Here's a quick check to determine if the 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon is for you:
- 1. Your occupation is featured in a reality television show.
- 2. Work boots and Carhartt overalls form the basis of your after-hours attire.
- 3. You own a chainsaw that is taller than you.
Yes, the 2010 Ram Power Wagon is not for city slickers. When Dodge resurrected the Power Wagon nameplate a few years ago, no one could have imagined a more purposeful device. Then came the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, and imaginations were stretched.
The 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon marks the second generation of the company's off-road-fettled heavy-duty pickup, and Dodge didn't muck with the plot. That's good news for serious truck users, as the Raptor is no substitute for the Power Wagon, and vice versa.
Refining the Concept
Every 2010 Ram Power Wagon starts life as a heavy-duty Ram 2500 configured as a crew cab, short-bed 4x4. A $6,350 option package bearing the innocuous name "Customer Preferred Package 26P" transforms our Ram 2500 test truck into a Power Wagon. Don't be fooled, though, because this off-road package is altogether more comprehensively kitted out than that simple label lets on.
The Power Wagon is endowed with a purposeful stance by way of a 2-inch lift in ride height, 32-inch off-road tires, skid plates, a winch and requisite stickers. At the same time, it's the stuff you can't see that gives this big truck true off-road grit: Bilstein dampers; electronically locking front and rear differentials with a shorter 4.56:1 final-drive ratio; a front stabilizer bar that can be deactivated at the touch of a button; plus a high-current alternator and a trailer hitch.
Since it's based on the Ram 2500, the Power Wagon's heavy-duty rear suspension wears leaf springs rather than the coil springs found in the Ram 1500, and there's a live axle up front in lieu of double-wishbone independent suspension. Likewise, the Ram 2500 eschews rack-and-pinion steering in favor of a recirculating-ball setup. There are sound reasons for these changes, as leaf springs offer a stiffer rate and thus more load capacity, the rock-bashing solid front axle allows more suspension articulation for clambering over boulders and dips, and the recirculating-ball steering prevents violent wheel kicks from reaching the helm.
Think go-anywhere forest-service utility vehicle rather than high-speed Baja pre-runner.
Clearly the 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon is intended for serious use, and the casual truck buyer need not apply. Recreational towing needs would be better served elsewhere. The Power Wagon is not a toy, but a tool. And it's a damned good one at that.
A little luxury never hurt anyone, though, and the Power Wagon we tested reflected the evolved needs of the modern truck buyer. It was outfitted with the $1,695 Rear Seat Video system, $1,255 Media Center package, $900 premium cloth bench seat and other baubles that brought the total price to $51,140.
Wheeling
To get a flavor for the Power Wagon's off-road chops, we spent a day in Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) located in Gorman, California. A variety of terrain including desert washes, narrow rocky paths, hills and valleys allowed us to sample the Power Wagon's wares.
Get those glutes ready. There's no step to aid access to the cabin since that would reduce ground clearance, so even drivers 6 feet tall have to grasp the grab handle mounted on the A-pillar and heave themselves up and into the driver seat.
Once inside, the tall seating position on the bench seat gives a commanding view of the controls at your disposal and the world at large. There's a lever for the low-range transfer case by your right shin. A rotary selector knob on the center console allows you to lock the front, rear or both differentials when you're in 4WD Low, and beneath the knob are the buttons that couple and decouple the front stabilizer bar. To the left of the steering wheel is the integrated trailer brake controller for towing.
Suspension articulation is plentiful, especially when the front stabilizer bar is disconnected. This feature keeps the tires in contact with earth-bound artifacts where they can continue to, you know, actually do something useful. Combined with the Power Wagon's long wheelbase and tall ground clearance, there's a lot of latitude for four-wheelin' jackass-ery.
During our time at the Gorman SVRA, it became clear that the 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon is not a high-speed desert assault weapon in the vein of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. The Power Wagon kicks and protests when taking off-road bumps at speed, and loose sand easily induces axle tramp.
Keep the speeds low and the Power Wagon excels. You'll make it to the other side of nearly any gap through which you can squeeze this full-size truck. Plus, a Power Wagon will tow 10,300 pounds and handle 1,940 pounds of payload, providing a broad swath of capability that makes it equally at home on the trail or as a ranch workhorse. Think go-anywhere forest-service utility vehicle rather than high-speed Baja pre-runner.
