Everything on the 2009 Dodge Ram looks tighter and bigger, yet the truck takes up no more real estate than its predecessor. The illusion comes from more sheetmetal and smaller gaps.

For the last 15 years Rams have had lots of space between tires and fenders but the '09 narrows the gap. Side panels have increased in height by nearly 3.5 inches, to close the crevasse between the truck and the ground, yet the approach angle critical to pickup use hasn't diminished. The split between cab and bed is narrower, and there's a lateral seal in it to reduce air turbulence, the side mirrors stand off from the door glass, the sides are flatter, and the tailgate spoiler and windshield are both rounder for improved aerodynamics. Seen from behind where the tires appear almost flush with the body panels, the truck looks quite trim, rather like a European-cut dress shirt as opposed to an American-cut shirt.

There is no large seam between the front bumper and the grille and lights, and if the truck does not have fog lights the bumper does not have the outline marks that show it's missing something. The rear bumper is larger, has half-round openings for the sport exhaust on trucks so equipped, and both 7- and 4-pin trailer plugs are fitted adjacent to the rear plate. The tailgate has a torsion bar system that cuts the apparent weight of it in half when you lower it, and like all stock pickups, the aerodynamic efficiency and mileage both drop if the tailgate is left down.

Even the least expensive model has some chrome on the front rather than the complete industrial gray that typifies base models and there are plenty of paint choices. On upper variants the mirrors have LED puddle lamps and the headlamps are dual-bulb units, the first since the mid-'90s Sport models, and on the 2009 Sport the front bumper is deeper and body-colored. The more you spend, the more chrome you get.

An aluminum hood is used on all models to save weight, and there is plenty of space below it for the aftermarket to fit superchargers and other go-fast goodies. Laramie models come with two-tone paint but you can specify a single shade, and rather than chrome-plating the aluminum wheels plastic chrome covers are used for dress-up.

The two longer beds are typical pickup design and include four tie-down loops a few inches above floor level. The RamBox of Crew Cab models has a perfectly rectangular interior with no wheel-well intrusions. The Crew Cab RamBox is 49 inches wide, ensuring it can carry the ubiquitous 4x8 building materials flat on the floor. Side rails with cleats secure the cargo, and a bed divider that locks into place segments the bed into smaller areas or can be flipped over and used as a bed extender with the tailgate down.

Along the sides of the RamBox are two locking bins, capable of holding 120 standard 12-ounce cans on the left side (where the fuel fill is) and 130 on the right. These boxes have locking lids, drains, lights and 90-degree opening lids; together the volume exceeds that of a 55-gallon drum. You can fill them with ice and beverages for tailgate parties and camping. They might even hold trailer sway control equipment, though the heavy bars may be pushing the limits of the boxes.

Interior

You may recognize a couple of switches or buttons and the center seat section with fold-down center armrest, but everything else inside the Dodge Ram has been redone for the 2009 model year.

The seats are new, finished in a durable fabric that you won't stick to in summer heat or be crusty and chilly in a blizzard. The new seats offer good support and plenty of room. We swapped through a few Ram models back-to-back to compare the trim levels and found the seat in the base model is the same design as in the top-line models, and we had no complaints after a full day of driving. We also found we could sit in the back of a Quad Cab for 20-minute jaunts, but a 6-foot passenger will be happier in a Crew Cab where rear dimensions are essentially the same as the front; only the Crew Cab has a center rear headrest.

Instrumentation includes a tachometer. The gear indicators are orange with the gear chosen shown in green. The gauges are illuminated amber at night while the controls are bathed in green. The electronic stability control switch (standard) and 4WD switch are on the dash (both 4WD systems are electrically-switched).

A typical right-side lever controls the transmission, with a thumb toggle for independently selecting any forward gear; some people with small hands may prefer this to the bulky floor shift that comes with center console trucks. Common operating controls such as lights, wipers and cruise control are on column-mounted stalks.

Dashboards are nicely framed, with symmetry on both sides of the wheel and both sides of the truck. Upper models may be ordered with bucket seats and fixed center console that houses storage areas and a stubby T-bar shifter on the driver's side; the shifter has chrome bulges on either side that look suspiciously like buttons but aren't. The only drawbacks to this arrangement are the loss of one seating position and the space under the central dash where you might mount a trailer brake controller, communications radio, or light-bar or plow control.

With so many trim levels to choose from you should be able to find one that meets your requirements. We found the basic ST work truck model particularly impressive. Entry-level pickups have a tendency to be penalty boxes lacking any amenity beyond a seat cushion and an ashtray, but we didn't feel penalized at all in the ST. The ST models have plastic door panels that are easy to clean and fairly scuff resistant. The standard radio does an exceptional job in light of the basement price.

As trim and price rise so too do standard goodies and optional extras. The key goes in the dash on base trucks but others have pushbutton start, and mid-grade trucks add a voltmeter and an oil pressure indicator. Chrome rings the gauges, leather wraps the wheels on upper models, and the vehicle information center between the larger gauges offers myriad functions from trip computer and transmission fluid temperature to radio data.

The MyGig infotainment system with 30GB hard drive is available, along with navigation, dual-zone climate control, rear park sensors with audible beeps and LED warnings above the rear window, and a 150-watt, 110-volt AC outlet. A moonroof is offered on both four door cabs as is a rear-seat DVD entertainment system (though you can't get both on the Quad Cab). Alpine supplies the premium surround sound system, with speakers in the Crew Cab headliner above the back seat and a subwoofer under it.

Storage in all models is good, including double glove-boxes. On the Crew Cab, Chrysler claims 42 places to put things (we got bored after counting up the first 18). On some four-doors you can get under-floor insulated storage compartments. The Crew Cab has a pair of AC vents mounted low in back; coat hooks that will hold plastic hangars, and cupholders in the center armrest, but there are no reading lights in back. The tunnel hump in the floor is just a couple of inches high yet plenty wide enough for the center rider to have both feet on the same level.

We found we could converse in normal tones at highway speeds back seat to front, with less than average wind, exhaust and tire noise from behind. Even a base model, with a V6 engine never recognized for a quiet or smooth demeanor, does a fine job of minimizing distracting and fatiguing noise and vibrations.

We'd rank the new Ram cabin at or near the top of its class. It is closest in design and style to GM and Ford. A Ram Laramie cabin is not quite as smooth and sleek as a Chevy Silverado LTZ cabin and it is not as complicated or multi-hued-and-textured an Ford F-150 Lariat cabin. The Nissan Titan offers good instrumentation and controls, but doesn't quite reach the refinement of the Ram. The Toyota Tundra offers similar features but the instrument panel is less integrated.