- The 2025 Ram 1500 is set to arrive with a refreshed look and two new engine options under the hood.
- The Hemi V-8s are gone from the full-size pickup, with a pair of Hurricane twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-sixes arriving to take their place.
- The new top-of-the-line Tungsten model initially announced for the Ram 1500 REV becomes the new top trim for the 2025 gas-only lineup.
The Venn diagram of Ram 1500 fans who are also fans of a good old-fashioned Hemi V-8 is probably just one circle. Unfortunately for those fans, the brand announced today that the 2025 Ram 1500 will arrive without a V-8 option. Along with major changes coming to the engine room, there are some minor changes to the interior and exterior for the latest model year.
Changing Powertrain for Changing Times
Let’s face it, times are changing in the auto world, and Ram—like so many other automakers—is rethinking some things. In real-world terms, that means that the days of half-ton pickup trucks powered by thundering V-8s are numbered. For the Ram 1500, that means losing the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 from under the hood. As the truck enters its next phase, the Pentastar V-6 remains the base engine, along with two optional inline-six engines.
The Hurricane—as the six-cylinder engines are called—is the same engine found in the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer (where it produces 420 or 510 horsepower). The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six produces 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque in its base format, while the high-output version of the engine is rated at 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque. Ram claims the additional 30 horsepower over the Grand Wagoneer comes by way of a slight increase in engine speed over the Jeep’s.
No matter the engine option, all three are fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The maximum towing capacity is now 11,580 pounds, while maximum payload moves to 2300 pounds.
New Faces with Jeweled Taillights
The 2025 trucks show off their modestly redesigned front end. The grille has grown slightly, and some of their old trim pieces are gone. New LED headlamps come standard on the Limited trim and up. Ram also adds an optional headlight package called “Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)” that includes twin projector headlamps with up to 15 degrees of movement based on steering input. At the back of the truck, the power tailgate, which can be controlled via key fob, adds the capability to detect obstacles.
Changes to the interior of the truck are nearly all cosmetic and vary based on trim level. The Big Horn and Lone Star trims earn new laser etching for the dashboard, doors, and console, along with new embossing on the seats. The Rebel gets a new red-and-black mesh insert for the standard cloth and vinyl seats, and the Limited Longhorn gets a new open-pore real wood veneer.
As for tech, the 2025 1500 will run the new Uconnect 5 system on either an improved 12.0-inch or new 14.5-inch central touchscreen. There’s also a new 10.3-inch passenger screen with features including navigation and device management as well as displaying exterior camera angles.
RHO Coming in Late 2024
In addition to the standard 1500 lineup, Ram promises that a new truck called the Ram 1500 RHO will arrive during the third quarter of 2024. That truck will essentially arrive as the new TRX, though it won’t feature the same snarling 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 from a Hellcat. Instead, it will feature the the high-output Hurricane with 540 horses—which is why the company didn’t call it a TRX. However, it will have all the hardcore off-road hardware that made the V-8-powered truck such a beast.
The bulk of the 2025 lineup is expected launch sometime in the middle of next year, with pricing to be announced closer to that date. In addition to the RHO coming online in the third quarter, the electric Ram REV is slated to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2024, and the last piece of the 2025 Ram puzzle, the 663-hp Ramcharger plug-in hybrid to launch after that.
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.