When fitted with the air suspension option ($1,595), the normal ride height of the pickup provides 8.7-inches of ground clearance, but from there, the vehicle can lower itself 0.6-inches as it settles into Aero Mode — self-optimizing for efficient fuel economy. After parking, the truck lowers itself 2-inches from ride height to make entry and exit from the vehicle easier. I tested the park feature out, and at 5’-8” I’m not the tallest of drivers, but didn’t feel like I was falling out of the truck every time I dismounted.
Taking the Ram 1500 off-road with the air suspension means you have two different clearance settings to pick from on the dash-mounted switch: Off-Road 1 (raises the truck 1.2-inches) and Off-Road 2 (raises the truck 2-inches). In all, the air suspension adds over four inches of driver selectable lift span with 10.7-inches of ground clearance.
I took the 1500 off-road through the Smoky Mountains and it was able to scale steep, uneven rocks, dirt and logs without a problem. When I ran the truck into what looked like a 2-foot ditch, I expected it to lurch and even bottom out since I hit the depression at 20-mph. Due to the air suspension, the hole felt more like a pothole. Truly impressive.
2013 Ram 1500 Rides Like A Mercedes-Benz With Air Suspension
