Ram has revisited the 1500 pickup for the 2025 model year, giving the truck a refreshed design, new engines, and two new trims.
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The 2025 Ram 1500 is a full-size truck that aims to be the leader in comfort and capability in pickup trucks. It offers two new engine options: a regular V6 and a super powerful twin-turbo inline-six that replaces the old V8. There's even a Rebel trim for off-roading adventures! But if luxury is your thing, the Ram has you covered. High-end trims like the Limited and the new Tungsten rival fancy SUVs with all the bells and whistles, without sacrificing the truck's tough side. While it can't tow quite as much as some competitors, the Ram 1500 is still a beast that can handle most jobs.
This week I was test-driving the Limited trim of the 2025 RAM 1500 and am very impressed by this truck. This is perhaps the best truck I have test-driven in the past 5 years. All the buttons are accessible, it provides great comfort and the large touchscreen is very intuitive.
Here Are The Most Talked About Updates of The 2025 RAM 1500
- Bye Bye Hemi, Hello Hurricane: The most talked-about change in the 2025 RAM 1500 truck is the new twin-turbo inline-six "Hurricane" engine replacing the classic Hemi V8. This new engine offers impressive horsepower (especially the 540 hp high-output option) and might even win over V8 purists with its performance.
- Tech Upgrade Central: The Ram 1500 gets a significant tech boost for 2025. The standard infotainment screen jumps to a much larger 12-inch unit, with an even bigger 14.5-inch option. Plus, a passenger-side screen is a new addition, making the cabin a more high-tech entertainment hub.
- Luxury on Wheels (Literally): Ram introduces the Tungsten trim, their most luxurious offering ever. This trim offers features like quilted leather seats with massage functionality, a suede headliner, and a premium sound system, blurring the lines between truck and luxury SUV.
- More Power, Maybe Less Thirst: While official fuel economy figures aren't out yet, early tests suggest the new engines might offer a surprising benefit - improved fuel efficiency compared to the Hemi V8. This could be a game-changer for those seeking a powerful truck that's easier on the wallet at the pump.
- Crew Cab Comfort Reigns Supreme: The Crew Cab configuration remains the king of passenger space in the Ram 1500 lineup. With the most rear legroom and headroom, it's ideal for families or those who frequently have passengers. This, combined with the tech and luxury upgrades, makes the Crew Cab a compelling choice for those seeking a comfortable and capable truck.
The 2025 RAM 1500 starts at $40,275 and is offered in ten trims: namely Tradesman, Tradesman HFE, Big Horn, Warlock, Laramie, Rebel, RHO, Limited, Limited Longhorn and Tungsteen. The top Thungsten trim is offered at $87,320 while the Limited trim that I was driving comes with a $75,450 price tag.
What Engine and Transmission Does RAM 1500 Use in 2025?
The 2025 Ram 1500 says goodbye to multiple engine choices and welcomes a new era of power with two V6 options. The base engine is a 3.6L V6 with a mild hybrid system using a 48-volt battery. This setup delivers 305 horsepower, perfect for everyday driving. However, the real story lies under the hood of higher trims. Here, you'll find the all-new twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, creatively named Hurricane by Ram. This powerhouse comes in two flavors – a standard output with 420 horsepower and a high-output version offering a whopping 540 horsepower.
No matter which Hurricane engine you choose, it's paired with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. So whether you're hauling cargo or just cruising down the highway, the Ram 1500 promises a powerful and comfortable ride.
It's important to note that the Ram 1500 prioritizes comfort over pure towing capacity compared to some competitors. However, its impressive power, especially with the high-output Hurricane engine, should be more than enough for most truck needs.
Depending which trim you choose the 2025 RAM 1500's fuel economy can range from 14 to 24 miles per gallon city/highway, while the combined can range from 15 to 23 (for the hybrid version). For more detailed information visit EPA's website.
Additionally, the Ram 1500 sets itself apart with its standard coil spring rear suspension, offering a smoother ride than the traditional leaf springs used by many rivals. For those seeking ultimate off-road capability, the Rebel trim offers a rugged look and the performance to match, while the optional air suspension on other trims allows for adjustable ride height, further enhancing both fuel efficiency and off-road prowess.
RAM 1500's Redesign of 2025
For 2025 Ram designers took the opportunity to redesign the headlights and grille, the latter being more imposing and more inclined towards the front, with eight different treatments depending on the model. At the rear, the lights are also modernized and a power tailgate with obstacle detection makes its appearance. The multifunction tailgate and the RamBox storage system in the walls of the box continue to be on the menu.
At the front, not only the grille has gained some volume, but also the RAM letters have been moved to the upper part of the opening, from their central position.
