2025 Ram 1500 First Drive Review: Back on Top

For a few minutes outside of Austin, Texas, I genuinely forgot we were in a truck.

I’m riding shotgun in the 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten, a whole new range-topping trim that debuts alongside a substantial facelift for the model year. Between the massaging seat, hushed cabin, pillowy ride, and a barely audible but oddly Germanic thrum up ahead, it’s easy to forget there’s a 67-inch bed slung way out back. Heck, some SUVs from accomplished luxury brands don’t feel this swanky.

That the nearly six-figure model impresses isn’t surprising. Thankfully, the rest of the 1500 lineup benefits from the same goodness, and on first impressions, it appears Ram’s rig could once again be the truck to beat.

After over two decades of service, the Hemi is dead. We’ve seen the elder eight-cylinder slowly disappear from elsewhere in the Stellantis family over the last two years, but the Ram 1500 is the most prolific model yet to drop it. In its place sits the Hurricane inline-six—the first non-diesel example to show up in a full-size pickup this century—in two states of tune. The Standard Output, available from Tradesman through Rebel trims, produces 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers represent increases of 25 and 59 over the outgoing 5.7-liter, respectively. The High Output, standard on the remaining trims, pumps those figures up to 540 hp and 521 lb-ft. The eight-speed automatic remains as before, though buyers now have the choice of a 3.55 final axle ratio in addition to the previous 3.21 and 3.92.

Ye ol’ 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 eTorque setup remains standard equipment on the Tradesman and Big Horn (known as Lone Star in Texas).

Ram has also tweaked the styling for 2025. Thinner LED headlights frame a reshaped grille that is now canted forward. The “RAM” logo is moved up, more chest- than waist-height, and every single trim sees its own grille treatment. The taillights feature all new elements, as well. There are myriad wheel options, from 18-inch steelies to the 22-inch, diamond-cut items on the Tungsten.

Elsewhere, Ram has freshened up the cabin materials, dramatically upped the screen real estate, and made plenty of previously optional driver assists standard.

The 1500’s new range-topper deserves a dedicated section. Luxo-trucks have been a thing for a while now, but the latest from Ram truly moves the game on. There’s leather everywhere, from the seats to the airbag cover on the steering wheel. Suede lines the pillars and ceiling. The two-tone Indigo and Sea Salt leather looks, feels, and smells premium, wrapping the 24-way power adjustable front thrones. Even the headrests are powered. The massage function isn’t just a token effort either, but a very articulated affair.

Perhaps my favorite cabin feature is the unique Tungsten badge on the center console. Featuring a variety of textures and each truck’s unique VIN, the badge incorporates a crystal-like cover that gives it a distinctly watch-like vibe. Similarly impressive, at least visually, is the 23-speaker Klipsch audio system. The setup is powerful and crisp enough, but I worry about those kick-height metal speaker grilles on the backs of the front seats. Dual wireless phone charging is excellent on its own; that the Ram designers ensured phones stay secure is even better.

Coming standard with the High Output motor, the Tungsten hauls in more ways than one, but goes about its business like an oversized executive sedan: all hushed comfort and minimal fuss. Is this the first grand tourer pickup? Quite possibly. With Level 2, hands-free highway motoring available as well, it should do the executive express gig pretty solidly, too.

Moving down to the more common trims, the ’25 Ram 1500 continues to impress with good road manners and smart cabin decisions. I take a trip to the other end of the family tree with a drive in the Tradesman. This one is upgraded to the low-power Hurricane, which is just as smooth and plenty powerful for the day-to-day. The lack of air suspension and modest 18-inch alloys might sound prosaic, but the Tradesman still has a comfortable, predictable ride that is far better-judged than any “work truck” trim that has come before. With the improved screen, extra kit like adaptive cruise control and modern automated emergency braking, and hardy vinyl seating, the Tradesman is a low-key star for me. For around $40,000, it’s a whole lot of truck without feeling too basic. The super-easy rear seat folding is welcome, too.

A later stint in a Big Horn (or Lone Star in Texas) reinforces the impression that this is now the best gas engine in the segment. It pairs the refinement of the inline-six arrangement with the faultless eight-speed automatic for a powertrain that just doesn’t quit.

There is a trade-off: towing capacity is down over 1,000 pounds, now topping out at 11,560 lb. Dodge seems unbothered by this, stating most customers regularly needing to tow five figures will look to the HD line. Nonetheless, in the notoriously ruthless truck segment, a towing decrease is a weak point the marketing departments at Ford and GM will look to exploit.

We spent part of the afternoon pitching Rebels around an off-road trail. The optional power-operated towing mirrors eat into visibility, but beyond that minor annoyance, the Rebel is both easy to guide through the slow and rocky stuff, plus satisfying and confident on the quicker “baja” sections. It also continues to look cool as hell. While the Rebel lacks the fancy branded suspension bits found on rivals, it does feature an air suspension to add two inches (50 millimeters) of ground clearance if so needed.

Uconnect 5 finally takes center stage in the 1500. We got to play with all three infotainment screen sizes: 8.4-, 12.0, and 14.5-inchers, with the former in landscape and the latter two in portrait orientation. It’s just as good here as it is elsewhere: simple to use, simple to wirelessly pair with a phone, and helpfully short on lag. The smaller screen now sits flush for a cleaner look, too. Meanwhile, the larger items keep a few truck-specific controls on-screen at all times, so you’re not left fumbling for the trailer steering or parking sensors. I wish there were a more obvious tell that the air suspension is actually adjusting, but that’s a nitpick.

In addition to the central screen and depending on trim, the 2025 Ram 1500 also comes with a fully digital instrument cluster, a 10.0-inch head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, and a 10.25-inch passenger screen. The latter is similar to what we’ve seen in Jeeps for a few years now: the ability to co-pilot with nav suggestions, play DJ, or check out the cameras, plus an HDMI port—all with a privacy coating so the driver can’t see. The digital mirror has an a trick up its sleeve, too: with a connected camera, owners can see behind a trailer at all times, instead of needing to use the central touchscreen.

Pricing for the 2025 Ram 1500 rises a little or a lot, depending on your desired trim. The entry point of $42,270 (including destination) for a bog-standard, rear-drive, Pentastar-powered Tradesman is reasonable, not even a grand more than last year. The Hurricane and 4WD upgrade takes it closer to $50,000, but that’s still some way shy of the first trim to make the former standard: the $62,025 Laramie. The rough-and-tumble Rebel sits in the middle at a little over $66,000. Are you sitting down? The Tungsten goes for $89,150.

Canada makes 4x4 standard, so the $61,640 CAD starting price is a bit more understandable. Some trims, like the popular Laramie, are slightly cheaper than before. The Tungsten is fully into six figures in the land of hockey, ringing in at $109,140 CAD.

The Ram 1500 has been a strong player in the truck segment for years now—arguably the best choice even, though it had a powertrain lineup that lacked the diversity and electrification levels of competitors. The 2025 refresh sweetens the deal, with better tech, an upgraded cabin, and the most refined and impressive gas engine in the segment. The appeal is still limited to ICE, but once the Ramcharger range-extender, REV all-electric, and RHO performance model all fill out the ranks throughout the year, the 1500 should cover all the bases.

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