2025 Ram 1500 review: Australian first drive

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2025 Ram 1500

At the risk of repeating something we write every time we review a full-size US pick-up truck, let me restate the fact that Ram Trucks Australia started this segment in our market. By that, we mean the RHD remanufacturing segment.

And it did so at considerable cost and risk. If Aussie buyers weren’t interested in vehicles of this type, it would have been a very, very expensive toe in the water of heartland America.

That first effort took the form of Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty models, and some 25,000 units later across 1500, 2500 and 3500, Ram’s initial investment has proven to be a very astute move. There remains a significant amount of investment and work to effectively rebuild a left-hand-drive (LHD) truck to right-hand-drive (RHD) workings, and to do so in factory-standard fashion.

This segment is continuing to appeal to buyers who need to get to work, tow, or tour in comfort – in fact, Ram’s research indicates the overwhelming majority of its buyers live on the rural/urban fringe or further out in regional areas. Exactly the type of buyer we recommend these trucks for, in other words.

Interestingly, with trucks now available from Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, a segment that was always heavily dominated by V8s is now very much a six-cylinder affair. Chevrolet continues with the V8 petrol engine for the Silverado 1500 and V8 diesel engine for the Silverado HD models, of course, but even Ram has featured an inline six-cylinder diesel in its 2500 and 3500 models for some time.

The F-150 gets a six-cylinder engine, and so does the Tundra, and thus the question for Ram is whether its buyers will be able to cope without the availability of the legendary Hemi V8. Much of the buyer thought process in this segment revolves around space, ability and comfort, but there’s no doubt plenty have bought US trucks because of the engine under the high-slung bonnet.

As such, Ram’s focus on more power, more torque, and improved efficiency is key to winning the hearts and minds of the V8 faithful. Only Chevrolet currently remains with a V8 in the Silverado 1500 range.

Is the new Ram 1500 still a good truck without a Hemi V8, then? Yep, definitely, but more on that in a minute.

One thing Ram Trucks Australia has done from the outset is show initiative to offer models that broaden the portfolio for potential buyers. There was a diesel 1500 early on, and then various versions of price-leading models (like the Express) that saw the starting price for the range dip below $80,000 at one point.

And, let’s not forget the formidable TRX halo vehicle, which sold like hotcakes despite the eye-watering price. So, it’s fair to say that Ram will consider other models once the initial, two-model range we’re looking at here launches in our market.

From launch, then, there will be Laramie Sport and Limited models available, with a standard-output engine option and high-output engine option respectively. If you want the higher power and torque outputs, you need to buy the Limited model grade in other words.

Pricing starts from $141,950 for the Laramie Sport, and $159,950 for the Limited, both before on-road costs. The previous entry to the Ram 1500 range – Big Horn – isn’t currently part of the range, and thus the starting price is currently higher than the old model’s V8-powered line-up.

However, it’s fair to assume, as written above, that Ram Trucks Australia will look at another price leader once it becomes available. Keep in mind, Laramie Sport is only a $3000 creep from the model it replaces, while Limited pricing remains the same.

MORE: 2025 Ram 1500 price and specs – Australian power, towing, and payload confirmed for new six-cylinder

For many of you, the Ram remains the toughest or best-looking truck on the market, and while that is subjective, one thing that isn’t is the luxury way in which Ram Trucks Australia positions the 1500.

Significant equipment that is standard for our market is actually optional for the US, like electric side steps, an electric tailgate, twin glass roofs and the black trim package you see on the Limited model. What that means is even the more affordable of the two here, in Laramie Sport guise, certainly doesn’t feel like a stripped-out offering.

That premium feeling is especially the case inside the cabin, where the Ram 1500 feels like a luxurious place to spend your time. The leather, the heated and cooled seats, the detail stitching, and general fit and finish all feel high quality even at first glance.

Once you dig a little deeper, too, the quality of the cabin shines through. Out on the open road, few vehicles provide the level of premium touring comfort you get from a Ram 1500, and that’s as much to do with storage, space and comfort as it is the effortless nature of the new Hurricane engine.

Part of the step up for the cabin is the new 14.4-inch infotainment screen, which is a portrait-oriented whopper and makes dealing with the interface between driver and car a cinch. The driver’s display is also customisable, and neatly arranged, while the passenger now gets their own 10.25-inch screen that can be connected to a set of headphones so they can watch a movie while on the move.

The driver can’t see the screen either, with it appearing matte black from the driver’s seat thanks to the technology that keeps it hidden to all but the passenger. The passenger can also access elements of the command systems like destinations for the satellite navigation system, for example, via their own screen.

There are two wireless phone chargers, 10 charge ports (USB-A and USB-C) throughout the cabin, and useful storage everywhere you look. Anyone who spends long periods of time behind the wheel will appreciate the way in which you can tailor the Ram to suit your touring needs. Storage and amenity continues into the second row, where you also get heated and cooled outboard seats, and comfort that even large four-wheel-drives simply cannot match.

