2026 Ram 1500
5th generation (DT, 2019–present; major update for 2025)
Spec plateChecked Sep 2026
- Starting price
- $42,025
- 4x4 from
- —
- Max towing
- 11,610 lb
- Max payload
- 2,360 lb
- Most power
- 540 hp
- Ground clearance
- 11.8 in
RHO
Our verdict
The 2026 Ram 1500 covers a lot of ground: a part-time Warlock for trail work on a budget, the Rebel and Rebel X for daily driving with a locker, and the RHO for fast desert runs with full-time 4WD. Regular trims have ordinary clearance and there is no front locker anywhere in the lineup, so hard-core trail builds will need parts. As a do-everything 4x4 that tows and rides well, it's one of the easiest half-tons to live with.
Best for
Buyers who want a comfortable half-ton with real off-road hardware choices, from a locker-equipped Warlock to the desert-running RHO.
Skip it if
You need a front locker or a diesel, or you want serious rock-crawling hardware without adding aftermarket parts.
Strengths
- Three transfer-case choices, including a full-time case on the RHO, all with a 2.64:1 low range
- RHO: 540 hp, active Bilstein dampers, 35-inch tires and 31.0/21.8/25.2-degree approach/breakover/departure angles
- Rear e-locker standard on Warlock, Rebel and RHO
- Coil-spring rear suspension with available air suspension
- Up to 11,610 lb towing and four gas engines, including the returning HEMI V-8
Weak spots
- No front locker on any trim
- RHO trades economy and utility for speed: 15 mpg combined, 1,490 lb payload and 8,360 lb towing
- Outside the RHO, clearance is ordinary: 8.1–8.7 inches on standard 4x4s and 10.7 inches at the air suspension's highest setting
- Hurricane engines want premium fuel (required on the HO)
Capability vs other full-size trucks
- Cabs
- Quad Cab, Crew Cab
- Bed lengths
- 5.6 ft, 6.3 ft
- Fuel economy
- 15–21 mpg combined for 4x4 models (EPA): 21 Pentastar V-6 (17 on Warlock), 20 Hurricane SO, 18 HEMI V-8, 17 Hurricane HO, 15 RHO
- Pricing notes
- Ram's 'starting at' MSRP for the 2026 Ram 1500 on ramtrucks.com (Tradesman), excluding the $2,795 destination charge. Launch pricing in June 2025 was $40,275 before destination. Other current starting prices: RHO $73,795; Rebel X from $71,930 including destination and the Level 2 group. Ram doesn't list a separate starting price for the cheapest 4x4 configuration.
- Configurations
- Quad Cab with a 6-ft 4-in box, or Crew Cab with a 5-ft 7-in or 6-ft 4-in box; not every trim offers every combination (Warlock, Rebel and RHO are Crew Cab 5-ft 7-in only).
Off-road hardware
4WD / AWD system
Three two-speed BorgWarner transfer cases, all with a 2.64:1 low range and electric shift. Tradesman, Express and Warlock use the BW 48-12 part-time case (2WD High, 4WD High Locked, Neutral, 4WD Low Locked). Big Horn/Lone Star, Rebel, Laramie, Limited, Limited Longhorn and Tungsten get the BW 48-11 on-demand case, which adds a 4WD Auto mode for mixed surfaces. The RHO uses the BW 48-13 full-time case with no 2WD mode and a variable split: 40/60 in Auto, 25/75 in Baja and 50/50 in 4-Low. Independent front suspension with a five-link coil-sprung solid rear axle; four-corner air suspension is available.
Low range 2.64:1
Locking differentials
Rear electronic locking differential is standard on Warlock, Rebel and RHO (Ram describes the RHO unit as a heavy-duty, high-speed-capable locker) and optional on most other trims; at standard ride height it requires the 3.92 axle. Limited Longhorn, Limited and Tungsten come with a rear limited-slip ('anti-spin') differential instead, and the two cannot be combined. No front locker is offered.
| Approach angle | 31.0° |
|---|---|
| Breakover angle | 21.8° |
| Departure angle | 25.2° |
| Ground clearance | 11.8 in |
| Water fording | Not published |
Off-road tech
- Four-corner active-level air suspension with Off Road 1 and Off Road 2 heights (optional on Big Horn, Rebel and Laramie; standard on Limited, Limited Longhorn and Tungsten)
- Selec-Speed off-road cruise control (BackCountry)
- Rough Road Cruise Control (Rebel X)
- RHO drive modes including Mud/Sand, Rock and Baja
- Skid plates and tow hooks with the 4x4 Off-Road Group
- Available 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels (RHO)
Engines & transmissions
| Engine | Power | Torque | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L Pentastar V-6 eTorque48-volt mild hybrid. Standard on Tradesman, Express, Warlock and Big Horn/Lone Star. Up to 8,130 lb towing and the lineup's best payload (2,360 lb). | 305 hp | 269 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic (TorqueFlite 850RE) |
| 5.7L HEMI V-8 eTorqueReturns for 2026 as a 48-volt mild hybrid with a standard performance exhaust. Optional on Tradesman, Express, Warlock, Big Horn, Rebel, Laramie, Limited and Limited Longhorn (no-charge option on the last two). Up to 11,320 lb towing. | 395 hp | 410 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic (TorqueFlite 8HP75) |
| 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 (Standard Output)Standard on Rebel and Laramie, optional on Tradesman, Express, Warlock and Big Horn. Premium fuel recommended. Highest towing in the lineup, up to 11,610 lb. | 420 hp | 469 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic (TorqueFlite 8HP75) |
| 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 (High Output)Standard on Limited Longhorn, Limited, RHO and Tungsten. Premium fuel required. Up to 10,000 lb towing; RHO is rated for 8,360 lb. | 540 hp | 521 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic |
The off-road trims
Warlock
Part-time 4x4 with the 4x4 Off-Road Group standard: front and underbody skid plates, tow hooks, rear e-locker, off-road-calibrated shocks and all-terrain tires.
Big Horn BackCountry package
$2,995 package on the Big Horn 4x4 Crew Cab: 1-inch lift, heavy-duty shocks, skid plates, rear e-locker, Selec-Speed off-road cruise control and 32-inch off-road tires on 18-inch wheels.
Rebel
On-demand 4x4, 420-hp Hurricane standard, rear e-locker, skid plates and off-road shocks; four-corner air suspension is optional.
Rebel X
Rebel with a 1-inch lift, Bilstein monotube shocks, 33-inch all-terrain tires and Rough Road Cruise Control that holds off-road speed up to 20 mph.
RHO
540-hp Hurricane HO, full-time 4WD, Bilstein e2 Blackhawk active dampers, 35-inch tires, a track about 6 inches wider than other 1500s, 13/14 inches of front/rear travel and 11.8 inches of clearance.
What's new for 2026
The 5.7L HEMI V-8 eTorque returns (395 hp, 410 lb-ft) alongside the Hurricane sixes and the Pentastar V-6, and the Express/Black Express return as value trims. During the model year Ram added the BackCountry package for Big Horn and the Rebel X.
Rivals worth a look
Sources & data notes
These specs were checked on September 24, 2026 against the sources below, starting with the manufacturer's own material. When a figure isn't published, we leave it blank instead of estimating. Ratings are maximums for the best-equipped configuration; confirm yours on the door-jamb labels.
Sources for this page 16
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- fueleconomy.govfueleconomy.gov/feg/PowerSearch.do?action=noform&path=1&year1=2026&year2=2026&make=Ram&baseModel=1500
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Understand the hardware
