2025 Ram 1500 review

2025 Ram 1500 Review: 

With a luxurious interior and powerful turbo six-cylinder engine, the Ram 1500 is one of the top full-size trucks on the road today. The Ram stands out with its premium interior, smooth ride, and choice of powerful engines. It's plenty capable for towing and hauling, too.

The 2025 model year was notable for  Ram introducing a pair of powerful, capable turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engines, but those came at the expense of the tried-and-true Hemi® V8. On paper, the inline-sixes had better performance, but Ram customers just couldn't let go of their beloved V8. This also applied to the off-road-focused, V8-powered Ram TRX, which also went away. V8 fans are vocal, and Ram heard their complaints. A year later, the V8 would be brought back for the 2026 model year, with the addition of a standard sport exhaust and a mild hybrid system that helps smooth out the engine's stop-start operation. 

• Technology

• Comfort

• Cargo and storage

• Ease of use

• Driving
  

What tech does the 2025 Ram 1500 have?

Connectivity

Edmunds' Tungsten trimmed test truck included six USB ports in the front, plus dual wireless charging pads, which allow two phones to charge at the same time. Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ is standard, and it's easy to pair your phone. It's worth noting that Apple CarPlay® is able to occupy roughly two-thirds of the screen, but for some reason, Android Auto™ takes up less real estate, about a third of the screen. It does include a set of customizable widgets in the middle section of the screen, but Edmunds' testers didn't find any of them particularly useful.

Infotainment

Lower Ram trims come with an 8.4-inch center touchscreen. Laramie and higher trims come with a 12-inch touchscreen. Finally, the top Tungsten trim comes with a whopping 14.1-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, plus a front passenger interactive touchscreen display that allows them to control basic functions such as the music selection and temperature settings. 

Ram's operating system was once on the cutting edge, but is now starting to show its age. Edmunds' testers found the response time to be a bit laggy and the interface not very intuitive. The onboard satellite navigation works well, but its resolution lacks crispness and tends to lag on pinch-to-zoom gestures and when moving the map. The audio system in the Tungsten was very good but less impressive on lower trim levels.

Driver Assist Tech

Standard driver-assist features on the Ram include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane keeping assistance, and parking sensors. Rams equipped with the Advanced Safety Group II package add a surround-view camera system, evasive steering assistance (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance), intersection collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision during a left turn and applies the brakes in certain scenarios), and a hands-free active driving-assistance system. The hands-free system can be used on roughly 150,000 designated roadways and is included for the first three years of the vehicle, after which it becomes a subscription should you choose to continue using it. The system worked well in Edmunds' testing and kept the truck centered in the lane without "ping-ponging" between the lane markers, which happens in some cars. 

How comfortable is the 2025 Ram 1500? 

Front Seating

The Tungsten trim Edmunds tested included a pair of 24-way power-adjustable front seats, which were extremely comfortable. Some of those adjustments needed to be carried out through the touchscreen, but ultimately, these seats should fit all heights and body types. Cloth seats come on lower trims and leather seats are standard on the Laramie and higher trims. Edmunds didn't test the other seats, so make sure to pay attention to their comfort on your test drive. Upper trim levels add heated and ventilated front seats. Finally, the RHO and Tungsten trims get massaging seats for a relaxing commute after a long day. 

Rear Seating

The Ram offers exceptional rear-seat comfort for a truck, thanks to a significant amount of built-in recline in the back bench. Edmunds' testers found the truck comfortable enough for hours-long drives (and passengers in certain trims can also enjoy available massage functionality).

The back seats are very spacious, particularly in the crew cab, providing abundant head- and legroom for all passengers. One tester even likened the Ram's back seat to a "mini-living room."

Ride Quality and Interior Noise

The Ram distinguishes itself with fantastic ride quality, largely thanks to its rear suspension design, which uses coil springs rather than the leaf springs more commonly used in full-size pickup trucks. This translates to fewer jittery motions in the rear—especially without payload—than rivals, even the Tundra with its similar setup. Minor road imperfections like seams and bumps are almost completely absorbed.

