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The Ram 1500 has probably the most energy of any light-duty pickup truck, besides Raptor R
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Hooking up a 5,000-pound trailer to the Ram 1500 doesn’t section the truck
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The Ram immediately integrates its lively security tech with a trailer
The Ram 1500 could not have the best towing ranking, but it surely provides probably the greatest towing experiences amongst gas-powered full-size light-duty pickups.
The up to date 2025 Ram 1500 tows with authority due to excessive horsepower and torque, its self-leveling suspension, and the power to combine its security programs with trailers. But it surely’s not all roses, because it may need the worst security chain hookups on a pickup truck, the engine drinks gasoline, and it lacks some neat tech options the competitors has.
Sarcastically, the up to date 2025 Ram 1500’s max towing ranking fell to 11,580 kilos from 12,750 kilos for the earlier mannequin. Max payload scores held regular at 2,300 kilos. As a reference level, the towing ranking king of the phase is the Ford F-150 with a ranking of as much as 13,500 kilos.
Let’s hook up and get into it.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten
Professional: Ram 1500 has all the facility
My top-spec Tungsten tester had the high-output twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 pushing as much as 28 psi of enhance. That huffs output to 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. The mathematics says that’s 145 hp and 110 lb-ft of torque greater than the previous V-8 engine. Bye, Felicia.
It means this truck doesn’t care if 5,000 kilos of boat and trailer are hooked to the rear finish. Going over 70 mph isn’t a problem. Mash the throttle at freeway speeds and the truck lunges ahead even with the trailer hooked to the again. The one different light-duty gas-powered truck that felt like this was the 2019-2020 Ford F-150 Restricted, which had the Raptor’s high-output twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 shoved below its hood. However with 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, it was down on energy in comparison with this Ram, by a substantial margin.
The Ram has a lot energy and the accelerator is so delicate that it is advisable to watch out. Boats can slide again on a trailer if yanked ahead too shortly, risking injury. Tow mode fortunately recalibrates shift factors and throttle mapping to take it down a notch. Security first.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten towing
Con: Ram 1500 will get Hemi V-8-like effectivity
With 5,000 kilos of boat and trailer hooked to the again, the turbo-6 averaged 9.3 mpg over the course of 144 miles of towing. I averaged about 9.5 mpg with this similar boat and the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. The Ram 1600 has gained a ton of energy with out dropping effectivity. The aforementioned high-output turbo V-6 within the F-150 Restricted averaged 8.1 mpg with the identical boat on the identical route. The Toyota Tundra with a twin-turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain averaged 9.4 mpg. However GM’s 6.2-liter V-8 averages simply over 12 mpg, although it’s down on energy. With energy and enhance comes thirst.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten towing
Professional: Ram 1500 self ranges
As quickly as I lowered the trailer onto the ball and latched it I heard the truck’s air compressor kick on. It pumped up the rear air suspension to routinely stage the load. Slick. The four-corner air suspension (an accessible choice on mid-trim Rams and normal on higher trims) reacted immediately to the load. No squatting rear finish right here. No different full-size pickup provides a four-corner air suspension. Toyota has rear air suspension for self leveling however I skilled trailer lash and was at all times keenly conscious the boat was behind the truck. The Ram by no means exhibited trailer lash and at instances I might simply overlook the trailer was connected. Ford will get across the squatting difficulty with stiffer rear leaf springs that give the truck a rake when it isn’t loaded.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten towing
Con: Ram 1500 security chain hookups are annoying
That’s placing it properly. The security chain hookups on the Ram 1500’s receiver are far and away the toughest to hook up on any full-size pickup truck. The chains hook to the truck by way of a totally boxed hookup meeting with cutouts on the skin and backside. It’s tough to see the place you’re threading the hooks by way of, and the stamped-steel proper angle that the hooks must clear is giant. I’ve by no means seen something prefer it. This design led to compatibility points with the emergency brake hooks on two totally different boat trailers I attempted. Ram ought to simply copy what Ford’s placed on the most recent Tremendous Obligation with giant, flat openings which can be simple to see and hook as much as.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten towing
Professional: Ram 1500 integrates security programs whereas towing
Shortly. Most of as we speak’s pickup vans can combine the blind-spot monitoring system with a trailer. Ford’s system requires the motive force to enter the trailer’s size. Toyota’s system on the Tundra scans the trailer after which will account for the added size. However by no means have I seen a system react so shortly because the Ram 1500. After hookup and inside toes of starting to roll ahead the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster lit up and knowledgeable me {that a} 20-foot trailer had been accounted for and built-in into the blind-spot monitoring system. The boat’s 20.6-feet lengthy. Spectacular, Ram.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten
Con: Ram 1500 lacks some towing tech options
The Ram’s lack of a lift gauge is unacceptable. Each the F-150 and Tundra have enhance gauges. A truck with a turbo engine higher present how a lot enhance it’s pushing when it’s towing or hauling. The GMC Sierra provides a digital camera view that appears down the facet of the trailer whereas going round a nook. It prompts the facet view mirror cameras when the flip sign is engaged. Tremendous clutch. Ram has cameras within the mirrors however doesn’t do that. GM’s vans can drive hands-free with Tremendous Cruise whereas towing, however Ram’s Fingers-Free Lively Driver Help system is not going to work with a trailer connected. On the push of a button, the Ford F-150 can now again itself up and place the receiver instantly below the trailer to be connected. That’s one other neat trick the Ram lacks. Observe, nevertheless, that if somebody wants these tech options to tow they most likely shouldn’t be towing. File them below a “good to have.”
The 2025 Ram 1500 I towed with was a Tungsten mannequin. It sits atop the luxurious truck hill and is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class of pickup vans. It’s additionally priced accordingly at $90,505 as examined, together with the $1,995 vacation spot payment. The phrase worth can’t be thrown round right here, however that does not change the actual fact it’s the truck keys I’d attain for when towing a 5,000-pound boat.
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2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten
Base value: $89,070 together with $1,995 vacation spot
Worth as examined: $90,505
Powertrain: 540-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6, 8-speed computerized transmission, full-time four-wheel drive
EPA gasoline economic system: 15/21/17 mpg
The professionals: A lot of horsepower, helpful air suspension, security tech integrates with trailers.
The cons: Drinks gasoline, poorly designed security chain hookups, lacks some rivals’ tech options.
