If you are in the market for an extreme truck, here’s a whopper for you: The Ram 1500 TRX is the latest in a line of extreme pickups that would be happy racing in the desert or going deep off-road.
The TRX trades in the usual Hemi V-8 you find under the hood of Ram 1500 for a supercharged Hemi V-8 good for 702 hp. The whine from the supercharger is a bit intoxicating when you hit the gas in this big truck.
Big V-8 power can lead to large gas bills, and the TRX is not fuel-efficient. It’s wide, so it takes a few miles to get used to taking up pretty much the entire lane. The off-road ready tires have an aggressive tread pattern, and that can lead to some extra noise, but it’s gentle on the highway because of a special suspension with active performance shocks that adapt to conditions. (You can see those shocks easily with the extra ground clearance.)
The truck is hard to miss on the road. It strays from the normal Ram 1500 style, with wide fender flares that just cover the tires. There is a big hood bulge, and even some vents to help keep the large V-8 cool. Out back, huge exhaust tips cut into the rear bumper. The bed-mounted tire carrier looks cool; it takes a bite out of the storage and cargo capacity, but it’s a boon for off-roading.
The inside of the Ram TRX is big on luxury, with a leather-trimmed interior that coddles occupants while they tear up the trails. The front seats are heated and ventilated and provide a lot of comfort. Back-seat riders have loads of space with ample head and legroom. A loud, optional 19-speaker system can completely drown out the big V-8 and the 12-inch touch screen is very easy to use.
Cost: $69,995; as tested $87,570
MPG: 10 city; 14 highway. I managed 10.9 mpg in 349 miles of mixed driving.
Options: $100 Hydro-blue coat pearl coat paint; $1,095 technology group; $195 trailer tow group; $995 advanced safety group; $845 bed utility group; $250 lower two-tone paint; $1,295 TRX carbon fiber package; $7,920 TRX level 2 equipment package; $995 rock rails by Mopar; $995 bed-mounted tire carrier by Mopar; $1,195 19-speaker Harmon Kardon premium sound
Safety: Ready-alert braking; full-speed forward collision warn plus; adaptive cruise control with stop and go; lane departure alert warning plus; automatic high beams; parallel & perpendicular park assist with stop; ParkSense front and rear with stop; advanced brake assist; lane keep assist; blind spot and cross path detection; pedestrian/cyclist emergency braking
Things to know: The Ram TRX is an over-the-top truck that uses supercharged V-8 power and unique suspension to play off-road, and still has roadway manners in a wild-looking package.
Pros:
- 702 hp from a supercharged V-8 means you will have the baddest truck on the market for now.
- Interior is more like a luxury car than an off-road truck.
- Looks tough and ready to tackle whatever you can throw at it
Cons:
- It’s pricey, and the prices shoot up with added options.
- It’s large and wide, and can be hard to maneuver in tight spaces.
- Its big thirst for premium fuel will have you paying at the pump.
