2025 Ram Vitality Wagon and Rebel HD defend their mountain

• Light design tweaks don’t change the off-road Ram vans’ capabilities
• Ram Vitality Wagon nonetheless has no direct competitor
• 2025 Ram Vitality Wagon costs $74,235 and Rebel HD costs $70,740

The rivals awoke and realized there’s room to play throughout the heavy-duty off-road sandbox. Nonetheless Ram doesn’t want to offer an inch of a bit it has outlined for years. 

After the introduction of the Chevy Silverado HD ZR2 and a refresh of the Ford Super Tremor for 2023, the 2025 Ram 2500 Vitality Wagon and 2500 Rebel HD arrive with their very personal refresh. Every attribute design and know-how updates, whereas the Rebel will get essential enhancements to its on the market turbodiesel engine selection.

After spending time with the Vitality Wagon, it’s clear that it nonetheless stands alone in relation to off-road {{hardware}} throughout the part, nonetheless the Rebel HD now feels significantly further aggressive with its updated turbodiesel engine. However, the Rebel HD’s suspension stays punishing.

No Ram Vitality Wagon diesel, Rebel HD turbodiesel upgraded

In distinction to the Silverado HD ZR2 and Ford Super Obligation Tremor, the 2025 Ram 2500 Vitality Wagon cannot be optioned with a turbodiesel engine. On the very least for now, that’s what the Rebel is for.

[=”” products=”v1|306730950928|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″]

The 2500 Vitality Wagon continues to be on the market solely with a tried, true, and at this degree outdated 6.4-liter V-8 rated at 405 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. It’s good, nonetheless Ford’s 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8 is further stylish, further extremely efficient, and further refined. 

The Rebel HD troopers on with the gas V-8 as the standard engine, however it absolutely’s the non-compulsory $12,595 6.7-liter Cummins inline-6 turbodiesel that makes Vitality Wagon patrons take pause. It’s not the 430-hp rating, nonetheless the 1,075 lb-ft of torque that appeals to people who buy their vans to do work. That’s larger than Chevy’s 975 lb-ft nonetheless decrease than Ford’s 1,200 lb-ft. The Cummins turbodiesel has been intently revised for 2025 with a model new turbocharger and consumption manifold, glow plugs altering the outdated grid heater, a top-loading cartridge-style oil filter, and two top-mounted gasoline filters. Ram moreover ditched the outdated 6-speed automated transmission paired with the turbodiesel and altered it with an 8-speed automated.

The outcomes of those changes is noticeably sooner acceleration—Ram acknowledged 0-60 mph now takes 6.9 seconds versus the outgoing turbodiesel truck’s 8.0-second sprint—sooner cold-starts, and easier maintenance. Equivalent to when paired with the gas V-8, the 8-speed automated fires off quick, clear shifts and certainly not will get misplaced throughout the shuffle. It’s moreover barely a lot much less busy than Ford’s 10-speed whereas towing.

Is a turbodiesel Ram Vitality Wagon coming?

It’d eventually. Ram Heavy Obligation Chief Engineer Doug Killian knowledgeable Motor Authority the workforce has heard loud and clear that Vitality Wagon patrons and homeowners would love a turbodiesel engine selection.

[=”” products=”v1|326875279969|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″ =”2,1″] [=”” products=”v1|266722212137|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″ =”2,1″]

Killian confirmed the substantial updates to the Cummins turbodiesel engine under no circumstances resolved the issues which have, consistent with Ram, prevented the automaker from shoving the diesel engine into the Vitality Wagon. These factors primarily comprise the oil pan for the engine not turning into accurately with the Vitality Wagon’s entrance suspension. The digital disconnecting entrance sway bar will get in the way in which by which.

Nonetheless the rivals affords turbodiesel engines of their off-road vans. Killian and his workforce are acutely aware of the model new rivals and rising chorus of Vitality Wagon patrons asking for the engine enhance. The chief well-known there’s no engineering downside the workforce couldn’t take care of, it merely costs money. He stopped in want of confirming changes had been in enchancment for a turbodiesel throughout the Vitality Wagon. So that you just’re sayin’ there’s a chance.

Vitality Wagon stays tender and Rebel punishing

What hasn’t modified the least bit is how these vans expertise. On- and off-road the 2500 Vitality Wagon has a borderline plush expertise as a result of tender Bilstein off-road shocks designed to crawl reasonably than haul rocks. The 2500 Rebel? Brutal. The Rebel moreover has Bilstein dampers, nonetheless they’re tuned loads firmer than the Vitality Wagon’s as a compromise throughout the title of performance. That performance comes inside the kind of towing and hauling functionality. The Rebel can tow as a lot as 17,130 kilos and haul as a lot as 3,320 kilos with the gas V-8. These numbers improve to 19,890 kilos for towing and scale back 2,450 kilos for payload with the turbodiesel. 

The Vitality Wagon nonetheless solely tows as a lot as 10,530 kilos and hauls as a lot as 1,570 kilos because of that’s not its mission in life. That allows it to expertise so considerably higher. These softer Bilsteins pay dividends every on- and off-road for expertise prime quality. Driving on 18-inch wheels doesn’t hurt each.

Whereas off-roading throughout the Outdated Kingman Freeway Leisure area throughout the desert of Nevada the two vans set themselves apart twice. The first time was whereas climbing by some undulations. The Rebel lacks an digital disconnecting entrance sway bar and entrance locker. This led to wheel spin and a wheel throughout the air. The Vitality Wagon saved its entrance tires on the underside and maintained traction. Every made it by the state of affairs, nonetheless the Vitality Wagon did it further merely and with confidence.

