Which Ram 1500 Cab Style Is Right for Me?

Which Ram 1500 Cab Style Is Right for Me?

Some trucks have three cab styles, but there are only two for the Ram 1500. The Quad Cab is an extended cab with smaller rear doors, and the Crew Cab has full-sized rear doors. Most trims come standard with the Quad Cab, and the Crew Cab is available in every trim. The Limited Longhorn, Limited, and TRX come only with the Crew Cab.

Upgrading to the Crew Cab is probably worth the cost if you routinely have adult passengers riding in the back of your truck. The Crew Cab gives occupants almost 10 more inches of extra legroom than the Quad Cab.

Ram 1500 Trims

Ram 1500 Trims:

Ram 1500 Tradesman

The Tradesman sports a base price of $32,245. It comes with cloth or synthetic leather upholstery and the Uconnect infotainment system with a 5-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, and a mix of USB ports.

You can add four-wheel drive for $3,500. You can upgrade to a V8 engine for $1,795 or the diesel for $4,995. The Level 1 Equipment Group ($1,555) adds upgraded cloth upholstery, satellite radio, and a power-sliding rear window. The Level 1 Safety Group ($595) adds lane keep assist and pedestrian detection.

Ram 1500 Big Horn

The Ram 1500 Big Horn starts at $36,890. Standard features in the Big Horn include upgraded cloth upholstery, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, exterior chrome trim, and fog lights.

You can add 4WD for $3,500. The Big Horn's Level 1 Equipment Group ($1,300) includes a Class IV receiver hitch, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a power-sliding rear window, satellite radio, and an upgraded Uconnect 4 infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touch screen.

The Level 2 Equipment Group ($2,500) adds the features of the Level 1 group plus dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and front and rear parking sensors.

Ram 1500 Laramie

The Ram 1500 Laramie starts at $41,430. The Laramie comes with genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, the upgraded Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and an Alpine premium sound system.

This trim's Level 1 Equipment Group ($1,795) adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. The Level 2 Equipment Group ($2,750) adds the same features, as well as heated rear seats and navigation.

The Laramie Southwest Edition ($2,795) adds several styling upgrades and a 12-inch infotainment display. The Advanced Safety Group ($1,695) adds adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and parallel and perpendicular park assist.

Ram 1500 Rebel

The Rebel is the first primary off-road trim in the lineup, and it starts at $45,320. This model features a locking differential, tow hooks, and a performance suspension system with a 2-inch lift kit. It also gets a power-adjustable driver's seat, satellite radio, and a 115-volt household-style power outlet. Though this is an off-road edition, four-wheel drive costs an extra $3,500.

The Rebel’s Level 1 Equipment Group ($2,000) adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and the upgraded Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Level 2 Equipment Group ($3,000) also adds remote start and front and rear parking sensors.

The Rebel 12 package ($2,995) adds a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and a 12-inch touch screen. The Rebel 12A package ($2,495) adds a nine-speaker audio system instead of the Harman Kardon system.

The Comfort and Convenience Group ($695) adds heated rear seats and wireless device charging. The Advanced Safety Group ($1,695) remains available.

The Safety and Convenience Group is a new addition to the Rebel's list of options. This $895 safety package includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist.

Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn

The Limited Longhorn carries a starting price of $52,180. Standard features include premium leather upholstery, heated rear seats, navigation, HD Radio, and front and rear parking sensors.

The Level 1 Equipment Group ($3,895) comes with the 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a 12-inch touch screen, ventilated rear seats, wireless device charging, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and power running boards. The Advanced Safety Group ($1,695) is also available in this trim.

Ram 1500 Limited

The Limited starts at $56,250. It comes with a 12-inch vertically oriented touch screen, power running boards, a four-corner air suspension system, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and wireless device charging.

This trim’s available Level 1 Equipment Group ($2,995) adds the 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, ventilated rear seats, a surround-view parking camera system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and parallel and perpendicular park assist.

Ram 1500 TRX

The all-new Ram 1500 TRX starts at $70,095, and it has by far the most powerful engine in the lineup: the same supercharged V8 you’ll find in Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger Hellcat models. The standard features list is similar to the Big Horn’s, but the TRX also features a 12-inch touch screen and a 10-speaker audio system.

