2005 Dodge Ram Power Wagon Program #2428

The 1945 Dodge Power Wagon was the first big 4-wheel-drive pickup. And while it has been decades since the Power Wagon disappeared, America’s thirst for powerful, off-road pickups has never been stronger. So Dodge has decided to revive its original 4x4 with the 2005 Ram Power Wagon. But can the modern day Ram live up to the Power Wagon legend?

It can with the right equipment. Dodge threw everything but the kitchen sink at the 2005 Ram Power Wagon, in an effort to build the toughest 4x4 pickup in the world. They started with the heavy duty Ram 2500 platform, and then beefed it up for major-league stump jumping. The solid axle suspension boasts heavy-duty Bilstein gas shocks, front coil springs, and single stage rear leaf springs. Front and rear electronic axle lockers and an electronic disconnecting stabilizer bar maximize low speed climbing ability, while huge, chunky 33-inch BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires promise plenty of grip. The monster suspension raises running height to 14.5-inches, 2.5-inches more than a stock Ram 2500. And in case that’s not high enough, there are heavy-duty skid plates for the transfer case, fuel tank, and steering damper. And if you need to get yourself, or someone else, out of trouble, there’s a Warn 12,000 pound winch mounted up front. This will make you very popular with your neighbors during periods of heavy snow or rain.

This Wagon’s ‘‘power’’ comes from another automotive icon, the Hemi V8. It’s a 5.7-liter pushrod power plant, making 345 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque, which is controlled during low speed off-road situations by special throttle mapping that softens response and raises idle speed by 100 rpm. Transmissions are our test truck’s standard 5-speed automatic, or an available 6-speed manual, while the transfer case is a manual 2-speed part-time unit with a 2.72 low-range ratio.

All that gear adds up to serious off-road capability. We hit the challenging trails of Moab, Utah and found the Power Wagon to be a match for everything that we were brave enough to tackle. With 35-degrees of approach angle and up to 27.7-degrees of departure angle, the big Ram can take on some serious slopes. With 8.3-inches of ground clearance at the rear axle, and the flexible long-travel suspension, the Power Wagon crawls over uneven terrain as easily as a minivan negotiates a shopping mall parking lot.

Of course if you do spend a lot of time in parking lots or on a beltway commute, you’ll find the Power Wagon to be a better drive than you expected. It is tall, with a top heavy feel. But we found it to be surprisingly nimble for a 3-ton off-roader. Front plow is mild, and the steering is quick with solid feedback.

And while we’re on the subject of quick, the big Hemi pushes the Power Wagon to 60 in only 9.2 seconds. The quarter mile takes 17.2 seconds, ending at 80 miles-per-hour. Surprisingly speedy.

But it’s no surprise that the Power Wagon can tow some serious loads. Maximum trailer weight is 11,000 pounds, and maximum payload 2,660 pounds. Cargo space is either a 6-foot 3-inch bed with the Quad Cab model, or an 8-foot bed with the Regular Cab.

All this mass requires a lot of braking power, and the Power Wagon has extra-large 4-wheel discs with twin-piston calipers up front and ABS all-around. Stops from 60 averaged a longish 148 feet, with lots of system noise but good stability.

Interior accommodations are typical Dodge Ram, though you do have to climb up quite a bit to reach them; it’s a full 28-inches from ground to cabin floor. Once up, nose bleed not withstanding, you find the spacious and well-equipped cab that we’ve always praised. The layout is clean and sensible. And for 2005, options include Sirius satellite radio, a DVD-based navigation system, and hands-free, Blue-Tooth enabled communications.

If you choose the Quad Cab you get the extra flexibility of a full-size rear seat, and a 60/40 split seat back that allows you to easily mix cargo and passengers.

Flexibility that will cost you $36,660 for the Regular Cab model with a manual transmission. Add the automatic gearbox, and the price is $37,830. Opt for the Quad Cab with the manual, and you’ll pay $39,125, while the Quad Cab auto comes in at $40,295.

The original Dodge Power Wagon was a truck that could take on the toughest terrain, places that its competitors couldn’t even get close to. The 2005 Dodge Ram Power Wagon does everything that its predecessor did, and then some. It doesn’t just live up to the Power Wagon legend it writes a whole new chapter of its own.