First Drive: 2025 Ram 1500: More Power, More Tech, More Money

The full-size truck market is about to get more competitive as Ram rolls out a major update of the 1500 pickup. The 2025 package has plenty to offer, from two versions of the new Hurricane engine to the all-new premium Tungsten edition. There’s plenty of new technology, as well, including the new Hands-free Driving Assist system. But you can also expect to spend more money, Headlight.News headed to Texas Hill Country to get some time behind the wheel of the 2025 Ram 1500.

The Ram 1500 has traditionally been the upstart looking to shake up a market segment long dominated by Ford and General Motors. If the time I spent driving the 2025 pickup is any indication, both of those manufacturers will need to be looking over their shoulders.

Some traditionalists may feel a sense of loss, the 2025 Ram 1500 waving farewell to the iconic Hemi V-8. But the new Hurricane engine — offered in two packages making at much as 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque — should quickly win over any skeptics. Add an updated suspension, the new Hands-Free Driving Assist and the equally new Ram 1500 Tungsten edition and there’s a lot to like. The biggest downside? Prices that start at more than $40,000 for the most basic work truck and top out around $120,000 for the new TRX Final Edition.

Hurricane power

While the familiar Hemi V-8 has gone off the junkyard in the sky, Buyers of the 2025 Ram 1500 will still have some impressive powertrain options, starting with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 eTorque that carries over. It’s 48-volt boost system adds some welcome low-end grunt, the mild hybrid making 305 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. It’s standard on the two low-end trucks, the Tradesman and Big Horn and should be fine for buyers on a budget.

But I expect to see strong demand for the Ram 1500’s two new engine options:

• 3.0-liter Hurricane Straight-6 Turbo making 420 hp and 469 lb-ft;
• 3.0-liter Hurricane Straight-6 Turbo High-Output making 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque.

The High-Output package adds an aluminum block and head, along with cross-bolted main bearing caps, and various forged components designed to stand up to the harshest demands truckers might make.

In most applications, the High-Output Hurricane boasts a tow rating of 11,580 pounds and a max payload of 2,300 pounds. The exception is the Tungsten edition where the tow rating drops to 7,820 pounds and payload is limited to 1,050 lbs — largely due to the luxury truck’s less robust air suspension.

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Powertrain, towing and cargo options

All versions of the new Ram 1500 get 8-speed automatic transmissions, though there are different versions of the gearbox for the old Pentastar V-6 and the new Hurricane twins.

The base versions of the new truck are configured for rear-wheel-drive, though all-wheel-drive is available. Depending upon the trim, Ram buyers can choose from open, limited slip, or electronic locking rear differential options.

An electronic controller for a Class IV hitch is available in the Trailer-Tow package. You’ll need a weight-distributing hitch to hit maximum tow capacity.

Ram Crew Cab models will come standard with 5-foot, 7-inch cargo beds, with an option to upgrade to the 6-foot, 4-inch bed used on Quad Cab packages. There’s also a bed extender upgrade available for those who the RamBox storage system built into the side of the bed wall.

Deep in the heart of Texas

In recent years, the Ram 1500 has become an increasingly serious alternative to the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra siblings, even if it doesn’t have quite the top-end towing capacity. The 2024 makeover turns it into an even more serious competitor, as I discovered during several hundred miles of on and off-road driving. I had the opportunity to drive nearly all of the trim packages that will initially reach showrooms, from the base Tradesman to the lavishly equipped Tungsten — which replaces the Ram 1500 Limited at the top of the lineup.

I also got into the off-road-oriented Rebel, though I’ll have to wait a bit for Ram to offer up the new TRX Final Edition, its ultimate trail master.

All of the versions I got into lived up to expectations — with only the most modest of complaints. While I did spend a brief run in through Texas Hill Country in a Tradesman motivated by the old Pentastar V-6, I focused on testers equipped with the two new Hurricane packages.

Driving Impressions

If the old Pentastar engine is adequate, the new Hurricane High-Output is downright overwhelming, with enough grunt to squeal the tires on a lightly loaded Ram 1500. It readily proved its capabilities hauling one of the bigger Airstream trailers. At 540 hp and 521 lb-ft, it turns the truck into a 3-ton muscle car. In reality, only those with an absolute need for speed or extreme towing and cargo demands will likely go HO. For everyone else, the “base” Hurricane’s 420 hp and 469 lb-ft should be “more than enough.”

Both engines were impressive in terms of creature comforts. The old Hemi was a rough and raucous powertrain. The Hurricane engines are surprisingly refined. During routine cruising, the 2025 Ram 1500 equipped with either of the two versions proved quiet — until you pinned the throttle to the floor — and smooth. That’s a benefit of the Inline-6 configuration.

