Ram Trucks just dropped the gauntlet when it comes to full-size pickup truck fuel economy: The company announced today that the new HFE trim line on the 1500 EcoDiesel pickup gets an EPA-verified 29 mpg on the highway. So quit making those tired old "gas guzzler" jokes already, will ya?
Ram says the 1500 EcoDiesel HFE's EPA rating–21 mpg city, 29 highway, 24 combined–is the highest among fullsize half-ton pickups, beating its nearest rival by 12 percent. Those numbers even beat the best highway rating for small pickups, Ram points out, though it's worth mentioning that the selection of small trucks available in the U.S. is paltry at best. That HFE badge brings with it a number of aero tricks that add up to savings: Side steps running the length of the wheelbase help smooth out underbody turbulence, while a tri-fold tonneau cover cleans up airflow out back. An optional body-colored front fascia from the Ram Express rounds out the aero package.
These seem like fiddly little changes, but apparently they work: The non-HFE EcoDiesel pickup tops out at 20 mpg city, 28 highway in EPA testing (we got 20 and 27 in our testing). And the HFE doesn't resort to tricks like tiny donut tires or cramped dimensions: The record-holding Ram was a Tradesman Quad Cab, a four-door body with a six-foot-four bed and 20-inch wheels.
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Ram says the EcoDiesel HFE will go on sale by the end of the first quarter of 2015. No word on pricing, and of course your mileage is bound to vary. But if you need the fuel thriftiness of a Chrysler 200 and the hauling capacity of a fullsize truck, the HFE's numbers will likely catch your eye. As for us? We're more inclined to check out the exact opposite end of the Ram spectrum, the cartoonishly over-macho Ram Rebel.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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