Pros: 32 mpg highway Air suspension Barn-door tailgate option Cons: Laggy throttle Heavy, slow steering Squishy brakes Car lovers new to trucks unabashedly love the Ram 1500 . Its coil- or air-sprung suspension delivers the truck worlds most carlike ride, and that big vertical screen on fancier models reminds us of the 2013 COTY-winning Tesla Model S . Driving this years Rebel reminded us vividly of why Ram won the best-truck Calipers last year . But for 2020, were zooming past such niceties and laser-focusing on the new 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 EcoDiesel engine. Unfortunately for Ram , Chevy and GMC also returned for a second swing at TOTY with Silverado and Sierra 1500 models sporting a new 3.0-liter turbodiesel I-6 for our consideration. Read about Car, SUV, and Truck of the Year contenders and finalists HERE . Lets get fuel economy out of the way: GMs Duramax ranks first (with Chevy slightly ahead of GMC), FCAs EcoDiesel is second, and Ford s light-duty Power Stroke brings up the rear, though all are tightly stacked with EPA city and highway ratings ranging from 20 to 23 and 25 to 33 mpg. On objective performance grounds, the GM Duramax again outpaces the Rams EcoDiesel, whether unladen, carrying 1,000 pounds of payload, or towing a 7,500-pound trailer. In air-hauling mode, the GMC Sierra AT4 zips to 60 mph and through the quarter mile 0.6 second ahead of the similar Ram Rebel. Thats too great a differential to be chalked up to the GMCs advantages in curb weight (108 pounds) or power (10 hp) because the Ram holds its own 20-lb-ft torque advantage. Credit GMs savvy 10-speed automatic for out-shifting FCAs eight-speed. --> The performance discrepancy grows as the load increases: The Ram is 1.0 second slower to 60 with 1,000 pounds in the bed, and its 1.8 seconds slower towing the 7,500-pound trailer. The Ram did scoot through testing director Kim Reynolds emergency lane-change maneuver more quickly than the knobbier-tired GMC (3.79 seconds to 4.08), but a lighter rear-drive Chevy RST Duramax on street tires was quicker still (3.68 seconds). Our on-road subjective assessments added nuance to the hard facts. Road test editor Chris Walton faulted the Rams poor light throttle response at low rpm. Isnt that where diesels excel? Features editor Scott Evans said, The power delivery feels less linear than in the Sierra. Features editor Christian Seabaugh forgave the Rams relative sloth, countering that it still rides nicer, handles better, and is quieter, more luxurious, and ultimately a better Swiss Army knife. On our drive loops, Walton noted that the Ram got a bit floaty in the curves, adding that the steerings weight felt good and hefty, but with a slow ratio that needs a lot of dial to negotiate a curve in the road. Off-road, Seabaugh granted an edge to the Sierra AT4s engine and transmission for its immediacy and precision but credited the Rebels manual rear differential lock for delivering much more traction than the auto diff in the GMC. Evans agreed that the Rams locking rear diff and height-adjustable air suspension more than compensated for the advantage in mechanical grip afforded by the GMCs Wrangler DuraTrac tires. But he lamented how the Rams lazier throttle makes the truck surge more than the AT4, and several of us noted that the Rams plush ride disappears at off-road height. When towing 7,500 pounds, Walton sensed more vertical ride motion and fore/aft lash from the trailer on the Davis Dam than he did in the AT4. And keeping his foot pinned to the floor following our 3555 mph frustration test, he noted that the Ram topped out at 62 mph on the grade, while the GMC achieved 70 mph. Evans appreciated the Rams mini spotter mirrors for maneuvering, but Walton missed having proper wide-set trailer mirrors for monitoring his rig while climbing the mountain. So although we still love most everything about the Ram 1500, in its diesel guise it makes a less compelling case. 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel 44 EcoDiesel (CrewCab) Base Price/As Tested $52,735/$63,510 Power (SAE net) 260 hp @ 3,600 rpm Torque (SAE net) 480 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm Accel, 0-60 mph 8.1 sec Accel, 0-60 mph (loaded) 9.7 sec* Accel, 0-60 mph (towing) 19.8 sec** Quarter Mile 16.1 sec @ 83.7 mph Quarter Mile (loaded) 17.2 sec @ 78.8 mph* Quarter Mile (towing) 21.8 sec @ 62.5 mph** Braking, 60-0 mph 129 ft Braking, 60-0 mph (loaded) 129 ft* Double Lane Change Time 3.8 sec Davis Dam Frustration 23.6 sec @ 1,653 ft*** Cruise Control 65-mph Overrun 2.9 mph EPA City/Hwy/Comb 21/29/24 mpg Key * 1,500-lb payload | ** 7,500-lb trailer *** 35-55-mph uphill acceleration with 7,750-lb trailer The post 2020 Ram 1500 Pros and Cons Review: Ram Returns With an EcoDiesel appeared first on MotorTrend .