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The Mopar 6.4-Litre Hemi V8 is one of the most characterful engines on the market, and yet this is a bizarro case where people demand a six-cylinder engine instead, albeit in the form of a big stonking diesel. This 2026 Ram 2500 Power Wagon does not have a big letter “C” on its front fenders, or the accompanying Cummins diesel engine under its bulging codpiece of a hood.
Those trucks are due later this year, but this Power Wagon, with “just” a thundering Hemi V8 has been refreshed, and we thought it deserved another look before the big C shows up and steals the show from this arguably more “legit” Power Wagon. Come to think of it, offering this as an HD truck is/was a clever way to keep offering this hardware package without dragging down corporate fuel economy numbers, and not straying too far from what half-ton buyers might want…
Wrap-up:
With a big V8 and locking axles, it’s a more traditional take on an off-road Ram
What’s new • Creature Comforts & Coverage
The Ram HD trucks were updated for 2025, with an even chunkier front fascia, and a nicer cabin that introduces the same tech updates seen in the half-ton Ram trucks. Those updates include a 12.3” digital gauge cluster, an optional 14.4” infotainment display running UConnect 5, dual wireless phone chargers, and expanded driver assists, like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist.
While there’s been no nuts-and-bolts changed for ‘26, almost all Ram trucks (including this one) now carry a standard 10 year, 160,000km limited powertrain warranty. In an era where it seems like just about every big truck is drowning in major manufacturing defects, recalls, recalls for the recalls, and even class-action lawsuits, this is a not-so-quiet boast of confidence from Ram.
Cabin Impressions • Nice Rams are Nice
HD trucks tend to lag behind their volume-selling half-ton counterparts in terms of modern amenities, but not so is the case with Ram’s HD trucks. With the exception of the chunky column mounted shifter, this is more or less the same inside as the luxuriously appointed Ram 1500 Rebel I reviewed last year.
Wins:
Sounds tough, looks tough, is tough, isn’t tough to live with
For any of you worried that it might be too slick for its own good, fear not. It’s all instantly familiar to anyone who’s driven a Ram in the last decade, everything is pretty easy to figure out, and it’s confugurable to be whatever you need. There’s still a good amount of physical controls, including a volume and tuning knobs. The new gauge cluster looks great, has a wide degree of configurability in terms of vital signs and map integration, and it looks pretty slick and works well. Some digital gauge arrays are a step backward; this isn’t one of them.
The only digital doo-dad I’m not fond of is the passenger-side screen that comes with the loaded Level 2 Equipment Group – but my passengers were wooed by it, so who knows. In a similar vein, they and I were both taken by the 17-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system. I appreciated the efficacy of the adaptive cruise control, I liked how the lane guidance isn’t overbearing, and everyone likes heated and ventilated leather chairs. Rams are always nice trucks and this is no different.
Powertrain • Mighty and mightily thirsty
Mopar’s Hemi V8 engines are popular engines, and for a good reason. They’re powerful, they’re a known quantity, and they sound bad ass. Unlike the smaller 5.7 in half-ton Rams, this 6.4L bigger brethren of the Hemi never went away, quietly soldiering on as an excellent truck engine that hits the tangible and intangible metrics square on the head.
Producing “only” 405 horsepower and 429 foot-pounds of torque, it’s outgunned by its modern force-fed brethren on a spreadsheet, but what you’re paying for is more difficult to itemize than numbers. You’re getting refined, predictable power, with lots of bottom end and mid-range torque, with no turbo lag, pulled ignition timing, heat soaking, or anything else that might make a turbo engine waver. It’s satisfying, brawny power, all the time. And did I mention it sounds bad ass?
All Ram trucks are paired to a brilliant ZF-sourced TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic, that is easily able to make the most of the Hemi’s muscle. All (gas) Power Wagons come with an aggressive 4.30 rear axle ratio to enable a 55:1 crawl ratio for off-roading, and it has the side benefit of greatly enhancing acceleration, and the gearbox is primed to snap-off shifts quickly and seamlessly.
It’s even able to return fuel economy that’s almost respectable – I got it down to 15.8L/100kms over a mixed commute home with some errands run along the way – but you really have to baby it and gently caress the skinny pedal with your big toe. Otherwise, it’s a brute that just wants to yell and drink like a Norse warrior; I averaged 19.4L/100km with it. It is what it is.
Driving Impressions • Just rough enough to feel right
This is a heavy duty rig with dual solid axles, a factory 2-inch lift, and 33-inch mud tires; it is a far cry from a light-duty Ram on air suspension. Having said that, in the realm of big trucks, it rides fairly well, and doesn’t feel like it’s gonna bounce off the road when unladen. It’s generally pretty quiet and well rushed, save for the distant howl of the mud tires on the highway.
The Power Wagon’s unique, off-road oriented suspension sees bespoke Bilstein dampers working with taller, softer coil springs to better absorb impacts when off-roading, and it pays dividends around town, too. The steering is just weighted enough to convey heft, but it’s effortless and easy to place. It is not what I would call agile, being so big, tall, and softly sprung, but it’s not a ponderous bus either. It’s a big truck that feels like a big truck without punishing you for picking a big truck.
Truck capability • Basically a giant Jeep
The Power Wagon, and particularly this gas power wagon, is very unique among trucks. Along with the battle equipment you’d expect to see on off-road rig, like rock rails, underbody protection, fancy suspension, locking axles, and a disconnecting front sway bar, the Power Wagon is set apart by its Articulink front axle. This gives the front end articulation that goes well beyond any other pickup truck – including, as far as I can tell, the diesel variant of this same truck.
The trade-off of this tricky suspension that’s able to trundle over terrain like it isn’t there, is that it doesn’t have the payload or towing capacity you’d expect of an HD truck, coming in at 1,454 and 10,500 pounds respectively. The upcoming Cummins Power Wagon effectively doubles both of the figures, at the expense of some extreme off-road capability… which is kind of what the Power Wagon is all about. You also lose the factory installed Warn Zeon winch – another essential for serious off-road use – in order to accommodate the Cummins.
Whiffs:
Not as hard-working as other HDs, drinks as much anyway
One is not necessarily better than the other, they’re different tools for different jobs, but this tool is far better at the job wandering off the beaten path, and I’d wager it probably moves better in daily use, too.
Wrap it up • The money question and final thoughts
The Power Wagon serves a very specific want: it’s a badass off-road Ram that’s far more traditional in its execution than something like the Ram RHO, and not nearly as ridiculous as a Ram TRX. It’s better suited to towing and hard work than either of them with it’s handy optional Ram Boxes flanking the bed, and let’s face it, you’re far more likely to crawl over obstacles than fly over them, like the widebody half-tons are built to do. At $116,955, it undercuts the RHO I drove to the tune of about twenty grand, too.
This 2026 Ram 2500 Power Wagon falls into a unique space, one that, frankly, is dominated by desire more than discernment. It can’t quite haul like other HD trucks can, but it won’t beat you up like they can, either. If you’ve decided you need (or let’s face it, want) a big, bad ass truck, with a big, bad ass V8, that’s in roughly the same realm as a billy-goat Jeep in terms of off-road hardware and capability, this is pretty much the only game in town – and it’s not harder to live with than a half-ton.
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Editor-in-Chief
Nathan is an eccentric car enthusiast who likes driver-focused cars and thoughtful design. He can't stand listening to people reminisce about the "good ole days" of cars because he started doing it before it was cool, and is also definitely not a hipster doofus.