The big news is the arrival of the Tungsten variant. The trim in the 2025 RAM 1500 positions itself at the top of the hierarchy. It pushes the limits in terms of luxury, an area where Ram has been asserting itself for several years. The materials are noble, the presentation is colorful and mixes the surfaces (woodwork, metal appliques, leathers, etc.) in a beautiful way. We even note small touches that make us understand that we are elsewhere. For example, on a Rebel model, the seat controls are located on the seats. At the top of the family, the seat controls are inside the door, like at Mercedes-Benz, for example.
2025 RAM 1500's Towing
While the 2025 Ram 1500 offers a respectable maximum towing capacity of 11,580 pounds, it falls short of some rivals from Ford and Chevy that surpass 13,000 pounds. However, if serious towing is your priority, Ram offers the new Ramcharger plug-in hybrid with a 14,000-pound towing capacity, or you can step up to the heavy-duty Ram HD lineup for a maximum towing capacity of nearly 37,100 pounds.
The 2025 Ram 1500 comes in two bed lengths: a standard 5-foot-7 inch bed and an optional 6-foot-4 inch bed. While it might not be the biggest bed on the market, it offers useful features like a split-folding tailgate for easier loading and unloading.
Interior Comfort and Legroom
The Limited Crew Cab in the 2025 Ram 1500 goes all out on both comfort and space. Forget the image of a cramped truck cabin – the Crew Cab offers cavernous legroom and headroom for all passengers.
Climbing in and out is easy thanks to the wide door openings, and the supremely functional cubby storage throughout the cabin keeps everything organized. I was particularly impressed by the functionality of the side steps, which open slide out as you open the door. I think these are the best I have experienced in any vehicle so far.
But the Limited trim elevates the interior experience to another level. Upscale materials like heated and ventilated leather seats and a panoramic sunroof create a luxurious feel, on par with some SUVs.
Stepping it up even further, the optional 24-way adjustable front seats with a massage function in the Tungsten trim truly pamper the driver and passenger.
Infotainment Improvement
Let's near to the conclusion of this review by talking about the central touch screen because Ram has improved the resolution of the 12-inch one for more clarity and added another 14.5-inch one in some versions. The front passenger will not be left out, since a 10.25-inch screen will be available on the right side of the dashboard, allowing you to manage navigation, view video content (which remains invisible to the driver) or monitor images from exterior cameras.
The 2025 Ram 1500 carries on the tradition of offering one of the best infotainment systems in the truck class. Whether you choose the standard 12.0-inch or the optional massive 14.5-inch touchscreen, you're in for a treat. Both systems are user-friendly and responsive, and for those who prefer a physical touch, the larger screen still offers redundant knobs and buttons for essential functions. All this combines to create a truly modern and feature-rich infotainment experience in the 2025 Ram 1500.
As an option, the rearview mirror also transforms into a screen, being connected to a rear camera. Not to mention the 10-inch color head-up display in front of the driver.
Here are the top 3 competitors of the 2025 Ram 1500 and Ram's potential advantages:
Ford F-150: This perennial champion offers a wider range of engine options, including a powerful V8 and a hybrid variant. It also offers class-leading towing capacity (over 13,000 lbs).
Ram's Advantage: The Ram 1500 focuses on interior comfort and luxury, especially in higher trims like the Limited and Tungsten. The new twin-turbo inline-six "Hurricane" engine might surprise with its performance, potentially making the F-150's V8 less of a necessity.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Similar to the F-150, the Silverado offers a wider engine variety and potentially better towing capacity. It also has a strong reputation for reliability.
Ram's Advantage: The Ram 1500 offers a more upscale interior design, especially in higher trims. The standard coil spring rear suspension offers a smoother ride compared to the Silverado's traditional leaf springs.
Toyota Tundra: The redesigned Tundra for 2024 offers a hybrid powertrain option and a reputation for impressive fuel efficiency.
Ram's Advantage: The Ram 1500 offers a wider range of engine options with potentially more power, particularly with the high-output Hurricane engine. The Ram also offers a more luxurious interior design, especially in higher trims.
The Driving Experience
The 2025 Ram 1500 is a confident highway cruiser. The powerful Hurricane engine options (especially the high-output 540 hp version) provide ample acceleration for merging and passing with ease.
The smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission contributes to a relaxed driving experience on long journeys.
Being a full-size truck, the Ram 1500 has a higher center of gravity compared to a car. This can translate to some body roll during sharp turns. However, Ram's suspension does a good job of controlling this body roll, resulting in a surprisingly composed ride for a truck.
The responsive steering ensures you feel in control while navigating corners or changing lanes. Crew Cab configuration offers the most legroom and headroom, making it ideal for passengers on longer trips.
In my opinion, the strong points of the 2025 RAM 1500 are that power is here, the steering is light and pleasant, and the level of comfort remains a benchmark. The weak point for me is that some may miss the V8 engine. But I was very pleased with the current engine option.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.
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