Volkswagen Transporter vs RAM 1500

What's the difference?

Although closely related to Ford’s E-Transit Custom, the e-Transporter has carved its own niche in appealing to VW Transporter loyalists and businesses wanting to project a chic Euro image. For tradies and other service providers its driving range is best suited to metro duties, which if combined with the convenience of daily back-to-base charging could make it a practical solution for many working roles.

As with all current-generation Ram 1500s, the Rebel remains one of our favourite full-sized American utes on the Australian market.

Yes, it is not cheap, and a few items standard on the Laramie Sport have been deleted for better or worse, but the Rebel offers better off-road capability without losing any of the regular 1500’s driver enjoyment, comfort, refinement and overall class.

An upsized Ranger Wildtrak with more civility than its redneck reputation suggests.

Although based on the E-Transit Custom, the e-Transporter (like the Amarok) does a commendable job in establishing its own identity, with noticeable differences in styling and a spacious and functional cabin design with a distinct VW commercial vehicle look and feel.

Its dash design is free of protrusions, leaving enough floor space between it and the seats to allow drivers convenient ‘walk-through’ access from one side of the cab to the other.

Our LWB example is clearly designed with hard work in mind, armed with 16-inch steel wheels and unpainted dark grey plastic evident in areas most vulnerable to wear and tear including the bumpers, hubcaps, door handles and mirror shells.

It rides on a sprawling 3500mm wheelbase with MacPherson strut front and coil-spring rear suspension. Key body dimensions of 5450mm length and 2032mm width are combined with a practical 1978mm height, the latter allowing access to low clearance loading zones and multi-storey carparks. The long wheelbase contributes to its largish 13-metre turning circle.

Essentially, the 1500 Rebel is a Laramie Sport with a few changes to make it look a little more athletic.

Changes include an extra power bulge in the bonnet, a restyled grille treatment, black powder-coated steel bumpers, daytime running spot lights, 18-inch rather than 20-inch off-road alloy wheels and the aforementioned one-inch (26mm-ish) suspension lift – partly as a result of the knobblier tyres, Bilstein off-road dampers and revised springs, all for better clearances.

Speaking of which, that’s why the retractable side steps have been deleted. The approach/departure/breakover angles are rated at 20.9, 22.2 and 19.2 degrees respectively.

That the Rebel loses the RamBox does mean a bit more tub width, but at the cost of 210 litres of hidden storage.

What’s left are mostly visual changes, including a two-tone colour scheme with black paint on the lower sections, extra blacked-out trim, Rebel badges and decals and three grade-specific hues: 'Bright White', 'Flame Red' and 'Hydro Blue'.

Dimensionally, the 1500 is definitely in the next-league up compared to a Ranger or HiLux, with length at 5916mm, width at 2057mm (excluding mirrors – that balloons out to 2747mm with them) and height at 2006mm. Wheelbase is set at 3672mm. Which does wonders for interior space.

Inside, a red and black look pervades, resulting in Rebel upholstery and material applications, but the seats and dash remain pure Laramie Sport – and that’s no bad thing, as the DT series remains the most car-like and refined interior of all the big US utes.

Let’s dive in.

The heavy propulsion battery mounted beneath the load floor is largely responsible for the e-Transporter’s sizeable 2540kg kerb weight, which when deducted from its 3225kg GVM leaves a payload of 685kg.

However, Volkswagen’s published rating is higher at 760kg, as European payload measurement typically allows for a 75kg driver. Even so, that’s still a modest payload compared to numerous mid-size diesel rivals (including its TDI Transporter equivalent) offering up to one tonne or more.

About 150kg of the e-Transporter’s payload can be carried on the clever trio of folding roof racks courtesy of its Ford donor, which lie flush with the roof when not in use but can quickly be locked in vertical positions to carry loads as needed.

Our test vehicle is also rated to tow up to 2300kg of braked trailer but Volkswagen does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we don’t know if it can tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum payload.

The cargo bay, which offers up to 6.8 cubic metres of load volume, is accessed through a standard passenger-side sliding door with 1030mm opening width or the swing-up tailgate.

