also maintains its charge via regenerative braking.
This kind of hybrid technology has made the Ram 1500 even more competitive as a light-duty truck on the very crowded market of pickups.

The start/stop technology also helps with reducing fuel consumption while increasing the overall effectiveness of the Ram 1500’s on-road capabilities. In a year where lots of new tech was introduced to improve the full-size iteration of the Ram, the eTorque system definitely stands out as the one that helped change the game.

2020 Ram 1500: Multifunction Tailgate

Even coming off a huge year of massive new features for the 2019 model year, the 2020 Ram 1500 model year was still ripe with amazing new features. One of the most exciting new additions to the half-ton’s illustrious stable of savvy updates for the 2020 model year was the Multifunction Tailgate. This innovative piece of tech helped usher in a new kind of expectation when it comes to tailgate functionality.

There are a multitude of uses for the Multifunction Tailgate, including the 60/40 barn-door opening. This lets you get to the end of the bed much easier, allowing you to access material or cargo in the back without the tailgate being in the way. You can also lower the tailgate the traditional way, so you can load in cargo and material exactly as you always have. The added pull-out bed-step beneath the truck also allows you to easily step up into the bed, especially when using the barn-door opening mechanic.

This kind of functionality greatly extends and expands the use of the tailgate and how truckers utilize the rear bed space. You’re no longer limited to just pulling the tailgate down. For those who rely on a light-duty pickup for a lot of payload work, this makes for the perfect addition to an already feature-rich pickup. I can’t imagine anyone having any problems with having more options in which to utilize the tailgate.

2021 Ram 1500: Digital Head-Up Display

How do you improve and add to an already exciting line-up of features for one of the most popular light-duty trucks on the market? Well, you add in something it doesn’t already have: a digital Head-Up Display unit. This helps give drivers telematics without having to take their eyes off the road. It’s the perfect way to compliment all the other high-end technology available on the Ram 1500.

The 2021 Ram 1500 model year introduced the new feature as one of the first vehicles from the company to do so. The full-color unit offers various types of content related to the Ram 1500 while on the road and can be easily customized utilizing the Uconnect touchscreen module. It all works seamlessly with one another and is just another exciting step in the Ram 1500 becoming more future-proof with each new model year.

Whether buying new or used, the latest generation of the Ram 1500 is peppered with all sorts of exciting features and technology, as evident by this list. So which feature did you find to be the most beneficial for the Ram 1500 series within the last five years? Was it Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration? The Multifunction Tailgate? How about the Heads-Up Display? Visit us at Orange Coast CJDR to test out these features yourself, or let us know how you liked them if you already purchased your truck.