We like the way the rear seat base folds up and out of the way to liberate not just a handy hidden compartment that will even fit something as large as a laptop, but the floor space that means you can store things you’d rather weren’t in the tray. Suitcases and other easily damaged goods like cardboard boxes, for example, will fit across the back floor easily thanks to the way the seat has been designed.

The electric tailgate is a handy feature, even if the tailgate wasn’t incredibly heavy to start with, it does make things easier. Feedback from buyers we speak to is that the RamBox exterior pods are both effective and useful, especially if you use your truck for work, and the spray-in bed liner is also a useful addition that isn’t standard in the Ram’s home market.

MORE: Ram 1500 V8 reaches end of the line in Australia as final example built

The 0–100km/h testing in both variants illustrates just how punchy the new 3.0-litre inline six is. It’s smooth, too, and quite refined even from outside when it’s being pushed hard, so there’s none of the V8 theatre.

Numbers on a specification sheet don’t always translate to the real world either, but the Ram 1500 feels sharp under hard acceleration. It really does squat down and get cranking with a minimum of tyre spin. Our launch technique is no more complex than selecting 4WD Auto, holding the brake pedal flat, letting the revs rise to around 3500rpm, and then stepping off the brake pedal.

The engine doesn’t have the characteristic bellow of a Hemi V8, of course, but the addition of turbos delivers an increase in power, and surge in torque that ensures the Ram 1500 is significantly more rapid than it ever needs to be. Certainly in the real world on our roads, anyway. In true inline-six style, too, it sounds and feels like it’s doing everything so effortlessly. ‘Gee, it sounds smooth’ was the most common assessment we heard during our launch drive.

Given both models look similar from the outside, the choice buyers have to make is effectively threefold. Do I want more power and torque? Do I want 22-inch wheels? And do I want air suspension? For mine, while more power is always welcome, the pick of the two would be the Laramie Sport, with a still formidable 313kW/635Nm, 20-inch wheels and steel springs.

There’s every bit of capability on offer that you’re going to need if you opt for that model, it feels fast enough, rides beautifully, and has the sharper pricing. However, you could always ask the dealer to swap your Limited onto some 20s and ‘gift’ the standard 22s to the next Laramie Sport buyer who walks into the dealer… just a thought.

For those looking for outright grunt, the Limited pulls outputs upt to 403kW and 707Nm, throwing shade over the 291kW/556Nm outputs from the old 5.7-litre V8.

The ride on the steel springs under the Laramie Sport during our brief road drive was excellent. The Limited, with its 22s and lower-profile rubber, is firmer, and you feel it. The adaptive suspension does an impressive job of dealing with the weight of the 1500, but it’s definitely a firmer ride, especially out on patchy rural roads. Around town, that might not be so much of a factor.

On the subject of the weight, you’ll only really feel the heft of the Ram 1500 if you barrel into a corner way too fast, which you shouldn’t be doing in vehicles of this size anyway. These are, after all, a workhorse cruiser with a touch of luxury.

In every other sense, on either sealed bitumen, coarse-chip rutted tar or smooth gravel, the bump absorption and how the chassis goes about controlling body movement is excellent for a truck of this size, regardless of which model you’re driving. You would need to back-to-back this new model with the V8 to be absolutely sure, but the lighter weight of the six would have to have an effect on the behaviour of the front end, and the general response of the suspension and steering.

The Laramie Sport engine weighs 195kg, while the Limited engine weighs 200kg, and that compares to the Hemi V8 which weighs 254kg. Even though there’s not a gargantuan difference, the front end does feel a touch sharper. Payloads weigh in at 863kg and 782.5kg respectively for the two models. The Limited’s tow rating drops to 4200kg from the Laramie Sport’s 4500kg.

Up to highway speed, the new engine is genuinely effortless. It’s quiet, refined, and unfussed no matter what you’re asking it to do, and the competent nature of the eight-speed automatic leads to the question of why you might need 10 ratios when eight will do the job so nicely. Whatever the speed, the gearbox ratios are neatly tailored to the way the engine works.

Wind and tyre noise are both kept to a minimum inside the cabin as well, meaning it’s a relaxed cruise on the highway.

There’s no doubt that on paper, under a 0–100km/h timed test on a closed facility, or when you’re on the move on regular roads, the new Ram 1500 is still right up at the head of the US truck class. It’s comfortable, refined, effortless, and significantly easier to drive than its size might suggest.

Our pick of the two launch models, despite the undoubted appeal of the range-topper, is the Laramie Sport, with its 20-inch rims and conventional coil spring suspension. The ride quality, even on choppy rural road,s is excellent.

It’s over to the buyer, then. The Hemi V8 is not just a legendary engine, it’s also been key to the appeal of the Ram heritage for decades. We’ll soon find out whether buyers are happy to forgo the V8 for the significant advantages brought to the market by the inline six-cylinder engine. There’s no doubt, though, that the new Ram 1500 is a step up and forward from what was an already impressive truck.

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