2023 Ram 2500 Rebel First Drive: More heavy duty than rock crawler

PIONEERTOWN, Calif. — A vocal subset of Ram truck fans has extended clamored for a distinct mix: a Ability Wagon with a Cummins turbodiesel. Well, they however aren’t obtaining one particular. But the 2023 Ram 2500 Rebel is intended to be the upcoming-most effective matter, as it does certainly offer you that long-coveted turbodiesel, although including and subtracting in a number of places to generate anything that’s additional major-responsibility truck and fewer rock crawler.

Initially, what the Rebel shares with the Electric power Wagon. The only entire body option is a Crew Taxi and 6-foot-4 mattress, with a choice of five- and six-passenger seating. Customers can pick concerning the very same BorgWarner aspect-time transfer circumstance, with a decision of electronic or guide change procedure irrespective of motor. It includes 4Hi and 4Lo (crawl ratio of 2.64:1), with the latter requiring you shift into Neutral. At the rear, the Rebel inherits the very same digital locker and digital confined-slip differential. The 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain rubber. The same skid plate offer is shared, as is the similar basic look apart from a a bit unique grille mesh and 20-inch wheel layout. Generally, aside from the deficiency of Energy WAGON sticker on the bed facet, it would be awfully tough to convey to the two apart.

Typical on the Rebel is the Electric power Wagon’s only engine possibility: the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 excellent for 410 horsepower and 429 pound-ft of torque. A ZF-sourced 8-velocity automated is regular.

Now, what the Rebel does not get. Up entrance, there is no digital front locker, nor the disconnecting sway bar and further rear suspension joint that makes it possible for for the Energy Wagon’s absurd suspension articulation. To that exact end, the Electric power Wagon has softer springs at the rear than other 2500 Rams, but the tradeoff for all that rock-crawling articulation is a significantly lessen tow rating of 10,590 lbs and payload of 1,630 kilos.

The Rebel gets firmer rear springs, which zaps articulation, but will allow for massively upgraded significant-duty trucking. The tow rating jumps to 16,870 kilos with the 6.4-liter, even though the payload goes up to 3,140 pounds. Towing goes down by about 2,000 kilos with the Cummins given that the motor weighs so substantially extra. What you achieve, while, is approximately 2 times the torque. The 6.7-liter inline-6 sends 370 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque through a six-velocity computerized. Sorry, you just cannot get the 1,075-lb-ft Higher Output version, but let us not be choosers, beggars.

You also simply cannot get the 12,000-pound Alert Zeon-12 winch when you choose for the Cummins, since there’s fundamentally not adequate house up front for both equally winch and diesel to coexist. That is a big cause the Energy Wagon does not supply the diesel. If you’re Alright with the 6.4-liter, though, the winch can be extra to the Rebel.

Out on the road, the Rebel feels just about every little bit the major-obligation truck with a large-honking diesel engine. Acceleration can at when come to feel lethargic, and then full-on angry stump puller. The 6-speed automated is innocuous adequate under ordinary conditions, but climbing numerous thousand feet into the mountains toward Massive Bear Lake, Calif., shown a reluctance to downshift. It’s well worth wondering no matter if you’d want the 6.4-liter and its extra two gears though towing in spite of the torque deficit.  

The all-terrain tires incorporate vagueness to the steering, but the hydraulic procedure luckily continue to manages to supply just plenty of response to avert any spooky times when maintaining the truck in a straight line. The Ram Hd does not have a telescoping steering column, nevertheless, so for those people who sit a bit rearward, locating an perfect placement may perhaps be tricky. Even worse, your head may possibly slam into the B pillar even though off-roading, inquire me how I know.

Despite the fact that I did not get a likelihood to drive the Electricity Wagon and Rebel again-to-back again, the components variances and past expertise would lead me to imagine that the Rebel will not trip as comfortably on- or off-street. The firmer springs and lack of the disconnecting sway bar becoming the main culprits. This is absolutely a firm-driving truck, and whilst it will not beat you up (Okay, so if you’re driving above a rock-strewn path, it is heading to defeat you up), there is a selling price to pay back for opting for a heavier-duty truck. This undoubtedly applies when comparing the 2500 Rebel to its 1500 Rebel sibling: You are likely to be a great deal happier driving the 1500 on a day by day foundation even if you just can’t tow a tiny household.

That mentioned, the 2500 Rebel nevertheless has rear coil-in excess of springs with the extra possibility of air suspension as opposed to the leaf springs observed in Ford and GM’s major-responsibility pickups. This not only effects in superior ride consolation, but improved dealing with and trailer regulate. Theoretically, the Rebel may possibly not be as livable as a Power Wagon, but should really be far more enjoyable than a Ford F-250 Tremor or GMC Sierra 2500 AT4. Theoretically at the very least.

Off-highway, the Rebel might be less able than the Energy Wagon, but that is fairly a lot the maximum bar you can consider to distinct in the off-roading truck realm. A rock-strewn trail with terrible ruts was dispensed without having a 2nd thought, self-confident that the truck’s ground clearance, articulation and big all-terrain tires would shrug it all off. For a a lot larger challenge, various comically steep hill climbs with deep ruts ended up dispatched by merely keeping the accelerator regular and making it possible for the 4Lo, rear locker and Goodyear Wranglers do their detail. Hill-descent regulate is included, but my suitable leg and the brake pedal do the job capably more than enough. If you’re hunting for newfangled Selec-Terrain-type off-street modes, you will not obtain them right here. This is outdated-fashioned off-roading where by the components and the driver get precedence above the computer systems.

Now, it is not like the trails and off-street “playground” we tackled in the Rebel are most likely anything unique. A Wrangler driver would most likely shrug and say “no huge offer.” It is that they can be tackled in a weighty-responsibility truck that could tow a few of those Wranglers to that trail.

Must you check out that, the Rebel provides the exact same array of trailering aids as other 2500s. Main amongst these are many cameras, like a new rearview camera mirror that not only displays the typical watch from the tailgate, but provides the alternative for a split aspect check out (the cameras are extra to the usually conventional electric power-extending tow mirrors) that expands your blind-place coverage. You can also plug in an accessory digicam that mounts to the again of a trailer, or even inside the trailer, must you want to hold an eye on horses or alpacas or troublesome kids you have relegated to the toy hauler (do not do this).

There is also a ahead digicam, which might look like a newfangled more in this outdated-school off-roader, but this is also an huge previous-school off-roader with a hood that stands taller than several folks. Observing exactly what is over that hill crest is more challenging than most, and without the need of a spotter, excellent luck. With the digital camera, you constantly have that spotter. The ahead see will remain active up to 12 mph and will return to it when you dip beneath 12 mph once again.  

Pricing begins at $68,940, including the hefty $1,895 spot charge. That’s hardly a lot less than the 2023 Electricity Wagon, which had its priced hiked up by $4,000 to $71,240 for ’23. It is as a result very best to assume of the Rebel as a distinctive sort of off-roading Ram 2500 relatively than a lesser edition. Oh, and it gets a large amount pricier. There are many possibilities packages that substitute cloth with leather-based, blank panels with cameras, and an empty grille with a winch (among numerous luxuries). Precise options pricing wasn’t available at the time of creating, but the large-ticket product, the Cummins, was a $9,595 choice on the 2022 Ram 2500. So yeah, all that torque doesn’t appear affordable: A diesel Rebel will be pushing $80,000 and in all probability will approach 90 huge when loaded. Which is finally not that outrageous in the heavy-duty truck earth particularly when you take into account you are acquiring a pickup that can pull off extraordinary towing, hauling and off-roading.