6 days Ago By Sami Haj-Assaad
Article content Pickup trucks seem to be getting bigger and bigger, suggesting they can tow, haul and beat the terrain into submission. However, the engines motivating these big trucks seem to be getting smaller, suggesting better efficiency and performance. To put all those theories to the test, we spent a week behind the wheel of the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel, which uses a smaller engine while offering off-road capabilities for outdoor enthusiasts.
What’s new for the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel? The plan for all new Ram 1500s to stick a six-cylinder engine under the hood started last year, but this year you’ll find a few new colour and wheel options. The cabin also gets some upgrades with bigger infotainment screens and an optional passenger screen, which we’ll talk about later. What powers the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel? While lower-trim Ram 1500s make use of a 3.
6L V6 engine with 305 horsepower , other models, including this Rebel, feature a turbocharged inline-six . The Rebel makes do with 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque, while higher trim models put out 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque . All motors are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Performance-wise, this motor feels great. While the old Hemis sounded great, they could feel a bit lazy in terms of responsiveness, while this turbo-straight-six delivers so much torque right when you want it. It may not sound as good, but it gets the job done.
The eight-speed auto was also a great partner, and never felt out of sorts by the task at hand. I never felt like it missed an opportunity to up or downshift, and swapped cogs without any harshness. However, before our test even began, Ram reached out to point out that the vehicle would present itself with a Check Engine warning light, which greeted me every time I drove the truck.
They assured me that the issue wouldn’t impact my drive (and they were right) but it’s important to point out that there may be some tedious diagnostics ahead for any potential buyers of a new Ram. That wasn’t the only issue though: occasionally, the dashboard presented a brake warning light too, but that disappeared soon after, and again didn’t impact my driving experience (aside from being a bit worrying). How fuel-efficient is the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel? The idea with these smaller engines is that they’ll be more fuel efficient.
The 3.6L models offer about 11 L/100 km combined, while the turbo inline-six averages between 12 and 14 L/100 km depending on the output. We tested the Ram in mostly city and cold conditions and saw the fuel consumption rise to around 16 L/100 km.
There are a few handy features that help improve fuel efficiency, including automatic engine start/stop and an aerodynamic setting for the air suspension, which lowers the ride when cruising on the highway. What’s the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel like to drive? The Ram 1500 Rebel is oriented to driving off-road , but the majority of buyers’ driving will likely take place on the road. Even on the post-winter pothole-pocked pavement, I found the Ram to ride really well.
All Rams come with coil springs, which allows them to ride a bit more comfortably on the road compared to rivals that have leaf springs. Our tester features air suspension which can raise or lower the ride by about 2 inches up or down from the normal ride height of 8.7 inches.
This helps enter/exit the truck as there are no side steps (which impede off-road accessibility.) Getting up to speed is no problem with this turbo six motor, but stopping distances are merely okay. Grip in the snow and wintery conditions was also significantly impacted, as the Goodyear Wrangler tires equipped are nowhere near winter-ready.
They struggled in soft snow and on icy driveways. If you’re looking for an off-road truck for its capabilities in the snow, consider getting proper winter tires for it. Of course, piloting a big truck like this through town requires patience.
It’s big and wide and has a huge turning circle. There are many sensors to help inform the driver of all that’s going on around the vehicle, whether it’s straying out of its lane, or parking too close to an object. There’s a helpful suite of driver assistance systems that help mitigate any headaches of piloting a large vehicle on the highway, though there is no hands-free operation.
Visibility is slightly impacted by the large tow mirrors, but there are many cameras to help the driver sort out what’s ahead, beside, and behind the vehicle. Can the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel handle itself off-road? Those cameras are especially useful in off-road situations, helping the Ram overcome any obstacles. Pair that with the air suspension that can raise the vehicle to provide over 10 inches of ground clearance, and I have no doubts the Ram 1500 Rebel can handle itself off-road, assuming the trail is large enough for the truck.
Other handy equipment includes a locking rear differential (the same on the high-performance, off-road focused RHO model ) and a skid plate. Additional gauges are accessed through the infotainment system to help show the wheel articulation and other data. Technically speaking, I don’t doubt the truck’s off-road prowess, though the snowy conditions made it difficult to properly assess.
At the air suspension’s highest setting, the approach angle comes in at 23.3 degrees while the departure angle is 22.8 degrees, which is just shy of the F-150 Tremors approach and departure.
However, the Ram has a slightly better breakover angle at 20.2 degrees. What’s the cabin like in the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel? By now, Ram is known for its cabins, which are typically more premium and high-tech compared to other trucks from Ford and General Motors.
This Rebel trim lacks some of the high-end materials you’d find on pricier models but still offers plenty of gadgets that straddle the line between useful and gimmicky. Among the useful features is the 14.4-inch vertically oriented infotainment system, which looks great and is fairly responsive.
It takes a bit of time to learn all the secrets hidden within the system, like how there’s an app store for more apps, and that swiping down from the top of the screen offers more shortcuts, but overall it’s a good infotainment setup. My only complaint with it is how Android Auto is displayed, where it only takes up a very small portion of this large screen. Another helpful set of features in the Ram comes with all the chargers.
There are six USB ports for the front passengers, and wireless phone chargers as well. I also love the driver display, which is customizable and loaded with information about what’s going on with the car (and all its warning lights). On the gimmicky side, there’s a 10.
3-inch driver display as well as an HDMI port so the front passenger can watch something more interesting than the commute or off-road trek. I’d prefer screens my rear passengers could watch, making this an even better family car. Speaking of being a family car, the Ram is incredibly spacious.
You’ll find tons of space for passengers and cargo in the cabin, and the rear seats flip up to expose storage bins. How much can the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel Tow and Haul? The 5’7” bed found on our crew cab tester is good for 53.8 cubic feet of storage or about 1,523 litres.
A properly equipped Ram 1500 should be able to haul about 2,300 lbs in that bed, while this Rebel can tow 11,140 lbs. It’s nothing class-leading, but it’s plenty. Canadian pricing for the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel The 2025 Ram 1500 starts at $60,540, while the Rebel we’re testing starts at $77,945.
With all the options and equipment, that price ballooned to $99,558. Shoppers who really want to venture off-road may want to also consider the Ram 1500 RHO, which starts at $120,328. What competes with the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel? This off-road-focused Ram has several competitors, starting with the 2025 Toyota Tundra with the TRD Off-Road or TRD Pro Packages.
On the Ford side of things, the 2025 Ford F-150 Tremor starts at $79,975 and offers similar off-road capability, and can also be equipped with a V8 engine. The Chevy Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss can be had for as little as $73,333, though that’s with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. There are several other engines available for the Chevy, including a V8 and diesel.
I’d also add the $87,333 Sierra 1500 AT4 as a worthy competitor to the Ram Rebel. The Verdict The capable 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel comes with a great powertrain, plenty of features and a spacious interior. It offers all the gadgets to beef up your confidence off-road, but the one issue preventing me from wholeheartedly recommending it is that nagging check engine light.
Buyers of a nearly $100,000 truck shouldn’t be asked to accept a compromise, even if it’s just an extra trip to the dealer. Pros ✔ Great engine ✔ Tons of tech and features ✔ Spacious interior Cons ✘ Vague check engine light ✘ Fuel efficiency is difficult to achieve ✘ Nearly $100k as tested Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice..