The cabin is generally quiet, with wind and tire noise well contained. While the six-cylinder engine sounds good under hard acceleration, the noise is a bit gruff and doesn't match the V8's growl. Over several days of testing and towing, Edmunds' reviewers didn't notice any unusual vibrations.

Does the 2025 Ram 1500 have good storage?

Cargo 

The maximum payload for the Ram's bed is 2,300 pounds, which is a bit less than the Ford F-150. Edmunds' testers were unable to assess the ride quality with a full load, as they did not have the opportunity to drive the truck with the bed fully laden. Ram Limited and Tungsten trims with the short bed include a pair of RamBox® cargo bed storage bins, a unique feature that lets you store smaller items out of sight and locked away. The only trade-off is that it cuts into the width of the bed. 

The back seats can also fold up, revealing a small cargo area. However, because this area is not lockable, items stored there cannot be secured. Furthermore, it lacks the flat floor design found in some competing pickup trucks.

Storage

The front seating area (on models without the front bench) includes a large storage bin situated between the seats. This bin has a floating center section where the cupholders are located and can be moved forward or backward to optimize storage space. When slid all the way back, it creates enough room for a sizable purse or bag.

How easy is the 2025 Ram 1500 to use?

Entry, Exit, and Car Seats

The Ram 1500's entry height may be challenging for some drivers, though the air suspension system on some models can lower the vehicle for easier access. The Tungsten trim Edmunds tested mitigated this issue with powered running boards, but the Tradesman trim proved more difficult to get into.

Installing a child seat was easy thanks to the generous cabin space. However, like most full-size trucks, the top LATCH anchors use straps, which can be somewhat awkward to use. The significant benefit is that once the seat is in place, there remains plenty of room to move around it to access the other side of the cab.

Interior Layout and Visibility

The Ram offers a well-designed driver interface. Key information is easily accessible: The vertically oriented touchscreen places crucial details at the top, and the instrument cluster is clear, especially for the status of driver-assist systems. Physical controls for climate make them easier to use. For convenience, the USB ports are located directly above the wireless charger.

Finding a comfortable driving position was simple, with easy adjustment of the seat and steering wheel relative to the pedals. Additionally, the large steering wheel does not obstruct the gauge cluster, ensuring clear visibility of all your driving information.

What’s the 2025 Ram 1500 like to drive?

Driving

Despite being down two cylinders compared to the V8, both available turbocharged inline-six engines are surprisingly quick. During Edmunds' testing, the Ram with the standard-output turbo six-cylinder (420 horsepower) achieved a 0-60 mph time of just 5.2 seconds. The higher-output engine (540 hp) is significantly faster, hitting 60 mph in 4.7 seconds—a time that surpasses the figures of other full-size trucks. Even the RHO trim, despite its large, heavy off-road wheels and tires, completes the 0-60 sprint in a swift 4.9 seconds.

The Ram 1500 offers predictable handling and carries its size well, never feeling sloppy around corners, thanks to its light steering. It feels more connected to the road than other full-size pickups, although the steering offers little road feel. Visibility is excellent due to large windows, but the truck's high sides can obscure shorter objects. For off-road enthusiasts, the Ram RHO is ready for action with ample ground clearance and impressive high-speed capability.

Towing

While the Ram 1500's maximum payload capacity (2,300 pounds) and maximum towing capacity (11,580 pounds) fall short of the Ford F-150's limits, it still offers ample utility.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy will vary based on the powertrain and level of equipment. The Ram's best fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined, with the base engine and rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel-drive versions with the straight-six turbo engines get between 14 mpg (Rebel high-output engine) and 18 mpg (standard-output) combined. On the Edmunds evaluation route, the Ram 1500 Tungsten with the high-output engine got 19 mpg combined, slightly better than the EPA estimate.

These were decent results, but you can get better mpg from the F-150 with its hybrid powertrain or the Silverado 1500 with its available diesel engine.

EPA Fuel Economy Estimates