Performance and Other On-Road Realities
The Power Wagon's 383-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 produces enough grunt to deal with any off-road situation its chassis can get itself into. On pavement we clocked the Power Wagon to 60 mph from a standstill in 8.1 seconds (7.8 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) on its way to a quarter-mile result of 16.2 seconds at 82.9 mph. Quick enough, in other words.
There's a minor irritation in the way this five-speed automatic's column-mounted shift lever has buttons to allow for manual shifting — they're mounted flush to the lever and can't be readily located by feel alone. Paradoxically, it's easy to inadvertently trip this manual shift function when you're shifting out of Park. The chunkier rocker switches of the Silverado or Tundra are a better execution of the same functions.
As you'd expect of a heavy-duty truck, the Power Wagon's steering precision and ride aren't in the same league as the compliant Ram 1500. Of course, it's all about expectations, and when stacked up against other 3/4-ton trucks in the grind of daily on-road use, the Power Wagon's freeway manners are actually outstanding.
Braking is surprisingly effective considering the 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon's LT285/70R17 off-road tires. We measured a 141-foot stop from 60 mph, and brake fade isn't an issue. The pedal has plenty of stroke, which makes the Power Wagon a bit unwieldy in traffic but is a boon for modulating your creeping speed when perched atop a few boulders.
Don't expect great fuel economy, though. The Power Wagon's hulking frontal area, tall tires and low gearing will see to that, and in 1,800 miles of mixed driving we observed an average of 11.9 mpg. Fortunately a 30-gallon tank ensures that driving range is never an issue.
One of the most welcome changes to the Power Wagon is the more useful interior ushered in by the Ram's recent freshening. Bins and nooks abound, and four full-size corn-fed adults will have little to complain about, as cabin space is positively vast.
Continuing the Tradition
There was little that was wrong with the previous-generation Power Wagon, a vehicle that found a loyal audience that appreciated the truck's go-anywhere, do-anything skill set. The 2010 Dodge Ram Power Wagon brings even more capability and comfort to the table while retaining every iota of the previous model's honesty.
The Power Wagon has never been for everyone, and that's exactly the point.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Add A Comment »
randomace says:
03:57 PM, 02/18/2010
Nice truck...I have a 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 QuadCab,great handling and performance 12.67 at the drag strip..only mods a mild chip upgrade and better rear tires for traction..also I average 15.6 mpg,when driving properly..awesome..
My daily driver is a 2007 Dodge Power Wagon,and going to be a 2010 Dodge Power Wagon and I do not work in the construction industry,actually I work in an office.I owned many cars,sports cars but none are as fun as my trucks.Safety is a must,and you cant get much safer than a truck.Great vision when in city traffic,and the main reason I bought a truck was new cars have high seating positions.I cannot get comfortable in a new car,crunched up and after driving in a new car I have a sore back,neck ect.In a truck I can cruise all day and not one ache or pain.I am over 6 feet tall and new cars are designed for short people at 5 foot 8,and when you are over 6 feet tall cars are not going to work for you,yes even new full size cars are crunched up inside, with high seats,what a shame.
Also,the Ram is still a Dodge..Mr.Diaz said the Ram trucks will always be a Dodge,vinned as adodge and the dodge name will always be on the truck,somewhere.Ram is the Dodge divisions truck brand.
bengal3200 says:
12:00 PM, 01/28/2010
I think it's a world class truck well built for its intended purpose. It makes no bones about being what it's not. The slalom course, for example, produced results like a Smart ForTwo. But like it's said in the article, that's not what the PowerWagon is for. Would you take a Viper off-roading? No, of course not. This truck serves a purpose and does it very, very well. Now I just hope there are enough people out there that serve that purpose and the cash to put this amazing truck to good use. Again, the Viper did well for its run.
wikiwiki says:
08:41 AM, 01/15/2010
I guess it depends on where you live. I was not aware that there were so many ranchers in this country. I live in NJ and these things are all over our roads and are driven by home contractors and other people who do not need these things.
That is what I find so frustrating in this part of the country. I see these things as Hummers, which are completely pointless.
So I guess there are people who would actually use these trucks. If so, it's pretty cool for a truck.
smilez says:
06:35 PM, 01/14/2010
I agree with you about car guys not understanding trucks, and wondering why manufacturers can't get the same mpg's as their Miata that they claim to race.
However, somebody shopping for a full size truck will not even think about shopping for a Subaru. They won't look at Xterra's or FJ's either. They serve completely different purposes and are not cross-shopped. You're comparing a 4-banger passenger car to a house pulling, 6-foot bed full size truck...
icecubefosho says:
06:00 PM, 01/14/2010
-Smilez read the other comments.
