Over the past few years, Stellantis has been quite a bit slower in updating its high-margin RAM full-size pickup trucks than its competitors at Ford and General Motors. That perception of an aging product lineup and high prices has seen RAM take a significant hit in sales and market share right at a time when Stellantis needs the profit from those trucks to fund other products across the company. After updating the light duty RAM 1500s in 2024, 2025 brings some notable upgrades to the heavy duty 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 models in pickup truck and chassis cab form factors
As with last year’s 1,500th update, the visual updates to the HD models are all relatively modest. Most of the sheet steel is from 2024 and will still be immediately recognizable to anyone who has noticed a RAM truck in the last 30 years. The muscular look of a RAM truck with its low, truck-inspired fenders remains a staple of HD trucks, that look has been more restrained in the recent 1,500 models.
The large headlamp clusters are now horizontally bifurcated by a body color strip creating two slimmer clusters with LED lamps now standard on the 2500 model. All of the HD trucks get new grilles with specific designs for each of the trim levels, Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, Laramie, Rebel, Power Wagon, Limited Longhorn and Limited models.
The most notable adjustments fear the truck cabins. All new HD trucks, which add pickups and chassis cabs, now come with a column-mounted shifter, opening up the dash area by eliminating the rotary dial shifter. Base models get the benefits of a 3. 5-inch data display in the gauge cluster with a larger 7-inch screen available as an option, while higher trim levels can be offered with a cluster. Completely virtual 12-inch instruments.
Three other infotainment formulas are also available. The base configuration includes the older Uconnect 4 formula on an 8. 4-inch screen. Although it is an older formula, it still works well. The lifting formula is an upgraded edition of the 12-inch portrait-style display with Uconnect. five used in the previous generation. The top-end variant gets the same larger 14. 5-inch display that debuted on the updated 1500 last year. The trucks will also come with the same 10. 25-inch passenger model. Touch screen present in the 1five00 and the Jeep Wagoneer. This right side screen allows the passenger to control navigation, media or watch a video and has a transparent window so the driver cannot see the screen while driving.
2025 Ram 2500 pickup
Other technology upgrades include a new enhanced lane keeping assist system and blind spot monitoring. A digital rear view mirror is also available to provide an unobstructed rear view. A trailer reverse steering control similar to Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist is also available. A knob on the dash allows backing up a trailer by turning it in the direction the driver wants to go with the system handling the steering of the truck.
Although electrified, the Ram included a built-in 2. 4 kW inverter with 2 120V outlets in the bed to power gear or other equipment.
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Some of the most significant innovations can be found under the hood. According to Stellantis, 70% of current RAM HD buyers opt for the Cummins 6. 7-liter inline-six diesel engine. Cummins redesigned the engine with a new, more powerful, redesigned block. cylinder heads, manifolds and pistons. Chassis and cab models get the same 360 horsepower and 800 lb. -ft. of torque as the 2024 models.
New 6. 7-liter Cummins diesel engine for 2025 Ram HD trucks
However, 2500/3500 pickup customers get a new higher output variant with 430-hp and 1,075 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the truck can now achieve its 36,610 lb fifth-wheel tow rating or 23,000-lb hitch tow rating with a 3.42:1 final drive ratio rather than the 4.10:1 axle that was required for max towing before. That’s a 610-lb higher maximum than a Chevrolet Silverado HD 3500 and 3,700-lbs more than a Ford F-350. Ford does offer an F-450 pickup with a 40,000-lb rating for goose-neck or fifth-wheel trailers but RAM doesn’t offer a 4500 pickup. The overall result of the changes is improved fuel economy. When not towing, the RAM HD 0-60 time is also cut from 8 seconds to 6.9-seconds.
New Heavy Duty Eight-Speed Transmission for 2025 Ram HD Trucks
Those that prefer a gas engine or at least a more affordable option can still get the 6.4-liter Hemi V8. For chassis cab models, the power output is increased by 5-hp to 375-hp while pickups lose 5-hp to 405-hp and both variants have the same 429 lb-ft as before.
2025 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab
For 2025, all RAM HD trucks get a ZF eight-speed automatic with the V8 retaining the 8HP75 that was offered before The diesels get new beefier transmissions to replace the six-speed units that were previously paired up with the Cummins which should provide smoother, quieter running and better fuel economy.
Both the pickups and chassis cabs will continue to be built at Stellantis’ Saltillo, Mexico assembly plant and are scheduled to hit dealers sometime in the first quarter of this year. RAM seems to have learned its lesson on pricing and is avoiding major increases for the new model year. The RAM 2500 pickup starts at $47,560 which is only $250 more than 2024 MSRP including destination. The starting price for the 3500 chassis cabs $49,285 including delivery charge, about $1,700 less than the 2024 model.
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