OVERVIEW

Ram parent Stellantis killed off the 5.7-litre V8 Hemi for Aussie buyers last year and the ‘sad’ emoji went into overkill. That was five months ago and the V8’s replacement, an inline bi-turbo six under the Hurricane name, has just arrived for a test drive.

In hindsight, so good is the new ‘six’ that the V8 is unlikely to be missed. It pumps 313kW or 403kW (Laramie or Limited) which is heads up on the retired V8’s 291kW.

And if you think the aural experience similarly died with the end of the V8, forget it – the six rumbles with the best and easily appeases critics.

It’s the main change with the incoming engine, but it’s not alone. The drivetrain makes the Ram 1500 a better ute and, with it, gave local engineers a chance to up the equipment and feature list while polishing all the attributes that have helped make the big US utes a growing addiction for local tradies, and leisure seekers.

Externally the MY25 Ram gets a new and even more imposing grille, with a new alloy wheel design (20-inch for the Laramie and 22-inch for the Limited) making the model even more distinguished.

The 2025 Laramie and Limited also keep the peace with your wallet, being better value – considering the expanded feature list – than the V8 they replace.

They are now $141,950 and $159,950 (both plus costs) compared with the $138,900 and $157,900 of their predecessors, listed here with the drive-away run-out pricing.

The Limited with the Hurricane engine is the pick, leaving the showroom with a stack of luxury gear that makes it more than competitive with a passenger car of around the same price.

DRIVING:

The bass resonance of the exhaust hints that it’s coming from a big-bore block, perhaps a V8. In fact the burble is not unlike a V8, creating the perfect illusion for those who already miss the eight-cylinder Ram ute.

Except that this is better than the 5.7-litre Hemi of old. Although only 3.0-litres, the new six-cylinder bi-turbo Hurricane engine in the MY25 Ram 1500 Limited boils a hot 403kW/707Nm and sends it through an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic to the rear, or to all, 22-inch wheels.

That’s a lot of delicious numbers. And they feel as good in reality as they read on paper.

The Ram 1500 Laramie uses the same engine, just detuned to deliver 313kW at 5200rpm and 635Nm of torque at 3500rpm.

Notably, it shares the Limited’s 3500kg tow rating (with 50mm towball) but has a higher payload (863kg) than the Limited at 782kg. Swap for a 70mm towball and the Laramie will tow up to 4500kg, the Limited restricted to 4200kg.

There are other differences, visually in the level of equipment (more on that later) and some hidden, such as the 125-litre fuel tank in the Limited, and 98-litres for the Laramie.

The Limited’s performance is not affected by the extra goodies which add only 60kg, so the result is a ute that feels more like a partially restrained greyhound on acceleration – certainly a surprise for fellow motorists sharing the freeway onramp green light merger.

Much of the Limited’s performance appeal comes from its civilised power delivery. Its flow from the block through to the transmission is powerful but restrained, with only heavy acceleration showing its strength by the way it forces a solid bump as the transmission finds the next cog. And, of course, the angry exhaust note.

Drive it more gently and it glides effortlessly, most rewarding on an open road where 100km/h arrives at 1800rpm. Given the warehouse of torque under the bonnet, I had expected lower engine revs.

Drive modes now standard on the MY25 cover five road conditions and driving styles, opening at auto and then to sport (higher rev changes for gears), tow (holding low gears), snow (also for sand), and off-road which moderates the power flow to the wheels to prevent slip.

Fuel economy averaged 13.3 litres/100km on a mix of country, suburban and freeway roads, with some slow off-road work included. Ostensibly, that’s a 940km range. Ram claims 11.8 L/100km for the Limited, which is plausible for gentle touring.

The steering is electric with great feel – a surprising experience given the vagueness of some previous US iron – and despite the 2.7-tonne weight, the brakes are impressive in the way they trim the speed.

But above all the engine’s functions, the Ram impresses most by its level of comfort and the huge space within its four doors. The simple chassis and suspension are set to soak up bumps and yet the handling remains surefooted and predictable with minimal body roll.

The Limited gets height-adjustable air suspension (Laramie has conventional steel springs) with three modes – normal, aero and off-road – for adjustability, with the latter offering longer axle articulation.

FEATURES:

Limited earns its circa-$160k price tag with a string of niceties starting with the leather-appointed upholstery and massaging seats for the front, with five different cycles in degrees from gentle caress to restrained pulverise.

The front seats are also heated and ventilated and for the driver, winter becomes more bearable by the heated steering wheel.

There is a comprehensive 14.4-inch infotainment system behind a giant monitor with a separate 10.25-inch screen for the front passenger for watching videos or any USB downloads, that to minimise distraction, can’t be viewed by the driver.

The audio system is from Harmon Kardon with 19 speakers; there’s wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; it has dual wireless phone charging; digital rear-view mirror (switchable to standard view); a 360-degree camera (unlike the Laramie and one that makes parking this thing so much easier); and above is a dual-pane sunroof.

For convenience, there’s also puddle lights and automatic fold-down side steps that engage when the vehicle senses the ignition key; or when unlocked; or when the door handle (either side) is touched. There’s also a step (manual) under the rear bumper to access the tray.

STORAGE:

You’d buy the Ram for towing, or at least for carting some serious weight. The ute will tow up to 4200kg and the Limited has a 782kg payload, while the bed measures 1675mm long and 1270mm wide with a 543mm depth.

The bed’s width is trimmed by the RamBox side saddles that give a lockable 210-litres of storage each. Despite the intrusion into the bed’s space, these storage boxes are an excellent concept that gives space for personal and work items without cluttering the cabin.

OWNERSHIP:

Ram comes with a three-year, 100,000km warranty. It has a roadside assistance program for the same duration. The utes need to be serviced at 12 months or 12,000km but there’s no capped-price service program available.

Ram Trucks Australia is the only factory-backed distributor of Ram Trucks in Australia and New Zealand.

The vehicles are imported from the US in left-hand-drive and are remanufactured in right-hand-drive in Melbourne – to factory quality standards – using up to 500 locally-engineered parts, as well as a number of key components sourced from original US suppliers.

Once remanufacturing to right-hand-drive has been completed, the vehicles are distributed to Ram Trucks Australia dealers across the country.