The load floor, which comes standard with a protective liner, is 3002mm long and 1777mm wide with 1392mm between the rear wheel housings. This means it can carry two standard Aussie pallets or three Euro pallets secured by a choice of eight load anchorage points.

A section of load floor length can also be extended to 3450mm by opening a hinged hatch on the lower left of the cabin bulkhead, which can be handy for carrying long lengths of timber, pipe, conduit, carpet rolls etc. The walls are also neatly lined to mid-height and there’s a 12V socket.

There’s also ample cabin storage with three tiers of storage (including large-bottle holders) in each front door plus cupholders on each side of the dash-pad, which also has a large open tray in the centre with a pair of USB ports.

The lower dash includes a large glove box, driver’s pop-out cupholder, wireless phone charging pad, 12V socket and more USB ports, while the centre seat backrest folds forward to serve as a mobile work desk.

Beneath the hinged base cushions on the passenger bench seat is a cavernous hidden storage area which is ideal for the five metre long charging cable.

This is as much an interior review as anything else, because the Walkinshaw Automotive Group’s engineers have created nearly 50 unique dashboard parts in the 1500’s transition from LHD to RHD.

These join the hundreds of other items that have been modified throughout the big ute.

Haul yourself up and inside, and what you’re met with is essentially a Laramie Sport, but with a more-athletic vibe due to the red-and-black Rebel trim upholstery. In this evaluation example, the presentation, fit and finishes were exemplary.

Everything seems to be in Cinemascope. The sheer girth of the cabin; the excellent vision afforded by lofty seating as well as the deep windscreen and side windows; the abundance of light showering in from the dual-pane sunroof; wide yet cosy front seats that ensconce you like a bear hug – are there comfier ones out there in the world of utes? We doubt it; and heaps of space for your head, shoulders, arms and legs.

Most people should be able to sleep crossways on the back seat floor.

Back up front, the vast multi-layered dash is conventionally designed, with a 12-inch instrument display ahead of the driver and a long, portrait-oriented 14.4-inch touchscreen (containing a superb premium audio system).

But, unusually, there’s also a 10.25-inch multimedia screen for the front passenger, which isn’t visible to the driver for road-safety reasons.

Drilling into the details, there’s a satisfying attention to design to the instrument dials that you’d expect from an Italian brand – Ram owner Stellantis is partly consisted of Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia, after all, as well as Citroen and Peugeot.

It’s also in the feel and quality of the presentation, as well as the general ergonomics, where most of the controls and switchgear are within reach, readily understood and easily operable – after a few moments taken to learn what’s what.

Confidence and swagger, without being too brash or ostentatious. An F-150, in contrast, seems cheap and hard inside.

Weirdly, given all the room around you, there’s also a sense of being a bit hemmed-in, thanks to the ultra-wide centre console. It houses an attic’s worth of storage capability, and is nicely integrated within the overall dash architecture.

It’s a pity, then, that Ram doesn’t offer a three-person bench seat up front – or, at least, a two-person love seat for the passengers right beside the driver’s bucket. There’s certainly enough space for that.

A half-day with the Rebel failed to showcase too many faults or irritations. There’s too much wind noise coming in at speed due to those elephantine exterior mirrors, there’s no digital radio and not everybody will like the red trim inserts. In this regard the vibe is more garish Germanic than restrained Italianate.

Remember, too, the Laramie Sport’s sliding centre console and reclining rear backrests aren’t fitted to the Rebel.

Not that you’d necessarily miss the latter, since the bench is nicely angled and seems comfortable enough. Obviously, there are acres of space to move and lounge about in, and pretty much all the usual amenities are present.

These include USB ports of both varieties, heated outboard seats, face-level ventilation, cupholders, map pockets overhead lighting, a coat hook, and the glorious sunroof that allows so much light to flood in.

There’s extra storage beneath the cushions as well as in the door panels, while a small portion of the back glass slides open. Apparently, that’s handy for hearing and giving instructions when working with the ute. Clever.