People complain about how this costs $40-50K when I'm sure the people complaining about the cost fell in love with the SVT Raptor which deserves little to no praise. Subarus can handle the dirt at extreme speed just fine and cost around $25K. The SVT Raptor is just a toy for desert/sand running, and my Xterra, or an FJ Cruiser could handle that job with ease, and faster, for cheaper, and have less mechanical issues.
The people who complain about this truck have no idea what a work truck is meant for.
xoquixxoqafxo says:
"Another fat, gas guzzling truck from chrysler... and the fact that they are trying to drop the name dodge is a stupid marketing tactic. Everyone knows its a dodge, trying to hide that is stupid and the only reason they are trying to hide dodge is because whenever people hear the name dodge they run away and think POS."
- Any work truck is a gas guzzler... Last I checked, the Ford F450, in fact ALL Ford Diesels have the most terrible engines ever created in America. Dodges are actually reliable with trucks. I also don't see the word "Dodge" anywhere on the truck.
wikiwiki says:
"Not for city slickers? City slickers are the only dopes who can afford this hunk of garbage. $50 grand for a pickup?? That's some serious crack you have to be smoking. I can see some over-priced contractor pulling up in this to rip off some old woman on a bathroom remodel."
- "hunk of garbage" is not the correct term. Many contractors have HD trucks. A few use smaller F250's and whatnot, but serious contractors use fullblown HD trucks. Especially those in rural areas around Texas.
But I was also criticizing the use of small tires because it muddy terrain, those tires will be too small to depend on if you're a rancher seeing as how heavy this truck is.
colorado1974 says:
05:36 PM, 01/14/2010
They don't have an answer. They have a Z71 sticker and a skid plate.
smilez says:
04:41 PM, 01/14/2010
icecubefosho -
I don't know what the hell you're saying. You couldn't have travelled more around your points if you tried. And what does that last paragraph have to do with anythig?
The Raptor is a pretty awesome vehicle. It's not a Heavy-duty truck. It and the Powerwagon serve two completely purposes. The only thing I came away with from this article is: What is going to be Chevy/GMC's answer?
icecubefosho says:
01:56 PM, 01/14/2010
In drier terrain every wheeler knows that the Power Wagons have, and seem to still be among the best stock setups. This is why it appeals to ranchers and what have you if you go up in Dallas or Lubbock... ESPECIALLY arid as hell Lubbock.
In Houston however, HD trucks are extremely heavy, and we have a gulf humid climate. These suckers tend to sink and its a bad idea that Dodge threw on such small tires. The plus side is it gets better fuel mileage. Thats one reason why you'll see a rancher let his wife drive a smaller Tahoe, and his son/daughter drive a vanilla F-150/Silverado/Ram with huge tires just in case he needs to traverse during the times when mud is everywhere to be found.
As for the Ford Raptor. Its a bit of a crapwagon, especially compared to this. I outpaced a Raptor when driving to Austin in my Xterra. Granted it was pouring extremely hard, but when it got dry, he would try to gun it, but I was able to keep the lead on this guy till he kept on to San Marcos. A Raptor's wheeling capabilites are more geared to Subaru offroading/Baja racing. A Power Wagon is geared for "Slow and steady wins the race". It won't have the speed, but it will crawl over suckers.
Though it is extremely obvious many here don't know the purpose of a real workhorse truck, people who spend $60K on luxury/sports cars drive them for excitement and to "usually" impress people. Except a family that lives in a city has no purpose for a truck, when an Accord/Altima whatever would serve their purpose much more. They'd save not only the price of the vehicle, but on mileage. Altimas have 9.3GB MusicBox systems with Bose speakers (By no means is it "audiophile" quality as with 98% of every car speaker system); plus intelligent keys to the point where it never has to come out of your pocket. Remote start might be nice in the cold weather, but an intelligent key system applies much more to everyday use. Oh driving mechanics are much better on a car than a truck, especially if blistering on a freeway.
colorado1974 says:
01:29 PM, 01/14/2010
yeah, it's hard to imagine a heavily off-road modified, beat up, 25 year-old land cruiser breaking down. Don't they devote an entire Sunday Morning on Spike TV to show you how to fix them?
lvranger says:
11:20 AM, 01/14/2010
A Ram pulling out a Land Cruiser??? Either that shot was staged or the LC Driver was drunk.