2012 Ram Power Wagon 2500 5.7 Hemi Review

Those who are well versed in pickup truck history are already familiar with the Power Wagon name. For everyone else, it was the name given to an ultra-rugged pickup truck that was produced by Dodge beginning in the 1940’s and was based on a military truck.

Our 2012 Ram Power Wagon tester came with the standard equipment 5.7-liter gasoline V8 that produces 383-horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Optional, is a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel that produces 350-horsepower and an astonishing 800 pound-feet of torque. Take the diesel option and towing capacity nearly doubles, from 10,200-pounds, to 22,000-pounds.

The 2012 Ram Power Wagon is a modern take on an old tradition. It has all the rugged off-road necessities but is also available with modern conveniences. Our Sage Green 4×4 stayed true to its heritage with 32-inch all-terrain tires, locking axles, manual transfer case, Bilstein shocks, skid plates, disconnecting front sway bar and a 12,000-pound winch. The interior is where rugged features like rubber floors, cloth seats and a big lever to manually switch between 4-wheel high and low meets modern conveniences like touch-screen satellite navigation, 40-gigabyte hard drive entertainment system, push button sway bar disconnect and a power locker for the axles.

The Power Wagon is not just big – it is huge. It stands over 6.5-feet tall, is nearly 20-feet long and has 14.5-inches of ground clearance. Motivating the huge 6,652-pound 4×4 with only 383-horsepower seems like it would be a slow process, but it isn’t. The Ram engineers have given the Power Wagon a 4.56 rear axle ratio, which combined with the 400 pound-feet of torque can move the truck 0-60 mph in only 7-seconds.

While no official mpg figures are available for the Power Wagon, our own testing resulted in some real wallet lightening numbers. The weight, tall gears and our heavy right foot yielded a painful 6.4-mpg during a mix of city and off-road driving and a slightly redeeming 12.5-mpg during a 120-mile freeway trip.

If you need an extremely capable off-roading pickup truck with room for 6, hate parking garages, enjoy driving over things, always wanted to clean your truck’s interior with a hose, own XOM stock and have $46,000 to spend, the 2012 Ram Power Wagon may be just what you are looking for.

Thanks to the new 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 stuffed under the traditional latch style hood of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, horsepower and torque have jumped from an embarrassing 202-hp / 237 lb-ft, found in the previous model, to a respectable 285-hp / 260 lb-ft.  Gear selections can be made for you, through an optional 5-speed automatic transmission or the standard equipment 6-speed manual.  Our tester came with the stick shift, which we believe is the only proper way for a Wrangler to be equipped.

The bump in power combined with the interior upgrades that became available beginning with the 2011 model, make the 2012 into an ever better weekend toy, and closer to being considered for daily use – for some.  With the extra grunt from the V6, added sound deadening material, options like heated leather seats, Bluetooth, MyGIG music storage, satellite radio and navigation, it is easy to think the Wrangler has lost its Jeep thing.  Rest assured – it has not – and it will jarr that thought right out of your head over every bump in the road.

On road, the hefty 4,125 pound Wrangler is not quick; a good gear jammer can coax an upper 6-second 0-60 mph sprint and a mid-15-second ¼ mile out of the 6-speed manual.  Once off the road, those 0-60 mph and ¼ mile numbers do not matter, it is the 10-plus inches of front and rear ground clearance and ability to forge 30-inches of water that really matter.  The Wrangler Sahara is one of the most capable stock trip off-roaders available, thanks in part to its 18-inch Bridgestone Dueler A/T tires and easily engaged 4×4 system.

As equipped, our $32,800 off-road machine averaged 18.5 mpg after a week of highway, city and trail driving.  Considering the premium options and its ability to be the ultimate off-road weekend toy, the price tag seems reasonable.  If you are the type of person who thinks all roads must end somewhere and you are constantly looking for that point, then the 2012 Jeep Wrangler is for you.

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