2024 Ram 1500 Expert Review
Reviewed by Bob Hernandez
The 1500 is Ram's most popular and affordable pickup. The current generation is also the brand's most celebrated, winning MotorTrend's Truck of the Year award with both its debut and again with the release of the TRX off-road model. Full-size truck rivals include the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 .
What's New
- The TRX 6.2L Supercharged V8 Final Edition model
- Tradesman Warlock off-road model returns, with electronic rear-locking differential, skid plates, one-inch raised ride height, 33-inch tires, and performance-tuned shocks
- Standard tailgate ajar warning
- Turbodiesel powertrain has been retired
What We Think
With all due respect to GM, there have really only been two trucks battling for the top of the full-size pickup heap in the last half decade, and the Ram 1500 is one of them. The current-generation model won our Truck of the Year award when it debuted for 2019 and continues to be a highly recommendable vehicle.
Ram 1500s destroy the myth that trucks need only be practical. Feature content can be generous, and at the highest levels of the lineup, the pickups are legitimately premium. Its largest available touchscreen is a proper 21st century control center, and there are charging and clever storage solutions throughout the 1500. It is no less a work horse, too, available with a trio of capable powertrains, air suspension, and bed storage.
Towing and payload capacities aren't the best in class, and higher trims get pricey, especially when you enter TRX territory. That said, the 1500 is a great all-arounder, one we'd easily choose over most rivals.
Performance and MPGs
All 2024 Ram 1500 powertrains utilize an eight-speed automatic transmission. For most trucks, RWD is standard and 4WD is the upgrade. Diesel engine production ended with the 2023 model, and we're expecting Ram 1500 REV electric pickups for 2025.
2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman, Big Horn, Rebel
- Drivetrain: RWD or 4WD
- Engine: 3.6-liter V-6
- Horsepower/Torque: 305 hp/271 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 19-20/24-25 mpg
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 7.5 seconds (manufacturer estimate)
2024 Ram 1500 Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, Limited
- Drivetrain: RWD or 4WD
- Engine: 5.7-liter V-8
- Horsepower/Torque: 395 hp/410 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 18/22-23 mpg
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 6.6 seconds (2022 Rebel G/T 4WD)
2024 Ram 1500 TRX
- Drivetrain: 4WD
- Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged V-8
- Horsepower/Torque: 702 hp/650 lb-ft
- Efficiency (city/highway): 10/14 mpg
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.9 seconds (2022)
2024 1500 TRX Final Edition: Supercharged Hemi V-8 Farewell
It was a short but sweet ride for the Hemi-powered TRX—debuting for 2021, the first-generation model ends after the 2024 model year. To properly send off its F-150 Raptor-fighter, Ram is producing a limited-run Final Edition model. Capped at 4,000 units, it is available in eight exterior colors including three new and model-specific hues: Delmonico Red, Night Edge Blue, and Harvest Sunrise. A standard 6.2-liter hood badge, bed decal, and the pickup's bead-lock capable wheels come in a matching Satin Titanium finish.
Inside, changes include patina stitching on the seats and dash; matte carbon fiber on the instrument panel, doors, console, and steering wheel; a Final Edition cluster splash screen; center console badge showing the build number; passenger-side TRX dashboard badge in Satin Titanium; and suede door panel inserts. The TRX Final Edition also comes with the lineup's 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio, a head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and power front seats. Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and parking sensors are standard.
Safety Ratings and Features
Crew cab variants of this generation of the 1500 seem to perform better in safety testing. The 2024 Ram 1500 Crew Cab received NHTSA's highest grade, a five-star overall rating, even as "Quad" extended cab models received one fewer star and the TRX has yet to receive any grade. In IIHS testing, the 2023 crew cab received a 2022 Top Safety Pick award when it's equipped with available LED projector headlights and Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus.
Automatic emergency braking is standard on the 2024 1500 Rebel and up, and lane keeping is also standard for the Rebel but available via package for all other trims. Optional blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage and rear cross-traffic monitoring are a la carte or offered via package for the Laramie and Longhorn models. You can also add adaptive cruise control to Laramie models or higher with the Advanced Safety Group, and on the 1500 Big Horn and up, parking sensors and a head-up display are available.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
Rear legroom in the 2024 Ram 1500 Crew Cab compares favorably to either of the Ford F-150's two-row cab configurations. The F-150 comes in an 8-foot bed variant that the 1500 doesn't offer, but the Ram has a slight edge in cargo space edge when comparing short beds.
Legroom (First/Second Rows)
- 2024 Ram 1500 Quad Cab: 40.9/35.6 inches
- 2024 Ford F-150 SuperCab: 43.9/33.5 inches
- 2024 Ram 1500 Crew Cab: 40.9/45.2 inches
- 2024 Ford F-150 SuperCrew: 43.9/43.6 inches
Cargo Space (Bed)
- 2024 Ram 1500 (67-inch bed): 53.9 cubic feet
- 2024 Ford F-150 (67-inch bed): 52.8 cubic feet
- 2024 Ram 1500 (76-inch bed): 61.5 cubic feet
- 2024 Ford F-150 (79-inch bed): 62.3 cubic feet
- 2024 Ford F-150 (98-inch bed): 77.4 cubic feet
Technology
The 2024 Ram 1500 is available with 5.0-, 8.4-, and 12.0-inch central screens, the larger displays standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sounds systems are available in 6-, 10-, and 19-speaker combinations. A 360-degree camera is available for the 1500 Laramie through equipment package, and the Limited's standard air suspension is optional for other trim levels.
Trim Levels and Prices
The 2024 Ram 1500 is available in eight trims this year. TRX pricing has only been announced for the 2024 Final Edition, but non-Final Edition trucks will also be available and should start closer to $90,000.
- 2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman - $40,565
- 2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman HFE - $42,205
- 2024 Ram 1500 Big Horn - $45,780
- 2024 Ram 1500 Laramie - $55,780
- 2024 Ram 1500 Rebel - $60,445
- 2024 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn - $62,540
- 2024 Ram 1500 Limited - $66,955
- 2024 Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition - $119,620
