Would you choose a heavy duty off-road truck as your road trip vehicle? What if it was the 2016 Ram Power Wagon and you wanted to get from Detroit to Denver and the Rocky Mountains? The Power Wagon is an off-road focused machine and taking it into the mountains of Colorado would be too much fun and also make it eligible for the 2016 Gold Hitch off-road award.
The 6.4-liter HEMI V8 under the hood produces 410 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 429 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm. It is well matched with the 6-speed automatic and 4.10 gear ratio axles to provide brisk acceleration for this relatively heavy pickup truck (7,260 lbs for the truck you see here as verified via CAT scales). As you would imagine, the Power Wagon is not a fuel sipper as its designed to work and play in difficult off-road terrain. Whether you are going to Moab, UT for your next weekend adventure or heading into the forests for Park Service duty, this requires highway running. So what MPG does the Power deliver on the highway and how does it handle an extended interstate run? This is what I wanted to find out.
I drove 1,243 miles from Detroit to Denver and was pleasantly surprised at how stable and comfortable the Power Wagon remained at 70 or 75 MPH. The aggressive Goodyear Wrangler tires do not make noticeable noise on the highway. The big HEMI hums quietly and there is just a touch of wind noise coming into the cabin at speed.
This Ram’s driver seat is comfortable for my 6’2” frame and the tall truck provides a commanding view of the road that semi-truck drivers give a nod to.
In the end, I put in 99.1 gallons into the truck at a cost of $186.50. This calculates to an overall average of 12.5 MPG. This is a relatively low number, but consider that the Power Wagon has a 31 gallon fuel tank. This gives up to 387 miles of highway range, which is respectable.
Yes, a flight from Detroit to Denver would have been cheaper and faster, but gasoline is affordable now and the Power Wagon can now play in the Rockies.
We have an off-road and a towing reviews of the Power Wagon coming up very shortly. Please stay tuned for that.
Watch this 2015 Power Wagon tackle an icy and snow off-road course in Canada, and stay tuned for many more videos that feature the 2016 truck coming soon.
