It’s hard not to love the new Dodge 1500 Quad Cab 4×4. All new, it looks great, works well, and, more than ever, appeals to the latent big-rig driver in us all. At the same time, it sets new thresholds for room, performance and refinement in the full-size pickup class.

To start out, a body redesign makes the previous Ram look like it took some steroids to bulk up. It also features a new, stiffer hydroformed frame, new rack and pinion steering (which replaces the recirculating ball type), a new independent torsion bar front suspension on 4×4 models, and new standard four-wheel disc brakes with standard rear ABS and optional four wheel ABS (replacing front disc/rear drums).

Part of the big-truck look is due to larger standard 17-inch wheels, or some great-looking optional 20-inch wheels on Sport models. This all adds up to more interior room, improved ride, handling, steering and braking, increased refinement; and more safety features, specifically improved front and rear crash zones and optional side curtain airbags.

It’s bigger all over, except in the truck bed, which has shrunk 3 inches (to 6 feet, 3 inches) to accommodate interior legroom (an 8-foot-plus long bed is still an option). The rear window is much taller, the windshield has a more pronounced rake, the big front grille is at least 30 percent larger, and there are even larger, clear-lens headlamps.

Under the hood, there’s a new standard 240-hp, 4.7-litre, SOHC 16-valve V8, replacing the 230-hp, 5.2-litre OHV V8. The new mill has 300 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. The big 245-horsepower 5.9-litre OHV V8 engine with 335 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm is carried over and motivated our silver tester.

A new multi-speed four-speed automatic transmission automatically selects different gear ratios depending on load; it’s offered with the 4.7 litre V8. This transmission is great for hauling and towing but you can’t get it with the 5.9-litre V8, which retains a standard four-speed automatic transmission.

Our tester did not have a step rail. Do yourself a favor: order one. The 4×4 is tall, and this 5’ 10” fellow had to pull himself up by grabbing the A-pillar handle and the steering wheel to get in. Some of my colleagues have pulled muscles trying this, so please, get a step rail, either at the dealer or an aftermarket products.

You know you’ve made the trip once you get up into the cabin: on a clear day you can see forever. The truly height-impaired will be grateful for the electronically adjustable pedals, similar to those offered by Ford. The interior is wide, spacious, and when finished in leather as ours was, somewhat luxe. The center console stores a day’s worth of office supplies, including a small laptop (for which there’s a plug); when closed, the top works as a desk.

The split rear bench is comfortable enough, but with shorter seat pads and a slightly upright seating position you’ll wish you were sitting in front. The benches fold up to access storage boxes mounted on the floor. Entry and egress, ride height notwithstanding, is easy enough, as the shorter rear doors open a full 85 degrees.

Driving along, the big ol’ 5.9 provides lively enough response, but you miss the adaptive shift points you get in the electronic four-speed slushbox. Mileage for the package is 11 city, 16 highway—dreadful. In this day and age, you can do better.

You give up some torque with the smaller 4.7, but with the electronic tranny, you gain driveability, as well as mildly better gas mileage. A hemi may be in the offing, it is rumored. The ride is typical 4×4 pickup—somewhat harsh—but the new independent front suspension provides reasonable agility, and I’m told that the optional 20-inch wheel package turns this big brute into the Fred Astaire of full-size pickups.

The 1500 is the sole repository of the new Ram design for now, with the 2500 and 3500 getting the treatment in the 2003 model year. There are a lot of good full-size pickups out there, but if you want to make a truly trucky statement, this is the rig to get.