Ram 1500 Adds Split-Tailgate Option

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is adding multifunction tailgate and center step options to the 2019 Ram 1500 fullsize pickup truck.

The $1,000 tailgate features a split (60-40) design that allows users to open the doors independently or together. Each door can swing open 88°.

The tailgate can be opened without removing the trailer hitch, which Ram says is an industry first for a multifunction system. When folded down, the tailgate has a 2,000-lb load capacity. The $300 retractable tailgate step (below) enables improved access to the pickup bed.

General Motors Co. also is offering a multifunction tailgate on the 2019 GMC Sierra pickup. The six-position, power-operated feature can be configured into a workstation, used for second-tier loading or to accommodate longer items in the cargo bed.

The new Ram 1500, which will be available this spring, also features an upgraded version of the RamBox cargo management system that includes lockable, illuminated and drainable storage bins built into the bed rails. Other goodies include a pickup bed divider/two-foot bed extender and cargo rail system with four sliding, adjustable cleats.