RAM 1500 Review 2021: Warlock

You are the boss. You've worked hard, you've built your business, you have several people working for you. You've just arrived at work from a trip overseas (work with me here, this whole intro makes a lot of wild guesses). You just spent a lot of money on a new ute and are very proud of yourself.

And then you realize that all the students drive Ranger Wildtraks and HiLux SR5. Your car is barely out of the way. How the hell are people going to choose who's in charge?

Now, I'm assuming you're a giant jerk in this scenario, so let me get down and assure you that I'm only spitting here.

A lot of people ask me who are the people who buy huge American trucks and I really don't know. I guess some people actually use them and some just want a big truck.

RAM now has a fourth 1500 variant for sale, aggressively named Warlock. Knowing that I have strong opinions about these machines, I was awarded a big red one for a week, I guess, to see if I could figure out what they were.

Ram 1500 2021: Warlock (Black/Grey/Blue HYD)
Safety Rating
engine's type	5.7L
fuel type	Regular unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	12.2l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$90,000

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

The $104,550 Warlock model (excluding travel expenses) is based on the RAM 1500 Crew Cab, which means a larger cab in exchange for a shorter rear end. That hefty sum includes 20-inch wheels, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, trunk lining, rearview camera, remote central locking, cruise control, power front seats, sat nav, partial leather trim (but plastic). steering wheel!), heated mirrors, halogen headlights (I mean…), power front seats and a full-size spare under the tray.

It's worth noting that you can get the RAM 1500 petrol base model for just under $80,000 before travel expenses.

A large multimedia screen beautifully frames the giant vented hood. (Image: Peter Anderson)

The 8.0-inch screen floats on the dashboard area and is powered by FCA's "UConnect" which is a small software engine that's not very good.

Look, it works, but it feels very old and solid, and at least you can tell your friends they use the same system for Maserati and Fiat 500 owners. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both support USB connectivity. at the base of the dashboard.

Warlock comes with halogen headlights. (Image: Peter Anderson)

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

Unless you're a big fan of chrome, the traditional shiny RAM schnoz is only found on the trope-spec 1500 Laramie these days. I think the black Warlock package is a welcome addition, softening both the shape of the headlights and the imposing grille vibe, even beyond the body color treatment of the base Express trim level.

Also added are matte black stone sliders with grippy steps (those are also welcome) and less-than-thin WARLOCK decals. Because of its size, even massive black 20-inch wheels struggle to fill the gaping arches.

The ugly chrome grille of the stock RAM has been replaced with a hard unpainted plastic version. (Image: Peter Anderson)

To get a sense of how tall this car is in context, it was parked behind a new Kia Sorento GT-Line one afternoon. When I returned from a walk with the animal we have (which apparently looks like a dog), I noticed that the nose of the vented hood is almost the same height as the trailing edge of the Korean car's rear fender.

This car is neither small nor particularly low. You are on the eye of bus drivers in RAM. I could stand in the tub (with the trunk lid open, of course) and clean out the gutters in my house. Perhaps such a massive machine is more useful than I thought at first.

The interior is quite plastic, with a predictably exuberant design. It is long, with a massive bathtub under the armrest. There is nothing more to say about it, except that it is very large and not very interesting. But boy, it's easy to clean.

I could stand in the tub (with the trunk lid open, of course) and clean out the gutters in my house. (Image: Peter Anderson)

How practical is the interior space? 9/10

Do you want coasters? You receive them. Four in obvious places, four more scattered across the two rear doors and even cup placements on the fold-down tailgate.

The rear seats are a true trio with legroom to burn through. There is also a handy storage box under the rear seats.

The rear seats are a true trio with legroom to burn through. (Image: Peter Anderson)

The huge bathtub is complemented by the RAMbox “load management system”. Like the Battlestar Galactica, they open up like wings to take on what RAM Australia thinks could be ice and a few frosty drinks from your favorite soft drink. Or even the biggest cup of Starbucks (see what I was doing there? Yes, I was revisiting the 21st century BSG reboot, why you ask?).

Together they add 210 liters, which rivals a small hatchback. This is in addition to a bed length of 1712 mm (5 ft 7 in) with straight sides spaced 1295 mm apart for easy load carrying.

A smart movable partition that doesn't require multiple university degrees to operate is included with Warlock.

The overall length of the RAM Warlock is an impressive 5.85m and I think it's the longest car I've ever ridden. So yes, with its width of 2097 mm, parking is also a nightmare. The total tray volume is 1400 liters and the turning diameter is 12.1 meters.

Traction effort is calculated on 4500 kg (not a typo). The curb weight of 2630 kg, together with a payload of 820 kg and maximum tractive effort, results in a gross vehicle weight of 7237 kg. GVM is a considerable 3450 kg.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10

Under the hood, which is more like a roof structure suitable for a large concert venue, surpasses the classic Hemi V8. All 5.7 liters. In this version, it develops 291 kW of power and 556 Nm of torque. Of course, the power goes to all four wheels.