And, of course, so is the massive tub out back, complete with a full-sized spare wheel.

For now, Australia only receives the five-foot/seven-inch – or 1.7m long – tub, rather than the longer 6' 1" option offered in earlier 1500s. The Rebel’s payload jumps 30kg, and still maintains its 4.5-tonne towing capacity.

Note that, with the deletion of the RamBox cargo storage units, load-area width increases, but only by 15mm, and you lose 210 litres of hidden tub storage.

For the record, the tub dimensions are around 1700mm (length), 1295mm (width) and 543mm (height). The upshot is about 1500 litres of cargo capacity.

And, of course, there’s the maximum braked towing capacity of 4500kg (with a 70mm ball), 750kg unbraked, 7771kg for Gross Combined Mass (GCM), 3505kg for Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and an 893kg payload maximum.

Finally, a heavy-duty tow bar, 12-pin wiring harness and trailer brake controller are standard equipment.

This isn’t a replacement for the bombastic Ram 1500 TRX, which has sadly disappeared along with the classic Hemi V8 (though it may come back sometime in the future), but rather an adjunct to the base Laramie Sport. Just with more off-road sportiness.

Like all 1500s, as well as the conceptually-similar Silverado 1500, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra big utes, the Rebel is fully-assembled in the United States in left-hand-drive form, then shipped to and remanufactured in Melbourne for right-hand-drive.

This is no small task, with the Ram boasting hundreds of new and/or modified parts, needing over 80 man-hours of labour in the process.

Hence the high prices – with the Rebel matching the Laramie Sport at $141,950 (all prices before on-road costs).

More than just a sticker pack, the Australian Rebel includes one-inch higher-riding suspension, Bilstein off-road shocks, 32-inch all-terrain Falken Wildpeak 275/65R18 tyres, an electronically locking rear differential, underbody skid plates, a higher payload, special off-road cruise control and a so-called 'Power Bulge' bonnet – though there’s no extra performance under there, sadly, over the Laramie Sport’s existing SST (for Straight Six Twin-turbo).

You’ll need the $159,950 Limited flagship with its High Output SST engine tune for that.

Like the Laramie Sport, the Rebel seems almost sumptuously equipped, and includes goodies like a separate 10.25-inch multimedia display for the front passenger as well as a 14.4-inch central touchscreen and a 12.0-inch electronic instrumentation, 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio, dual-pane sunroof, heated seats front and rear, dual wireless phone charging, a sliding back window, power adjustable pedals and a fully-powered tailgate.

These come on top of a spray-in bed liner, cargo tie-down slider rails, LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. Handy in a truck this long.

There’s also a decent wad of advanced driver assist systems too, like autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. More on those in the safety section later on.

But it also loses some interior items too, like a sliding centre console, a reclining rear bench and 'RamBox' cargo storage, while digital radio is not available at all… which – to paraphrase '80s punk-rocker Billy Idol – might have Rebel owners yell out for more, more, more!

Anyway, there are also a few things missing outside too that are otherwise standard in the Laramie Sport.

The e-Transporter’s single electric motor, which produces 210kW of power and 415Nm of torque, drives the rear wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. It offers numerous drive modes including 'Normal', 'Eco', 'Sport', 'Slippery' and 'Tow/Haul' plus there's a 'B' button on the gear selector which optimises regenerative braking for largely one-pedal driving and maximum energy harvesting.

The motor and transmission are neatly combined in a compact unit mounted beneath the load floor driving the rear wheels. This design has an inherent traction advantage over front-wheel drive rivals, particularly when towing and hauling heavy loads on low-grip surfaces.

Underneath the power bulge bonnet is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder petrol engine known as the 'Hurricane'.

Sharing just five per cent of its parts with Jeep’s version, the Rebel uses the Standard Output (SO) tune, meaning this Euro 5-rated direct-injection unit delivers a heady 313kW of power at 5200rpm and 635Nm of torque at 3500rpm.

The High Output (HO) in the Limited, on the other hand, ups the ante with 403kW and 707Nm.