The new truck also benefits from an upgrade to its suspension — a double-wishbone front and five-link solid axle in the rear. The alternative on the Tungsten is a versatile, five-mode air suspension. It can be set up for various driving conditions.

Off-road, it rises as much as 2 inches. It also drops by an equal amount for easier ingress and egress, or when the truck is driven at highway speeds. The steel suspension is smoother than one might expect of a full-size pickup. The air suspension takes things to another level.

Another surprise was how well the new Ram 1500 handled. It proved surprisingly easy to toss around on Hill Country roads, while maintaining poise on the region’s less than stellar road surfaces.

Off-road

You can manage modest off-road conditions with all versions of the 2025 Ram 1500, even the high-line Tungsten. But until the TRX options come to market, buyers looking to overland or rock crawl will likely be looking at the Rebel edition.

As with all Ram 1500 trim packages, Rebel gets a number of unique details, from its distinctive grille and steel bumpers to the red and black mesh ombre mesh seating inserts. The onboard infotainment system also adds apps to help you track trail conditions. And you can outfit Rebel with a variety of different camera views that will help you avoid — quite literally — falling off a cliff.

The truck rides on 18-inch wheels shod with all-terrain tires that proved capable of handling a range of different surfaces, from mud to shale to gravel, when I took it out on the trail.

Tech talk

If you haven’t spent any time behind the wheel of a modern pickup you could be in for some big surprises. Gone are the days when they were stripped-down utilitarian packages. Even the Ram 1500 Tradesman work truck has plenty of creature comforts and when you opt for something like the Tungsten you’ll be lavished in leather and wood, the traditional hallmarks of a luxury vehicle. It also boasts heated, ventilated and massaging seats, as well as an upgraded Klipsch audio system punching out 1,228 watts through 24 separate channels.

At the low end, the Tradesman retains traditional analog gauges, but there’s also an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Move up the ladder and you’ll find your truck rolling off the line with a 14.5-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital cluster. Tungsten even can be outfitted with a 10.25-inch display like the one on the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

There are useful features such as a 120-volt power inverter accessible from the cargo bed, and a wireless charging system capable of handling two smartphones simultaneously. The 2025 Ram 1500 also offers an assortment of digital safety systems, including a ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic grid lines, and electronic stability control with electronic roll mitigation. All told, adding in options, the truck brand claims to have “more than 100” advanced safety and security features available.

The new Ram 1500 also lets you leave your key fob at home, replacing it with a key card or by using a smartphone app. You can even provide a remote key to a friend, family members or valet online.

Hands-free Driving Assist

With the debut of the 2025 pickup, Ram becomes the latest truck brand to add semi-autonomous operating capabilities. Technically, Hands-free Driving Assist is a Level 2+ system. It will permit you to take hands off the wheel in “geofenced” locations that have been mapped in much higher detail than with the normal onboard navigation system.

For now, the automaker says, that’s restricted to limited-access roadways, though we can expect to see more roads added in the future using the truck’s smartphone-style over-the-air update technology.

As with GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise, a driver will have to stay alert and keep eyes on the road — tracked by an in-cabin sensing system. And they’ll have to be ready to retake control in an emergency or if they exit the mapped area covered by Driving Assist.

A few complaints

While Hands-Free Driving Assist is a noteworthy new feature, it’s not yet up to the competitive systems from GM and Ford. It doesn’t cover nearly as much territory — GM this week announcing it will expand Super Cruise’s capabilities to more than 750,000 miles of North American roads. Nor does it offer as many features. The latest version of Super Cruise, for one, can work with a trailer. And it can execute automatic passes when it’s safe to go around a slower moving vehicle.

Indeed, most of my complaints are tech-oriented. That includes the latest version of the Stellantis Uconnect infotainment system. When it works well it’s a significant upgrade. Unfortunately, some of the added features occasionally glitched. And I think less tech-savvy folks could get overwhelmed by the system. In particular, I’d prefer to have more traditional controls, especially for the truck’s climate system.

My biggest complaint, though, has to do with pricing.

Wrap up

There’s no question the 2025 Ram 1500 offers a lot of desirable features and functionality for the money. Problem is it’s a lot of money.

An absolutely base-level Tradesman starts at $40,565, and the package I spent time in had an MSRP of $54,890. My Rebel off-roader came in at $64,195. The Tungsten 4×4 I drove rang up at $87,155. If that’s not enough to leave you breathless, consider that the upcoming 2025 Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition will set you back more than $120,000.

Of course, Ram isn’t the only automotive brand that has seen runaway inflation in recent years. The typical new vehicle reached a record high of around $50,000 early in 2023 before flattening out. That’s an increase of roughly 40% in little more than a decade.

That said, there’s a lot to like about the 2025 Ram 1500. If you’re looking for a new, full-size truck, it’s clearly one to seriously consider.