The rotary dial for the transfer case is easy to reach and operate, and its shift-on-the-fly capability a real convenience. We hit one particularly sandy section and switched easily into 4WD without dropping speed. Later, on a steep hill, we switched into 4WD-low and easily walked up a good 15 degree grade.

Only on washboard stretches of hard-packed dirt roads did the back end tend to lose its grip at speed - and even then only in two-wheel-drive mode. That's a fault common to most unloaded pickups. We were impressed with the Quad Cab's turning radius. For a truck its length, it makes relatively tight turns.

The brakes deliver straight and true stopping power. Our Quad Cab had the optional four-wheel anti-lock brakes ($495).

Dodge claims its 4.7-liter V8 ($590), designed from a clean sheet of paper, is the most refined V8 ever offered on a Dodge truck. It's a powerful little devil, rated at 235 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque--all the power and torque you'd expect from a V8.

The 4.7 can be paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, or with Dodge's new multi-speed automatic transmission. The latter is a fully electronic four-speed automatic with a dual-ratio second gear. This transmission was designed in tandem with the 4.7-liter engine and they are precisely calibrated to each other, with an onboard computer continuously adjusting the shift pattern to match the way the truck is driven. A 3.0:1 Low ratio provides plenty of leverage to get rolling, followed by a shift up into a torquy 1.67:1 Second. But a kickdown from direct-drive Third engages a higher-speed Second ratio of 1.50:1, which Dodge says is better for passing. Fourth is a generous 0.75:1 overdrive, while Reverse has the same ratio as Low, beneficial when backing up with a heavy trailer.