Compared to the old 291kW/556Nm 5.7L Hemi V8, the Hurricane SO lacks its evocative exhaust burble and effortless low-down grunt, but the figures don’t fib: 7.6 per cent more power and 14.2 per cent more torque.

Tipping the scales at 2615kg, the Rebel returns an impressive 120kW/tonne (versus 109kW/tonne for the V8), resulting in a 0-100km/h sprint-time of just 6.0 seconds, according to Ram (HO: 5.3s). That the Hurricane weighs nearly 60kg less than the Hemi helps.

Torque is sent to either the rear wheels in 2WD mode or all four wheels in 4WD mode via an eight-speed torque-converter auto, that Ram evocatively calls ‘TorqueFlite’ – memories of old Aussie Chrysler Valiants here.

A full-time on-demand transfer case is fitted, offering '2WD High', '4WD Auto' and '4WD High/Low' along with a locking rear differential.

As with all 1500s, there are wishbones up front and the rear axle is a coil-sprung rather than leaf-spring set-up.

Volkswagen claims a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle electric WLTP driving range of up to 330km from a single charge of its 64kWh lithium-ion propulsion battery, which can be charged from zero to 100 per cent in around seven hours and 30 minutes using a three-phase 11kW AC charger and 10-80 per cent in just 38 minutes using 125kW DC fast charging.

The dash display confirmed a 100 per cent charge and estimated driving range of up to 298km when we collected the test vehicle. After completing 103km of metropolitan driving there was 65 per cent charge and 186km range remaining, which was consistent with the original onboard estimate.

We plugged into a public AC station (the charging port is located behind a flap in the front bumper) and after three hours the battery charge had increased from 65 to 93 per cent, with the estimated driving range rising from 186km to 290km. The total test distance was 233km with average consumption of 20kWh/100km, so based on those figures a real-world driving range of around 300km from a full charge is credible.

Ram says the Rebel returns a combined average of 10.7L/100km, which translates to about 283 grams/km of carbon dioxide emissions. That’s a small improvement over the Hemi V8’s 12.2L/100km and 325g/km figures, aided by stop/start tech. But stirring performance, rather than outright economy are the priorities here, according to Ram.

Brimming the big 98-litre fuel tank with 91 RON standard unleaded petrol should see a theoretical average range between refills of 916km.

It has a big left footrest and ample steering wheel and seat adjustment, with the latter including a fold-down inboard armrest, power lumbar support and even manual extension of the base cushion to provide extra thigh support.

The large truck-style door mirrors feature a wide-angle view in their lower third which combined with blind-spot monitoring and other active features ensures commanding side and rear surveillance for the driver.

More than 400Nm of torque is ample for a mid-size van and with most of that delivered instantly from standing starts thanks to the electric motor, it has zippy acceleration that’s ideal for metro driving.

It’s also like riding in a tram at suburban speeds with its near-silent drivetrain although tyre noise increases and can become intrusive at highway speeds, even with a sealed bulkhead to largely insulate the cabin from most of the tyre noise emanating from the rear wheel housings.

To sample its load carrying ability we forklifted 325kg into the cargo bay which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of more than half a tonne. It coped comfortably with this task across a mix of city roads and highway hauling. Overall, we found it difficult to fault as a urban-based workhorse.

If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Hemi V8 lover and dread the notion that a mere ‘six’ has taken its place in the Ram 1500 – and particularly in the sporty off-road Rebel we have here – then a rethink may be in order.

That’s because, in the spirit of iconic sixes of the past, including Ford Australia’s legendary Barra in the Falcon and Territory, the Ram’s Hurricane should blow any scepticism clear away.

And it’s all in the delivery.

Smooth and sophisticated, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six idles with a muted rumble at start-up, but then roars off the line with an unexpected and prolonged burst of hungry acceleration.

And the power piles on effortlessly as the revs rise, with the auto seamlessly shifting through each ratio without putting a foot wrong.

Reflecting the interior design’s overall cohesiveness, the powertrain possesses a sophistication that’s far beyond what a big American truck ought to have.

