Last year, Ram dropped the 702-horsepower TRX performance truck into the market, making it the truck to beat for high-speed desert running and all-around attitude. The TRX brought the aging Ram 1500 even more deserved recognition, and it remains one of our favorites in the light-duty full-size segment for its accessible technology, comfortable and high-quality interior, smooth ride, and stout payload and towing capacity.
However, the Ram's rivals are not parked in a back lot idling with their lights turned off. Ford debuted an all-new F-150 in 2021 and is expanding the model lineup with the fully electric F-150 Lightning in 2022. The 2022 Toyota Tundra is completely redesigned too. Even Chevrolet and GMC are getting it together with refreshed 2022 Silverado and Sierra 1500 models that have significantly improved interiors and technology features.
To stay in the hunt, the 2022 Ram 1500 gets the brand's latest Uconnect 5 infotainment technology as standard or optional equipment in all but the base Tradesman trim. Available with an 8.4-inch or 12-inch touchscreen display, Uconnect 5 promises quicker responsiveness and over-the-air software updates that allow Ram to upgrade the system in the future. New trim packages also debut for 2022, including the Longhorn SouthFork and Limited 10th Anniversary models.
If this sounds like your kind of truck, be sure to read our full Expert Rating below to see what our testing team thinks of the Ram 1500.
What's it like to live with?
One reason we're such big fans of the Ram 1500 is that we bought one and lived with it for two years and more than 35,000 miles. The crew-cab short-bed Laramie's 5.7-liter V8 utterly guzzled gas, but aside from an unusual number of minor recalls, the 2019 Ram 1500 proved comfortable, capable and trouble-free. Get all of the details in our Ram 1500 long-term test.
Which 1500 does MatoCar recommend?
Within the Ram 1500 lineup, you can find everything from a bare-bones work truck to a plush luxury hauler. But as a generalized pick, the
Laramie trim makes a lot of sense. It's in the middle of the lineup from a pricing standpoint and is available with plenty of powertrain and feature options.
The 2022 Ram 1500 comes in seven core trim levels: Tradesman (and Tradesman HFE), Big Horn (called the Lone Star in Texas), Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, Limited and TRX.
Two cab configurations are available: quad cab or crew cab. Both include four doors and a back seat, but the quad cab has less rear legroom. Crew cabs come with a short bed (5 feet 7 inches) or a long bed (6 feet 4 inches), while all quad cabs have the long bed.
Four engines are available depending on the trim level and configuration. They all use an eight-speed automatic that powers the rear wheels. Four-wheel-drive is available as an option on all but the Ram TRX, where it is standard. The engine lineup includes:
- 3.6-liter V6 engine (305 horsepower, 269 lb-ft). It comes with Ram's eTorque system, which is a mild hybrid system that slightly improves fuel economy, power and smoothness.
- 5.7-liter V8 (395 hp, 410 lb-ft) with or without eTorque
- Diesel-powered turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (260 hp, 480 lb-ft)
- Supercharged 6.2-liter V8 (702 hp, 650 lb-ft; TRX only)
Tradesman
The entry-level Ram 1500 Tradesman includes:
- 18-inch steel wheels
- Black bumpers and door handles
- Automatic headlights
- Heated and power-adjustable exterior mirrors
- Power windows
- Power door locks
- Remote keyless entry
- Cruise control
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Air conditioning
- Clean air interior filtration system
- Vinyl floor and seat coverings
- 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Six-speaker stereo
- Trailer sway damping (adjusts vehicle brakes to help control trailer movement if a trailer begins to sway)
Big Horn/Lone Star
Moving up to the Big Horn or its Texas-only Lone Star variant equips the Ram with:
- 18-inch aluminum wheels
- Chrome bumpers
- Foglights
- Body-colored door handles
- Floor carpeting
- Cloth seats
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Added interior storage
- 60/40-split folding rear seat
The real benefit to choosing the Big Horn or Lone Star comes in the way of available options that are not available on the Tradesman. Mainly, they're packed into Level 1 and Level 2 Equipment Groups, a Level 1 Safety Group and a Technology Group.
Rebel
Though four-wheel drive is an option, the Ram Rebel adds off-roading capability. It builds on the Big Horn's equipment with:
- More aggressive styling
- LED exterior lighting
- Power-sliding rear window
- Upgraded suspension with a raised ride height
- All-terrain tires with full-size spare
- Hill descent control
- Underbody skid plates
- Tow hooks
- Electronic locking rear axle
- Class IV trailer-towing receiver hitch
- Individual front bucket seats with a center console
- Cloth and vinyl upholstery
- Power-adjustable driver's seat
- Rubber floor mats
- Interior storage bins under the rear floor
- Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Laramie
Compared to the Big Horn on which it is based, the Ram Laramie takes a sharp turn toward luxury. Standard equipment includes:
- Added exterior chrome
- LED headlights
- Power-folding side mirrors
- Power-sliding rear window
- Remote engine start
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Leather upholstery
- Power-adjustable front seats
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Power adjustable pedals
- 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
- Satellite radio
- Wi-Fi access
- Ram Connect connected services
- Nine-speaker audio system
- Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Longhorn
The Ram Longhorn is even more upscale, equipped with:
- 20-inch aluminum wheels
- Upgraded LED headlights with automatic high beams
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Side steps
- Spray-in bedliner and in-bed lighting
- Power tailgate release
- Exclusive leather seats
- Reclining heated rear seats and rear underseat storage
- Navigation system
- Front and rear parking sensors
Limited
The luxurious Ram Limited has a standard 5.7-liter V8 and even more standard equipment including:
- Four-corner air suspension (can raise or lower the ride height of the vehicle)
- Power-deployable running boards
- Premium-leather bucket seats
- 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless charging pad
- Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
TRX
While the Ram Rebel is more capable than other Rams when it comes to off-roading, the TRX is a dedicated off-road performance truck. It builds on the Limited with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, full-time four-wheel drive and these features:
- Flared fenders
- Amber LED lights embedded into functional hood scoop
- Upgraded engine cooling
- Performance exhaust system
- Specialized lifted suspension with Bilstein adaptive dampers
- 35-inch all-terrain tires
- Upgraded brakes
- Electronic locking rear differential
- Underbody skid plates
Many features that are standard on the higher trims are available on the lower trims as part of optional packages. Other highlights from the optional features list include:
- 33-gallon fuel tank
- RamBox cargo storage
- Split multi-function tailgate
- Dual-pane panoramic sunroof
- Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see out the back even with a fully loaded cargo area)
- Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
- 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system
- Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)
- Trailer reverse steering control (use of a dashboard-mounted knob controls the truck's steering, turning in a direction that will guide a trailer into a desired spot)
Finally, several safety features are available for the Rebel, Laramie, Longhorn, Limited and TRX. Depending on the trim level, they include:
- Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Ram 1500 and the car in front)
- Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
- Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
- Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Ram 1500 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