It does have reduced range and a center-locking diff, and is no doubt pretty impressive off-road, if there are six-lane off-road highways, I guess.

An eight-speed automatic sends power to the wheels and, curiously, has a Jaguar-style rotary selector.

Under the hood, which is more like a roof structure suitable for a large concert venue, surpasses the classic Hemi V8. All 5.7 liters. (Image: Peter Anderson)

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How much fuel does it consume? 6/10

Going back to the Battlestar Galactica concept, this thing can burn fuel. The official combined cycle figure is a relatively modest 12.2L/100km, but my tests showed an astonishing 19.7L/100km on the trip computer.

To be fair, my test route was about 400km and included a 90km round trip on Sydney's M4 motorway, with the rest consisting of numerous short, high-traffic trips dotted around the ends of Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

Will you ever see 12.2L/100km in RAM with a Hemi V8 engine? Unless you're constantly going down the Hume River, maybe not. This highlights a fundamental flaw in the standard lab test used to calculate all official combined figures, and my rule of thumb is to expect a 30% increase from the official figure over real combined use, so 19.7 is not a significant outlier.

With a 98-liter tank, you can still (almost) drive 500 km at that speed. It can be assumed that connecting a 4.5-ton payload or using an 820-kilogram payload could be cause for celebration in Saudi Arabia.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10

There is not much to say about security. You get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, rear parking sensors, trailer sway control and that's it.

No AEB, blind spot monitoring, or anything else to help you manage the risk of driving such a big car.

Comes with a full size alloy spare. (Image: Peter Anderson)

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / 100,000 km


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10

As with protective gear, the ownership offering is on the old school side, but that's to be expected from a machine that its importers probably didn't expect to sell in the hundreds a month.

You get a three-year 100,000 km warranty and lifetime roadside assistance.

That's all. However, given that this car is a factory sanctioned (local) RHD conversion, unlike some of its privately imported and converted competitors, it does come under warranty. So you can't really complain.

You can't get away from the size, weight, thirst, and cost of the RAM Warlock. (Image: Peter Anderson)

What is it like to drive? 7/10

One thing I've noticed about the RAM and F-series drivers is that they tend to be pretty polite. Yes, there is the usual element of a swindler-asshole, but Mitsubishi Mirage owners also have it. It didn't take me long to figure out why.

The sheer size of this thing means you need everyone's cooperation. One wrong move and you'll be pulling hatchbacks from climbers and SUVs from its gaping maw.

Driving like crazy is self-destructive and any accident will result in a charge of unauthorized use of weapons of mass destruction. I was afraid that its 2600 kg curb weight and a full tank of 98 liters might break my road.

Because of its size, even massive black 20-inch wheels struggle to fill the gaping arches. (Image: Peter Anderson)

The side mirrors are so large that, with a little tweaking, a pair of MX-5 doors would work nicely as rear covers. It also means that you have an amazing view all around, thanks to a lot of glass.

From this high up, you can have casual conversations with Hino drivers and bus drivers, but this commanding position also provides an almost unbeatable view of the road.

The steering is predictably slow, and the plastic steering wheel is a little nasty in the hands. However, the large, wide seats are surprisingly comfortable, and the large media screen beautifully frames the giant vented hood.

The interior is quite plastic, with a predictably exuberant design. (Image: Peter Anderson)

It's hard to park without front cameras or parking sensors, so all of those things really need to be sorted out.

In true American style, the road feel is weak and the brake pedal felt with excessive force, so there were no side effects when moving the steering wheel.

However, the throttle is quite comfortable, with good low-end response, as you'd expect from a naturally aspirated Hemi V8. This makes the rig move clean and smooth, and if you could hear it over the roar of the induction, that would be great.

The large, wide seats are surprisingly comfortable. (Image: Peter Anderson)

The eight-speed gearbox is well tuned for weight and power, which is nice too. And the motorway is very quiet, except for the rustle of mirrors in the air stream.

And always the ride is very laid back on those big baggy tyres, the obvious compromise being a rather lazy approach to corners and roundabouts.

Verdict

You can't get away from the size, weight, thirst, and cost of the RAM Warlock, but a week in its clutches convinced me that if you want to, they're not an incredibly bad idea, short of climate vandalism. I wouldn't buy it a million years from now, but I was surprised by the wide range of fans it garnered. Our next door neighbor, my wife's Instagram design team, small business owners, and most amazingly, my church minister.

I don't understand the appeal other than its usefulness, but I can't argue with the idea that it's an icon and a super useful tool for super traders. Warlock may be expensive, but it's cheaper than its competitors, has a proper warranty, and an amazing number of dealers to look after you.

The Warlock is probably more suited to lifestyle than hauling cargo, but I'm almost ashamed to admit that it almost won me over.