That’s in 'Normal' mode. Choosing 'Sport' ups the stakes, as it also seems to stymie the stability/traction control intervention. Throttle response is noticeably sharper and more urgent, but other than the opportunity to more-easily break traction whilst getting to licence-losing speeds slightly quicker, there seemed little sense in staying in Sport.

This is a very fast ute as it is, and also an enjoyable one to drive, with a level of nuance at odds with its excessive proportions.

Even on wet and windy back roads the Rebel feels connected and controlled at speed.

The steering is appropriately weighted, with a sufficient amount of response for the driver to push on with confidence when taking corners quickly.

Remember, this is a 2.6-tonne-plus full-sized ute on off-road-biased tyres, yet getting into a rhythm and flow with the road is easy. Yes, you feel the mass, but the 1500 also feels taut and secure. And you’re not constantly harangued by over-zealous driver-assist systems going off all the time.

The wishbone front/coil-sprung rear suspension set-up must take much of the credit here, smothering bumps and tracing the groove of the road without jolting or stepping out of line.

Comfortable and quiet, there is a sense of isolation from the outside world that, incongruously perhaps, is in league with better premium SUVs. Again, this is a big American pick-up, remember.

On a few downhill twisty bits, the driver of course feels the shift in mass, but deft handling, adequate grip (great for off-road tyres) and effective brakes mean the Rebel doesn't break a sweat, even through puddles blanketing the bitumen.

Downsides? Well, it's still a large, lumbering truck to drive and park, with an inevitably massive turning circle to make heavy work of manoeuvring this beast around. Regular car park spots are almost always too small.

There's some wind noise rustling around the large exterior mirrors. And a bit of road noise coming through over certain coarser surfaces.

Overall, though, the Rebel behaves way-better than expected – and you don’t often get a chance to say that about a ute. Rapid, refined and engaging from behind the wheel, it is the best-driving full-sized US pick-up by some margin.

What V8!

That’s on road. We also had a brief off-road stint in the Rebel at the ex-Holden proving ground at Lang Lang, and we were pretty impressed with the ability and ease demonstrated over some short but demanding rough-track sections.

We doubt – at nearly $150K – that most buyers will go bush-bashing in this, but it’s good to know the hardware is there underneath to get you through.

Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested any full-sized American utes at this stage.

However, the Ram DT 1500 has scored a five-star result in the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rankings.

Keep in mind, too, that the Rebel shares the Laramie Sport and Limited’s advanced driver assist systems, ushering safety like AEB (including cyclist and pedestrian detection), 'Forward Collision Warning', rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera view, trailer-sway control and tyre pressure monitors.

Additionally, there are six airbags (dual front, front side and curtain), traction and stability controls and adaptive cruise control.

No speed operation data for the AEB and lane support systems are currently available.

Like all Ram DT 1500s, the Rebel includes three child-seat restraining top-tether points fitted, along with two ISOFIX latches in the rear outboard seats.

This van comes standard with a five-year/unlimited km warranty with roadside assist plus a separate eight-year/160,000km propulsion battery warranty.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/30,000km whichever occurs first. Volkswagen offers three-year and five-year prepaid service plans with average costs of around $400-$450 per service.

These terms are competitive with rivals like the LDV eDeliver 7 and Ford E-Transit Custom, with the LDV offering lower servicing costs and a longer battery warranty. The e-Transporter’s servicing is also considerably cheaper than its eVito German rival.

Volkswagen Group Australia is backed by a large national network of around 170-180 dealerships represented in all states and territories including many regional areas.

Ram drops the ball when it comes to warranty.

That’s because, like GMSV’s Silverado range, it only offers a three-year, 100,000km warranty with roadside assistance, which falls short of the rival Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra’s five-year/unlimited kilometre coverage.

In an era where Chinese rivals are rolling out utes with seven-year schemes, Ram's (and GMSV's) warranty is severely lacking.

Service intervals are at every 12 months or 12,000km, and there is currently no capped-price servicing on offer.