The TRX Level 1 Equipment Group ($3,420) adds genuine leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The Level 2 Equipment Group ($7,920) adds the Level 1 group's features plus blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view parking camera system, wireless device charging, ventilated front seats, and heated and ventilated rear seats.

The TRX Launch Edition package ($12,150) adds several unique styling elements, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, pedestrian detection, a deployable bed step, a sunroof, and the 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

Ram 1500 Appearance Packages:

Ram 1500 Appearance Packages:

Chrome Appearance Group (prices start at $995; available in Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie): 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, bright front and rear bumpers, and a chrome grille

Tradesman Group (prices start at $845; available in Tradesman): a spray-on bed liner and a Class IV receiver hitch

Sport Appearance package (prices start at $895; available in Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie): an auto-dimming exterior driver mirror, black interior accents, deluxe cloth bucket seats, power-folding and heated mirrors, exterior mirrors with supplemental signals and courtesy lamps, and body-color grille, bumpers, and door handles

Night Edition package (prices start at $1,995; available in Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie): 20-inch aluminum black wheels, all-season tires, a dual exhaust with black tips, black exterior badging, and black headlight bezels

Ram 1500 Work Packages/Options:

Max Tow package (prices start at $995; available in Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie): a Class IV receiver hitch, power trailer-tow mirrors with manual fold-away, and a trailer brake controller

Trailer-Tow Group (prices start at $1,990; available in Big Horn): a Class IV receiver hitch, a trailer brake controller, and trailer reverse steering control

Bed Utility Group (prices start at $350; available in all trims): four adjustable cargo tie-down hooks, in-bed LED lighting, a bed step, and a spray-on bed liner

Where Is the 2021 Ram 1500 Built?

Where Is the 2021 Ram 1500 Built?

Ram builds the 2021 Ram 1500 in Michigan.

Which Ram 1500 Model Is Right for Me?

The 2021 Ram 1500 comes in eight trims: Tradesman, Tradesman HFE, Big Horn, Laramie, Rebel, Limited Longhorn, Limited, and TRX. All models come standard with rear-wheel drive, and with almost every trim you have the choice of a V6 engine, two V8s, and a diesel. We go into more detail on powertrain choices, available body types and bed sizes, and standard features below.

If you're looking for a few more amenities than what the base Tradesman comes with but want to keep your costs reasonable, take a look at the Big Horn. The four main engines are available with this edition, as is a locking differential, heated and power-adjustable front seats, an 8.4-inch touch screen, and multiple appearance packages.

Ram 1500 Powertrain Options:

• Base engine: 3.6-liter V6 with 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque; features eTorque mild-hybrid system that adds up to 90 pound-feet of torque; starts at $31,895 (standard in Tradesman, Big Horn, and Rebel trims)
• Available engines:
  • 5.7-liter V8 with 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque; starts at $30,040 (standard in Laramie, Limited Longhorn, and Limited trims; available in all other trims)
  • 5.7-liter V8 with 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque; features eTorque mild-hybrid system that adds up to 130 pound-feet of torque; starts at $34,240 (available in every trim)
  • 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine with 260 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque; starts at $37,240 (available in every trim)
  • 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque; starts at $70,095 (standard in TRX)
• Drivetrain: standard rear-wheel drive; available four-wheel drive
• Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Ram 1500 Interior: Best in the Class Ram 1500 Cargo Space

Ram 1500 Interior: Best in the Class

Ram 1500 Cargo Space

You have a choice of two bed lengths with the Ram 1500: the standard 6-foot-4-inch bed and an available 5-foot-7-inch bed. With either bed, you can fit 4-foot-wide sheets of plywood between the wheel wells. You can also add features to make the bed more usable, such as cargo lights, a tailgate step, and RamBox built-in storage bins. The available 60/40-split multifunction tailgate can swing down like normal, or it can open outward to the sides.

How Many People Does the Ram 1500 Seat?

The Ram seats up to six people. The front seats are supportive and provide plenty of head- and legroom. The same is true of the rear seats, especially in Crew Cab models, which have an astounding amount of legroom.

