The entire nation has just as much a longstanding attachment to hefty pickup trucks as it does with holiday hamburgers and hot dogs. Our trusty Ram 1500 here at Landmark Dodge of Morrow offers a staggering number of choices for those searching for a new truck. You can choose to have it outfitted as a heavy hauler, Baja running contender, or urban-ready daily driver for your errand list. When choosing between two different trim levels, it ultimately boils down to what tasks you need the truck for most.
Here we will look at a few key categories that allow you to choose between the two well-equipped and work-ready Ram 1500 Big Horn and Laramie trims.
Style: Trucks now offer more style variations than ever before, and both Big Horn and Laramie provide many options. You can snag up the Big Horn as a quad cab with the 6’4” pickup-up box, or a Crew Cab with either the short 5’7” box or longer 6’4” box. If your heart’s set on the Laramie, it comes as the Crew Cab with either the 5’7” or 6’4” box. Either of these can look as casual or dressed-up as you want, with the choice of many options packages.
They both have the option to add the Night Edition Package, Sport Appearance Group, Protection Group, 4X4 Off-Road Group, or Trailer Tow Group. For those looking to eagerly let the sun in, the Big Horn can also be acquired with the single or dual pane sunroof. The Big Horn can also be equipped with the very useful BackCountry Equipment Group, and the sweet illuminations from the Premium Lighting Group.
Cabin Space: when choosing between the Ram 1500 Big Horn and Laramie, the cabin space is determined by cab configuration rather than trim level. The smaller option is the Big Horn with the quad cab, offering up to 40.9 inches up front for headroom and 39.2 inches in the rear. The Crew Cab configuration comes standard on the Laramie and is optional on the Big Horn, offering way more legroom at a super-stretching 45.2 inches. If you want to quickly flip up the rear seat and fit more cargo inside, the Quad Cab can carry upwards of 53.3 cubic feet of extra gear.
Powertrains: Both the Big Horn Laramie can come equipped with rear wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. The Big Horn standard engine is the 3.6-liter V6 that cranks out 305 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque. Coming as standard on the Laramie and available on the Big Horn is our favorite – the 5.7-liter V8 sporting 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Each trim can also be acquired with the “in-betweener” in the form of a 3.0 liter turbocharged 6, producing 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque.
Fuel Economy: There is not much of a difference at all between the Ram 1500 Bighorn and Laramie here, where things are dependent on the drivetrain and engine. Big Horn trucks with the 3.6-liter V6 will average around 20 mpg in the city, and 25 mpg on the highway for rear-wheel drive versions. Big Horn or Laramie trucks with the 3.0-liter diesel will yield 21 mpg city and 29 highway with 4-wheel drive, and the 4-wheel versions with the V8’s ranges depend on their allocated equipment, with official figures averaging 15-17 mpg city and 20-22 mpg highway.
Towing: A trailer reverse steering control is available on both trims, as well as the integrated electronic trailer brake controller. The Big Horn is available with the Max towing package or the diesel Max towing package, which properly arms you with a 9.7-inch axle with a 3.92-inch axle ratio, trailer-tow mirrors, brake group, and a rear stabilizer bar. The Crew Cab 5.7-liter V8 can tow up to 11,310 lbs when properly equipped, while the Crew Cab RWD with the 6’4” box can aptly tow 11,540 lbs when properly equipped.
Tech and Features: each of these two trim levels has an immense number of available features and options. The Big Horn offers heated front seats, power-adjustable seats, a power driver seat, heated steering, dual-zone auto climate control, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, and more. All these features come standard on the Laramie, with the option to add even more wicked stuff above and beyond. You can opt for rain-sensing wipers, a power tailgate, wireless phone charging, heated rear seats, an upgraded sound system, surround-view camera, and auto high beams. Each trim level comes equipped with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, and they can both be available with a 12.0-inch infotainment screen.
