Right. Let’s talk about the 2026 Ram 1500, and specifically the version with the resurrected Ram 5.7-liter Hemi V8, because this truck is, in many ways, the automotive equivalent of a pub landlord realizing that replacing beer with herbal tea was a catastrophic mistake. So, the Hemi is back, and I’m going to review it and see how it is.
Last year, Ram decided to ditch the Hemi and replace it with a turbocharged straight-six called the Hurricane. And on paper, it’s brilliant: more power, more torque, faster acceleration, and better towing. Numbers that would make a spreadsheet blush with excitement. But then something fascinating happened. People hated it. The V8 returns, which, when compared to the Hurricane’s output, is roughly the automotive equivalent of bringing a butter knife to a gunfight. So I had to drive it to settle this argument once and for all, and thankfully, RAM delivered a 2026 RAM 1500 HEMI Limited 4×4 for review.
Sports Exhaust
When you start the Hemi, it announces itself like a man clearing his throat before delivering a speech about freedom. There’s a thunderous bark from the exhaust because Ram fitted every Hemi truck with a sport exhaust, so the entire neighborhood can hear your cold start at 6:30 in the morning. Is it efficient? No. Is it as fast as the turbo-six? Also no. In fact, the turbocharged Hurricane engine is quicker, stronger, and more capable in almost every measurable way. But here’s the thing: engines are not spreadsheets. They are theater, and that is exactly the point. The only negative is that Ram has even added a little emblem to celebrate the engine’s return, called the “Symbol of Protest,” which I think is rather silly.
Under The Hood
Under the hood sits a 5.7-litre HEMI V8, which produces 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque—numbers that, on paper, suggest it should be able to tow a cathedral while setting fire to the surrounding countryside. It’s paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which, rather pleasingly, is actually very good. None of that dithering about like a waiter who’s forgotten your order, this one just gets on with it.
Then there’s the so-called eTorque system. Yes, really. It chips in with an extra 16 horsepower and 130 lb-ft, allegedly to help with fuel economy. And it does, provided you drive like you’ve got a raw egg under your right foot and a nun in the passenger seat judging you. Drive it like a normal human being, however, and you’ll be seeing about 20 miles per gallon on the highway, which, for something the size of a small bungalow, is either impressive or deeply alarming.
Power goes to the rear wheels as standard, but this one has four-wheel drive and a proper two-speed transfer case with low range—because obviously, at some point, you may need to climb a mountain, cross a swamp, or invade a small country.
Now, put your foot down, and it’ll do 0–60 in 6.1 seconds. Which is quick. Not “rearranges your internal organs” quick, but certainly enough to surprise anyone who thought this was just a tool for hauling drywall. That said, it’s still not as fast as the new Hurricane straight-six. But then again, that’s a bit like saying a grizzly bear isn’t as quick as a chainsaw, it rather misses the point.
Fuel economy? Well, the RAM 1500 drinks fuel like a teenager discovering beer for the first time.
Driving – As smooth as silk
Driving is, quite frankly, baffling because this enormous, square-jawed monument to excess should handle like a collapsing garden shed in a hurricane. And yet… it doesn’t. Somehow, Ram’s engineers have performed a bit of dark magic on the chassis, because the thing actually goes around corners without threatening to tip over and crush a small village.
The steering? Light, yes, but surprisingly accurate. The brakes? Vast. Absolutely vast. Big enough, I suspect, to halt the rotation of the Earth, though they do feel a bit like you’re stepping on a firm sponge. And the body control… well, it exists. Which, in something this size, is already a minor miracle. Of course, it’s still wider than most European countries, so every lane change feels like you’re submitting architectural plans to the local council. But crucially, it no longer feels like you’re desperately trying to rein in a runaway toolshed.
Then you get it onto the freeway, and everything becomes deeply, deeply strange because it relaxes. You’re perched up high, gazing down at the peasants in their hatchbacks like some sort of automotive aristocrat. The cabin is eerily quiet, unnervingly so, given it’s riding on tyres roughly the size of industrial water tanks and the air suspension simply dismisses potholes as if they’re beneath its dignity. It’s a rolling first-class lounge… that just happens to be capable of jumping over geological features.