Ram 1500 and Child Car Seats

The back seat of the Ram has two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the outboard seats. The rear middle seat in Quad Cab models has a tether anchor, while those in Crew Cab models have a full set of upper and lower anchors. The Insurance Institute for Highway safety gave the Ram's LATCH system the second-highest rating of Acceptable for its ease of use in Quad Cab models and the second-lowest rating of Marginal in Crew Cab models.

Ram 1500 Interior Quality

With attractive styling and an abundance of top-notch materials, the Ram 1500's interior is one of the finest in the class. In higher trims, it feels more like a luxury vehicle than a truck.

Ram 1500 Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

Simply put, the Uconnect infotainment system is one of the most user-friendly systems on the market. Its menu layout is easy to learn, the screens have crisp graphics, and you can customize a row of shortcut buttons for quick access to your favorite features.

Standard infotainment features: a 5-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, USB ports, six speakers, and a Wi-Fi hot spot

Available infotainment features: an 8.4- or 12-inch touch screen, three premium audio systems, satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, additional USB ports, wireless device charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto

Additional standard features: push-button start

Other available features: a sunroof and dual-zone automatic climate control

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto?

Read more about interior »

Ram 1500 Performance: A Smooth Ride, and No Shortage of Power Ram 1500 Engine

Ram 1500 Performance: A Smooth Ride, and No Shortage of Power

Ram 1500 Engine

The Ram's base engine is a 305-horsepower V6. Several engines are available: a 260-horsepower V6 diesel, two 395-horsepower V8s (one of which is a mild-hybrid), and the 702-horsepower supercharged V8 powering the all-new Ram TRX. A smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic pairs with every engine.

None of these engines are bad choices. Even the base V6 moves the truck well during city and highway driving and brings with it decent towing ability. The V8s are more energetic, and along with the diesel engine, are the best options for towing. The new TRX is absurdly powerful, with sports-car-worthy acceleration. It'll go from zero to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds.

Ram 1500 Gas Mileage

With its base V6 engine and rear-wheel drive, the Ram gets 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway – good ratings for the class. Opt for a V8, and ratings drop to 15/22 mpg city/highway, though those are still in line with V8-powered rivals' ratings. If you get the Ram's mild-hybrid V8, ratings are slightly better than with most other V8s at 17/23 mpg city/highway.

The diesel-powered Ram is by far the most fuel-efficient, checking in at 22/32 mpg city/highway. Fuel economy ratings are not yet available for the Ram TRX, but it's a safe assumption that they'll be the worst in the lineup.

Ram 1500 Ride and Handling

Large trucks aren't known for their handling prowess, and the Ram is no different. Still, it's stable and composed on winding roads. The real highlight is its ride; no other truck delivers the plush ride that you'll experience while driving the Ram 1500.

Ram 1500 Off-Road Performance

All Ram 1500 models are available with four-wheel drive, so any of them can carry you across sand and snow. If you want to do serious off-roading, however, you should look to the Rebel and all-new TRX trims. These models have additional features like skid plates, locking differentials, and off-road suspension components that make them more formidable than other Ram models. Of the two, the TRX is the most capable.

Ram 1500 Towing Capacity

The Ram 1500’s towing capacity ranges from 6,250 to 12,750 pounds. Its maximum tow rating is good for a half-ton truck, though there are a couple of rivals with tow ratings that top out above 13,000 pounds.

Read more about performance »

How Much Does the Ram 1500 Cost?

How Much Does the Ram 1500 Cost?

The Ram 1500 carries a base price of $32,245, which is a smidge higher than some rivals' starting prices. The Limited is the most upscale model in the class, and it starts at $56,250. That's in line with many competitors' top trims. The all-new Ram 1500 TRX is a high-performance model, and it starts at $70,095.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Ram dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Ram deals page.

How Much Does It Cost to Insure a Ram 1500?

The cost of insuring a Ram 1500 will depend on a variety of factors, including your deductible, the level of coverage that you want, and the type of insurance that you choose. Your age, gender, location, credit score, and driving record can also have an impact on your insurance rates. Check out our car insurance guide  to find the best policy for you.