2026 Ram 1500 Doesn't Miss A Beat With The Re-introduction Of The Hemi

Ram

Books of nan romance genre are constructed via beats; there's ever an "all is lost" hit wherever our 2 lovers look destined to beryllium isolated until nan epiphany hit removes each obstacles and kicks disconnected nan process of driving them backmost into each other's arms. Ram wrote a existent cliffhanger backmost successful precocious 2024 erstwhile it announced nan extremity of nan Hemi successful its trucks, but it couldn't clasp Ram fans successful suspense for excessively long. The 2026 Ram 1500 erstwhile again tin proudly reply "yes" to that iconic mobility Ram first posed successful 2004: "has that point sewage a Hemi?" 

The epiphany moment, successful this tale, were cratering income and customer satisfaction. Despite being 1 of nan most reliable trucks connected nan market, buyers wanted nan 5.7-liter V8 Hemi putting out 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque over nan 3.0-liter turbocharged Hurricane inline-6 pinch up to 540 hp and 541 lb-ft, nary ifs ands aliases buts. Personally, I thought this request was silly. Who would want a little powerful and little businesslike engine, conscionable because it's a Hemi? It seemed for illustration an affectation, but past truthful are truthful galore nosy things, for illustration driving instrumentality aliases smoking a baccy tube aliases getting a look tattoo. Even a steely eyed realist for illustration maine tin admit aggravated feelings make nan communicative better, and astatine Ram's Chelsea Proving Ground successful Michigan past week, I had a small epiphany of my own: The Hemi is conscionable nosy successful a measurement nan still-really-good Hurricane isn't.

Full disclosure: Ram invited maine to nan Chelsea Proving Ground successful Michigan truthful I could thrust nan Hemi-powered 1500.

Ram

While we mightiness not want to admit it, because it is, astatine its heart, corny arsenic hell, we astatine Jalopnik each emotion nan "symbol of protest" badge now gracing nan 1500 Hemis. It's not conscionable a bully design, but besides a superb spot of trading — huffy we stopped including a Hemi successful nan 1500? Stick it to america by buying a truck! That'll really show us! This badge graced each of nan 1500s Ram provided journalists to effort retired connected a acold and rainy August time (ah, Michigan). 

In each respects, nan 2026 Ram 1500 is very akin to nan past models to incorporate a Hemi; It's only been 2 years, aft all. The only quality is simply a caller level for moving nan electrical system, which engineers had to quadrate pinch nan older engine, but location are nary surprises successful capacity aliases handling here. For Hemi fans, you'll find nan aforesaid rowdy rip to redline you've travel to emotion and respect. 

Before having maine retired to nan Chelsea Proving Grounds past week, Ram sent maine a 1500 RHO for moving around. My first clip successful a Hurricane-powered Ram 1500 RHO, I person to admit, I expected a roar and received only a purr. The inline-6 moved nan motortruck conscionable fine, and I had immoderate nosy pinch it by opinionated connected nan state arsenic nan past postulation ray earlier nan commencement of a freeway turned green, but location wasn't nan visceral consciousness of nan aged Hemi. The RHO wasn't precisely correct for my metropolis driving needs, but it was unthinkable connected a long-haul freeway and state roadworthy tally retired to nan in-laws particularly while utilizing Hands-Free Active Driving Assist. Since I wasn't arsenic emotionally engaged successful nan acquisition of driving, I was happy to fto nan Level 2 strategy do a batch of nan work. But connected nan straightaways and autocross way astatine nan Proving Grounds (that's right, we did autocross successful a truck), I was instantly reminded of nan charm of a Ram pinch a Hemi. It's loud, it's fast, and it's not to beryllium missed aliases messed with. 

Ram

The Hurricane motor is awesome if you request an orderly motortruck for commuting pinch a broadside of off-roading and hauling. It's awesome if you worth efficiency. That roar of nan Hemi is power wasted connected sound alternatively than propulsion, aft all, and nan quickness from a afloat extremity isn't precisely gas-friendly, but for nan Hemi fans, ratio isn't moreover portion of nan equation. It's each astir nan feelings, nan pounding successful your thorax erstwhile you spot nan 1 you love.

You tin now get nan Hemi motor successful nan Tradesman, Express, Warlock, Big Horn, Lone Star, Laramie, Rebel, Longhorn and Limited trim levels of nan 2026 Ram 1500 and 2500. I mostly drove nan Big Horn 4X4 version successful a caller shadiness of grayish greenish called Canyon Lake. The Big Horn is besides what Ram provided for journalists connected nan autocross track. I wouldn't telephone nan 1500 nimble successful nan curves, but I went from 80 mph successful nan consecutive and into nan information bits pinch conscionable a spot of squeal from nan tires. You should not thrust your 1500 for illustration this (at least, not connected nationalist roads), but it's nosy to cognize it can beryllium driven for illustration this. 

When it comes to doing nan activity of a truck, alternatively than conscionable having nosy and sounding badass, it depends heavy connected your trim level. All nan trims person capable towing ratings, but your champion bang for your subordinate is nan bottom-of-the-line-up Ram 1500 Tradesman Hemi, which hauls a wholly capable 11,320 pounds pinch a 1,650-pound payload. The Big Horn technically gets a small much astatine 11,440 pounds, but now we are conscionable splitting hairs. You tin still do a batch of activity and haul a batch of toys pinch nan much humble motortruck while get your growly exhaust notes needs met. 

Does this people my first measurement connected a agelong and winding roadworthy of becoming a motortruck girl? Hell no, but I'm decidedly going to effort and people different week pinch a Ram erstwhile nan Hemis deed nan property fleet. Near nan extremity of nan time pinch Ram we went crawling astir nan off-roading area of nan Proving crushed successful nan pouring rain. Once that level of nosy gets successful your system, it is difficult to fto go. Returning nan Hemi to nan much affordable and celebrated trucks successful nan statement up will hopefully springiness Ram nan boost it needs to emergence from nan crater its recovered itself in. After all, what bully is simply a romance without a happy ending?