Jada 1:24 2014 Ram 1500

Back in October I reviewed the 2014 Chevy Silverado 1500 from Jada’s 1:24 Just Trucks line, and about the same time I got this at a local vendor I was surprised to see the new Ram 1500 being made by Jada as well, but in 1:32 scale.  As much as it was very cool to see another Ram, detailing was still far off, so I hoped the upcoming 1:24 scale version would resolve that.  Now I get to find out.

But before I start some things will change as far as presenting blog articles go:  Instead of an overview of the real car and then the scale model, I will go into the scale model first by giving a brief overview first, then going into the details of the model with pictures that match each paragraph (if you remember David Tilley’s Matchbox reviews years ago you get the idea I’m presenting here).  For each section of the vehicle I will compare it to the real vehicle in terms of features, so for example if I have a paragraph describing the engine details under the hood, with the accompanying picture, I will also reveal the real engine specs as well.  Variations of the casting will come at the end, while the only format that will not change is comparison tests.  So with that out of the way, let’s begin!

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The Ram 1500, once called a Dodge, was a long-standing truck with bold styling that finally helped the Chrysler trucks out of the deep hole in 1994.  Since then the big-rig styling has not changed much, saved the company from near destruction in 2009, and finally become a class-leader in 2013 and 2014 with air springs, diesel V6, 8-speed automatic, new gas V6, and coil-spring rear suspension now even offered in Heavy Duty models!  The Ram’s future looks bright; the future models face a challenge to improve on something this great.

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The bold stying was smoothed out in 2009, and still looks good today.  In 2013 the model got more enhancements, including the projector beam headlights with LED signal lights as Jada has nicely detailed here (even placing the tab support right into the projector beam!).  The grille is big and chrome, the lower bumper smooth with slot for tow hooks, though there is no hooks for foglights.  The overall shape of the truck looks better, with flexible plastic mirrors, though it seems to be a little bit boxy at the front and squatting at the rear.  The sides have the chrome door handles, Ram and HEMI logo’s, and chrome running boards that look more urban than rugged.  The rear has chrome taillight housings with LED lamps, Ram logo, and chrome bumper with dual exhausts.  A few quibbles here: The taillights on most models I saw looked poorly fitted, and the bed color on my tester has a darker blue tint than the rest of the vehicle.

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The bedliner is a cool feature, even showing off the Ram head on the front part of the bed!  Just pull up the tailgate to swing it down.  The roof has the support ridges and sunroof outline, but is closed-off instead of being open.  The 6-spoke wheels have the real look and width over the skinny 1:32 version.  The base, as usual, does not show much aside from the chrome dual exhausts just after the rear axle.

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The hood opens up to show off the barely visible and detailed 5.7L HEMI V8 that produces 395 hp. And 410 Ib-ft. of torque through an 8-speed automatic, part-time 4WD system, and air springs on all four corners.  While not much, the intake hose from air box to throttle is visible, and the brake resovoir is the only colored-item in the blacked-out engine bay.   Unlike the Silverado or F-150 Raptor, the Ram 1500 is not best suited for off-road thanks to the low stance and running boards.

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The front doors open up to an interior with lots of content. The 3-spoke steering wheels has the correct silver trim accents, the gauges are nicely-detailed with the center information area displaying the Ram logo, as does the center infotainment system with lower controls and silver accents around the air vents.  Not visible, but there, is the round knob for the transmission selector.  The rest of the interior has the correct seats and center console, but looks dull in the all-black and also a bit chalky in some areas (a common problem with Jada castings).

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With four colors to choose from, including two slammed versions, and plenty of details pretty accurate to the actual model, this Ram 1500 is a nice fit for the Just Trucks 1:24 line.