IN THIS FEATURE Fill-up, ton-down Tax Dodge Rammed in Scarily thirsty

They might have a point, but you can fight back by mentioning that it can carry over a tonne in the vast bed, tow another four tonnes and transport six people. That's possible because it has a bench front seat in good US tradition (the auto gearshift is mounted on the steering column) and it's wide enough for everyone to be satisfied with their cheek space. But only two are really comfortable. The middle seats are shorter and hampered by the transmission tunnel, while everyone in the back is too upright.

The equipment is more generous. You get leather seats (heated and electric in the front), cruise control, 6-CD changer and trip computer, and Dodge in the UK throws in a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm too. The truncated middle front seat drops to form a vast armrest with a useful storage area, while the split rear seats tip upwards to release a folding metal floor, ideal for stashing vulnerable tools.

Left-hand-drive only

At the wheel, the Ram initially feels huge and, because it's left-hand-drive only, the instinct is to drive in the gutter for fear of spearing oncoming traffic. But in reality it's narrower than a Transit, and pretty soon you're sailing through width restrictions.