Every Ram Truck Trim, Explained

They say everyone likes having choices. Well, you get a ton of them with the Ram lineup of pickup trucks in the form of trims. The 1500 has no fewer than 10 trims, while the 2500 has nine, and the 3500 has five. Frankly, we think Ram could simplify their trim lineup a bit, unless their goal is to confuse us. In that case, their evil plan is working.

For the 1500, the trim lineup offers various combinations of cab design, truck bed size, and drivetrains. But you'll also see the engines change as you move up the trim tiers, starting with the 3.6-liter V6 24V VVT eTorque, and then progressing to the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane SO Twin Turbo and the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane HO Twin Turbo. The 1500 trims come with either the 8-Speed automatic 850RE or 8-speed automatic 8HP75 transmission. Each of the heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 trims come standard with the 6.4-liter V8 HEMI HD engine and 8-Speed Automatic 8HP75-LCV transmission. You'll need to opt for the 2500 or 3500 if you want an 8-foot bed, which is offered only on the Tradesman and Big Horn for either model. All other heavy-duty trims come in Crew Cab/6-foot, 4-inch box combinations.

The trim lineup for the 1500 is: Tradesman, Express, Warlock, Big Horn, Laramie, Rebel, RHO, Limited, Limited Longhorn, and Tungsten. The 2500 actually adds a couple of trims to its lineup with the 2026 model year, the Warlock and the Black Express. It also includes the Power Wagon, which isn't offered for the 1500 or 3500. It skips the Express and RHO. The 3500 has only the Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, Limited, and Limited Longhorn.

The Ram 1500 base trim is never about frills. It's here to work, not to play. The Ram 1500 Tradesman starts at $41,025 (plus a $2,595 destination fee, which applies to every trim level from the 1500 to the 3500) and comes standard with the 3.6-liter V6 24V VVT eTorque engine with stop/start, a powertrain it shares with the three trims above it. It comes standard with 18-inch steel wheels, the most basic wheels available for the Ram trucks. Our favorite Ram 1500 feature, the multi-function tailgate, isn't available on this trim. You can't even get a rear window defroster on the 1500 Tradesman, though it is available on the 2500 and 3500 versions.

The next step up for the 1500 is the Express, starting at $43,445. What do you get for that extra $2,000? LED front fog lamps, for one thing. They come standard, as do body color front bumpers, a body color grille, 20-inch aluminum wheels, a rear power-sliding window, second-row in-floor storage bins, and black interior accents. Those things are either unavailable on the Tradesman or you'd have to pay extra for them. Both the 2500 and 3500 skip the Express trim.

The 1500 Big Horn comes with a starting price of $46,575 and has a slightly lower towing capacity than the first two trims. It also comes with some fancy items like bucket seats (standard on the 1500, optional on the 2500 and 3500) and heated exterior mirrors (standard on the 2500 and 3500, optional on the 1500). But the biggest difference between the Big Horn and lower trims, specifically in the 1500, is the availability of certain upgrades like a leather steering wheel and a 12-inch display.

The Black Express is a new trim and is only available for the 2500. It's the lowest-tier trim in the 2500 lineup that features a crew cab and a 6-foot, 4-inch box. It also comes with some safety features not available in the lower models, like supplemental side curtain airbags and rear-seat reminder alert, and starts at $52,110.

The Warlock starts at $51,865 on the 1500 and $55,540 for the 2500 version. It's the first 4x4 trim on both models, and towing capacity drops to 6,370 pounds on the 1500, compared to 7,700 with the lower two 1500 trims. For the 2500, towing capacity drops from over 15,200 pounds on the Black Express trim to 14,930 on the Warlock. However, this is the first trim where you can opt for the HEMI on the 1500. The 3500 skips the Warlock.

The 1500 Laramie steps up to the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane SO Twin Turbo. Towing capacity goes up to 8,300 pounds for the 1500 model, but Ram does not provide towing capacities for the heavy-duty versions. An extra color is unlocked on the 1500, but it's just another shade of white. The dual rear exhaust with bright tips is standard on the 1500 Laramie, as is the leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather-trimmed bucket seats. Bucket seats are available on the 2500 and 3500 versions, but the other items aren't offered. The Laramie's starting price ranges from $60,780 to $62,950.

The Rebel starts at $64,740 for the 1500 and $69,190 for the 2500. The towing capacity for this trim jumps up rebelliously to the highest for all the 1500 trims, 11,140 pounds. This is also the first 1500 trim to add two-tone color options. It features a raised ride height, and it extends to the 2500 lineup as well, where it is one of only three 4x4 trims for that model. This trim is so rebellious, it refuses to be a part of the 3500 lineup.

The Ram 1500 RHO offers more power per buck than any off-road sport truck. The standard engine delivers 540 horsepower, which is more than any of the Chevy engines offered in the Silverado and more than all but one of the engines offered for the Ford F-150. This trim streps up to the HO (high-output) version of the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane Twin Turbo engine and comes with a starting price of $72,495. 

The RHO is also the only other 1500 trim available in two-tone exterior color options, though it has only one monotone color option, Diamond Black Crystal Pearl-Coat. This trim isn't offered for the 2500 or 3500.

The 2500 has its second unique trim in the Power Wagon, which isn't available for the 1500 or 3500. Like all of the other heavy-duty trims, the 6.4-liter V8 HEMI HD Engine is standard, but this is one trim where you can't opt for the diesel powertrain or the TorqueFlite HD transmission. However, it is one of only three 2500 trims that features a 4x4 drivetrain. It is also one of only two 2500 trims, along with the Rebel, that offers two-tone exterior colors. What sets it apart from the Rebel is its 4.10 axle ratio. The Power Wagon starts at $72,390.

You'll find the Limited on the 1500, 2500, and 3500. Like the RHO, the 1500 Limited features the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane HO Twin Turbo engine, but offers a little higher towing capacity at 9,120 pounds. The Limited seems focused on its mirror game, and comes standard with advanced auto-dimming and auto-adjusting mirror tech. There are lots of little features that come standard with the Limited that aren't standard on lower tier trims, like the dark chrome key fob, and dual wireless charging pad. The Limited starts at $75,700 for the 1500, $74,045 for the 2500, and $75,245 for the 3500. The higher price tag for the 1500 likely relates to it being a 4x4 in that model.

We're not sure why the Limited Longhorn exists, other than it looks slightly different than the Limited. The Limited Longhorn offers some unique aesthetic features, like the premium leather seats with Filigree on all three models, as well as the instrument panel bezels with real wood on the heavy-duty models. But other than aesthetic features, both the Limited and Limited Longhorn offer the same drivetrain, performance specs, interior space, and features. We think the differences that do exist could've been handled as options on a single trim. Honestly, comparing the features on these two trims was like doing an insanely hard version of those "spot the differences" pictures they used to put on the back of Cap'n Crunch boxes. The Limited Longhorn starts between $74,045 and $76,895, depending on the model. It comes as a 4x4 with a short (5-foot, 7-inch bed) on the 1500 and a 4x2 with a 6-foot, 4-inch bed on the heavy-duty models.

That brings us to the premier trim, the Tungsten, which is only available on the 1500 and starts at $88,095. We think financing a vehicle that expensive would feel like taking out a second mortgage, which is appropriate, because if we spent that much money on a vehicle, we'd probably end up having to live in it anyway. Some of the features that are standard only on this trim are the exterior 115-volt AC outlet, chrome taillamp bezels, and the RamBox® Cargo-Management System.