The second was on a variety of miles of broken gravel roads the place I had no scenario going loads sooner than wanted (ahem) as a result of Vitality Wagon’s softer suspension. I ignored the Rebel, who’s driver was merely attempting to take care of their fillings securely of their enamel.

The Rebel exists because of the Vitality Wagon couldn’t deal with the towing and hauling capabilities of the Super Obligation Tremor and Silverado HD ZR2. Ford equips the Super Obligation Tremor to tow as a lot as 18,200 kilos by means of a conventional hitch and 23,000 kilos with a gooseneck trailer. It may also haul as a lot as 4,384 kilos of payload. The Silverado HD ZR2 can tow as a lot as 18,500 kilos and carry as a lot as 3,397 kilos of payload, and it does all that with  superior know-how inside the kind of Multimatic DSSV dampers which may be primarily essentially the most superior shocks on a producing HD pickup truck.

[=”” products=”v1|127037108024|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″ =”2,1″]

However it absolutely’s the standard entrance and rear digital locking differentials, the digital disconnecting entrance sway bar, and the standard winch that set the 2500 Vitality Wagon apart from each factor else obtainable available on the market. No competitor has the doorway locker or disconnecting entrance sway bar.

2025 2500 Vitality Wagon and Rebel look tougher

That’s a kind method of inserting it.

[=”” products=”v1|168140434143|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″] [=”” products=”v1|326787161124|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″]

The doorway of the Ram HD lineup has been revised with updated headlights and grilles. The headlights aren’t really taller, nonetheless they provide the impression of being taller because of they’re stacked and bisected with trim now. It seems worse in photographs than specifically individual, however it absolutely nonetheless shouldn’t be filed as an enhance. The grilles are definitely taller, which imposes a further intimidating stance. The Vitality Wagon and Rebel now have grilles with bars going every horizontally and vertically. It’s fairly a bit to take in.

Whereas the doorway grew to grow to be busier, the rear was streamlined. The updated taillights are easier and lose their nearly sideways cattle mannequin flip signal design. The entire lens is now crimson exterior of the reverse lights, and it’s aligned with the updated 2025 Ram 1500’s rear end.

The Vitality Wagon nonetheless rides on 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain rubber, whereas the Rebel rides on 20-inch wheels and 33-inch all-terrain rubber. The promised 18-inch wheels that had been to be on the market on the Rebel at its debut certainly not arrived. Who buys 20s to go off-roading? Ram acknowledged 35- and 37-inch rubber nonetheless gained’t clear the fenders of each of these vans with out rubbing. The Super Obligation Tremor and Silverado HD ZR2 every come on 35s. Ford really modified the doorway suspension for the 2023 substitute to verify 37s would match with out rubbing on the Super Obligation’s suspension.

2025 Vitality Wagon and Rebel get hold of minor inside updates

Anyone who’s been inside a Ram HD will actually really feel correct at residence throughout the updated 2025 vans. Little or no has modified. That’s not a foul issue because of these vans have the nicest interiors of their part, by a mountain transfer or two.

Whereas the 12.0-inch touchscreen stays commonplace, Ram now affords a 14.5-inch touchscreen enhance in every the 2500 Rebel and Vitality Wagon. The larger show display screen incorporates what will be some arduous buttons and makes them digital buttons. It seems significantly ineffective, however it absolutely moreover harms nothing. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster stands pat, and thankfully has a turboboost gauge when the turbodiesel is supplied throughout the Rebel 2500 in distinction to the Ram 1500 with a turbocharged inline-6 gas engine.

A reasonably big change for 2025 is the gear selector. Every Ram HD now has a column-mounted digital gear selector. Beforehand, every truck equipped with the gas engine had a dash-mounted rotary shift knob whereas solely turbodiesel vans had a column-mounted shifter. Ram acknowledged purchaser ideas—appears like loud complaining to us—drove the change. Rejoice column shifter followers. You gained.

2025 Ram 2500 Vitality Wagon and Rebel wrestle with value

The 2025 Ram Vitality Wagon costs $74,235 along with an absurd $2,095 trip spot value. That’s $4,105 larger than a 2024 model for what portions to largely the an identical truck.

The story is an identical with the 2025 Ram Rebel HD, which now costs $70,740 with the gas engine. That’s up $1,020 from 2024. Take into consideration one different $12,595 for the turbodiesel, which is type of the aim of the Rebel, no?

[=”” products=”v1|227201582059|0″ visible=”description” title_tag=”div” img_ratio=”4×3″]

The precise scenario is {{that a}} Ford Super Obligation Tremor costs solely $61,880 with a further stylish gas engine. Slapping the $12,995 high-output turbodiesel throughout the Tremor brings the general to $74,305, which is about what a Rebel’s going to cost with no turbodiesel after an selection or two.

Ford is severely undercutting Ram’s pricing, and really sticking it to the HD off-road pioneer as quickly as a turbodiesel’s factored into the equation. It moreover rides on 35s out of the sphere.

Whatever the mildest of updates to take care of tempo with the fresh-face rivals, Ram’s 2500 Vitality Wagon can nonetheless do points no competitor can, or can a minimum of do them further merely. The Vitality Wagon stands alone with its {{hardware}}. The 2500 Rebel, then once more, has some options ahead for a softer suspension, smaller wheels, and greater tires.

Ram paid for journey, lodging, and tacos throughout the desert for Motor Authority to convey you this first-hand evaluation.