2026 Ram 1500 Rebel is a pickup with a cause

Published 10:00 pm Friday, May 8, 2026

The 2026 Ram full-size pickup provides a crowded field of 10 trims, three different engines, scads of optional features and packages, and a wide assortment of cab styles and bed lengths that are intrinsic to pickups.

Ram 1500 base pricing starts at $42,025 for the Tradesman trim and tops out at $88,800 for the Tungsten. I drove the Rebel model, number 6 in the 2026 Ram 1500 lineup at $65,050, in Crew Cab 4×4 configuration with a 5-feet, 7-inch bed.

Engine options include the base V-6, a Hurricane I-6, and a Hemi V-8. The Hemi had been retired briefly but is back in force this year due to customer pleading.

My test truck was equipped with the Hurricane SO engine, a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder offered in SO (Standard Output) and HO (High Output) versions, providing 420 horsepower and 540 horsepower, respectively. The former is tuned for everyday driving and better fuel efficiency while the latter focuses on maximum power.

EPA fuel economy ratings for the Hurricane SO are 18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. Numbers for the Hurricane HO are 15/21/17 mpg.

The off-road-oriented Rebel’s 8-speed automatic transmission and 4×4 are standard. Its 11,140-pound towing capacity is impressive for a light-duty pickup, especially one aimed at off-road use. Payload maxes out at 1,600 pounds.

Ram 1500 Rebel is a powerful pickup with a civilized ride and stylish appearance, though I wasn’t enamored of the huge “Rebel” logo on the bed sides. This was one of the rare pickups that had me wishing for a side step. It’s a long way to the ground from the driver’s seat. But that’s the price to be paid for an off-road-oriented vehicle, whose high ground clearance is paramount.

Rebel did some redeeming with its easy bed access: too high for me to reach over the side to grab items inside the bed, but a low-enough (and not too heavy) tailgate to climb onto and reach in.

The 2026 Ram 1500 Rebel interior is enormous, with enough room between the front and back rows that I could crouch down on the floor and hide there, should I ever have occasion to do that. The interior is also strikingly good looking and its center console design is ingenious.

2026 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4×4

Base Price: $64,445

Price as Driven: $67,680