In corners, yes, it leans. Of course it does. It leans like your slightly inappropriate uncle after his fourth glass of wedding champagne. But it never completely loses the plot. In fact, it remains—dare I say it, very composed.
A little off-road perhaps?
We headed out to our favorite spot on Marron Valley Road, a light and dusty truck trail with some moderately harsh washboard surfaces. Despite this, the RAM’s air suspension was untouchable, gliding over the surface like a hovercraft, enhancing its reputation as one of the smoothest riding full-size trucks. Despite wearing 22-inch wheels and all-season tires, it aced the hill and barely slipped a wheel while using 4-Lo, and never did we need to lock the axle. Of course, with skid plates and all-terrain tires, we could have taken it on our usual, more technical hills.
The Ram 1500 has the nicest interior in the segment, and it’s not even close. There’s less cheap hard plastic in every trim than in the competition. Fit and finish is better than the competition. Functionality is either better than or tied with everyone else, given that you can actually see out of it far better than in the Silverado and Tundra, thanks to the seating position and the shape of the windshield.
You get acres of soft leather, thick stitching, and trim pieces that look like they’ve been hewn from the dashboard of a private jet. There’s a colossal central touchscreen the size of a kitchen tile, a fully digital instrument cluster, and an audio system so powerful it could probably summon whales.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless, obviously. Cameras are pointing at everything, including, I think, your soul. You can even get massaging seats, because nothing is off the options list. There’s nothing like having your lumbar region gently prodded while you head out to Vegas to lose all of your money.
And space? Oh yes. There’s room for five actual adults, plus enough cubbies to lose several small pets. The back seats recline, the centre console could double as a studio apartment, and the cupholders are large enough to store small planets.
Wheels and Tires
The Limited gets enormous 22-inch wheels, wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion tires, 285/45 all-seasons, no less, which, given its off-road equipment, may not be the right ones for you. In which case, opt for the off-road package.
Bed, Cargo, and Towing
It’ll tow up to 11,320 pounds, which is enough to haul a yacht, a house, or possibly your mate’s entire life choices without breaking a sweat. Around the back, you get a 5-foot-7 bed as standard, 67.4 inches, if you enjoy measuring things like an engineer, which is fine for most normal human activities. But if you’re the sort who thinks “more is more,” there’s also a 6-foot-4 option, stretching out to 76.3 inches, giving you enough space to carry everything short of a small livestock parade, but it’s not available on this Limited trim.
Price
The base price on this limited trim model is $75,955. It has a few options, including this paint for $595 and the Limited Equipment group for $5,400. That gives you luxuries like Ram Box cargo management, A Uconnect 14.4-inch touchscreen, surround view cam system, and many driver assistance aids. For $1595, you get a dual-pane sunroof, and those wheels I mentioned are $2,095. Total price is $89,430
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The Problem with Logic – Verdict
Here’s the awkward truth: the Hemi costs about $1,200 more than the standard engine, despite being slower and less efficient. So, if you’re the sort of person who calculates fuel economy, payload figures, and 0–60 times before buying a truck, you will absolutely choose the Hurricane. But if you’re the sort of person who likes a pickup truck because it sounds like Thor clearing his sinuses… You’ll want the Hemi.
2026 RAM 1500 Limited 4×4 Numbers
BASE PRICE: $75,955
PRICE AS TESTED: $89,430
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, 4WD, 5-passenger, 4-door truck
ENGINE: 5.7L OHV 16-valve V-8
ELECTRIC: eTorque electric motor (16 hp and 130 ft-lbs)
POWER: 395 hp
TORQUE: 410 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
0-60 MPH: 6.1 sec
CURB WEIGHT: 5,767 lbs
MAX TOWING CAPACITY: 11,320 lbs
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 16/20/19 mpg
OUR OBSERVED: 15.6 mpg
PROS: Fantastic ride quality, best-in-class interior, great on and off-road
CONS: Slower and pricier than the Hurracane 6
2026 RAM 1500 HEMI Limited 4×4 Review
