- Mild design tweaks don’t change the off-road Ram trucks’ capabilities
- Ram Power Wagon still has no direct competitor
- 2025 Ram Power Wagon costs $74,235 and Rebel HD costs $70,740
The competition woke up and realized there’s room to play within the heavy-duty off-road sandbox. But Ram doesn’t want to offer an inch of a segment it has defined 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 Power Wagon and 2500 Rebel HD arrive with their very own refresh. Each feature design and technology updates, while the Rebel gets major enhancements to its available turbodiesel engine option.
After spending time with the Power Wagon, it’s clear that it still stands alone by way of off-road hardware within the segment, however the Rebel HD now feels significantly more competitive with its updated turbodiesel engine. Nevertheless, the Rebel HD’s suspension stays punishing.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
No Ram Power Wagon diesel, Rebel HD turbodiesel upgraded
Unlike the Silverado HD ZR2 and Ford Super Duty Tremor, the 2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon can’t be optioned with a turbodiesel engine. At the least for now, that’s what the Rebel is for.
The 2500 Power Wagon continues to be available only with a tried, true, and at this point old 6.4-liter V-8 rated at 405 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. It’s advantageous, but Ford’s 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8 is more modern, more powerful, and more refined.
The Rebel HD soldiers on with the gas V-8 as the usual engine, nevertheless it’s the optional $12,595 6.7-liter Cummins inline-6 turbodiesel that makes Power Wagon buyers take pause. It’s not the 430-hp rating, however the 1,075 lb-ft of torque that appeals to those that buy their trucks to do work. That’s greater than Chevy’s 975 lb-ft but lower than Ford’s 1,200 lb-ft. The Cummins turbodiesel has been heavily revised for 2025 with a brand new turbocharger and intake manifold, glow plugs replacing the old grid heater, a top-loading cartridge-style oil filter, and two top-mounted fuel filters. Ram also ditched the old 6-speed automatic transmission paired with the turbodiesel and replaced it with an 8-speed automatic.
The results of these changes is noticeably quicker acceleration—Ram said 0-60 mph now takes 6.9 seconds versus the outgoing turbodiesel truck’s 8.0-second sprint—quicker cold-starts, and easier maintenance. Similar to when paired with the gas V-8, the 8-speed automatic fires off quick, smooth shifts and never gets lost within the shuffle. It’s also barely less busy than Ford’s 10-speed while towing.
2025 Ram 2500 Rebel HD
Is a turbodiesel Ram Power Wagon coming?
It would in some unspecified time in the future. Ram Heavy Duty Chief Engineer Doug Killian told Motor Authority the team has heard loud and clear that Power Wagon buyers and owners would love a turbodiesel engine option.
Killian confirmed the substantial updates to the Cummins turbodiesel engine under no circumstances resolved the problems which have, in response to Ram, prevented the automaker from shoving the diesel engine into the Power Wagon. Those issues mainly involve the oil pan for the engine not fitting properly with the Power Wagon’s front suspension. The electronic disconnecting front sway bar gets in the best way.
However the competition offers turbodiesel engines of their off-road trucks. Killian and his team are aware of the brand new competition and growing chorus of Power Wagon buyers asking for the engine upgrade. The manager noted there’s no engineering challenge the team couldn’t handle, it just costs money. He stopped in need of confirming changes were in development for a turbodiesel within the Power Wagon. So that you’re sayin’ there’s a probability.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon and Rebel HD
Power Wagon stays soft and Rebel punishing
What hasn’t modified in any respect is how these trucks ride. On- and off-road the 2500 Power Wagon has a borderline plush ride due to soft Bilstein off-road shocks designed to crawl moderately than haul rocks. The 2500 Rebel? Brutal. The Rebel also has Bilstein dampers, but they’re tuned much firmer than the Power Wagon’s as a compromise within the name of capability. That capability is available in the shape of towing and hauling capability. The Rebel can tow as much as 17,130 kilos and haul as much as 3,320 kilos with the gas V-8. Those numbers increase to 19,890 kilos for towing and reduce 2,450 kilos for payload with the turbodiesel.
The Power Wagon still only tows as much as 10,530 kilos and hauls as much as 1,570 kilos because that’s not its mission in life. That enables it to ride so significantly better. Those softer Bilsteins pay dividends each on- and off-road for ride quality. Riding on 18-inch wheels doesn’t hurt either.
While off-roading within the Old Kingman Highway Recreational area within the desert of Nevada the 2 trucks set themselves apart twice. The primary time was while climbing through some undulations. The Rebel lacks an electronic disconnecting front sway bar and front locker. This led to wheel spin and a wheel within the air. The Power Wagon kept its front tires on the bottom and maintained traction. Each made it through the situation, however the Power Wagon did it more easily and with confidence.
2025 Ram 2500 Rebel HD
The second was on a number of miles of broken gravel roads where I had no issue going much quicker than needed (ahem) due to the Power Wagon’s softer suspension. I overlooked the Rebel, who’s driver was just attempting to keep their fillings securely of their teeth.
The Rebel exists since the Power Wagon couldn’t tackle the towing and hauling capabilities of the Super Duty Tremor and Silverado HD ZR2. Ford equips the Super Duty Tremor to tow as much as 18,200 kilos via a traditional hitch and 23,000 kilos with a gooseneck trailer. It could actually also haul as much as 4,384 kilos of payload. The Silverado HD ZR2 can tow as much as 18,500 kilos and carry as much as 3,397 kilos of payload, and it does all that with advanced technology in the shape of Multimatic DSSV dampers which are probably the most advanced shocks on a production HD pickup truck.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
However it’s the usual front and rear electronic locking differentials, the electronic disconnecting front sway bar, and the usual winch that set the 2500 Power Wagon other than the whole lot else in the marketplace. No competitor has the front locker or disconnecting front sway bar.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon and Rebel HD
2025 2500 Power Wagon and Rebel look tougher
That’s a sort way of putting it.
The front of the Ram HD lineup has been revised with updated headlights and grilles. The headlights aren’t actually taller, but they give the impression of being taller because they’re stacked and bisected with trim now. It looks worse in photos than in person, nevertheless it still shouldn’t be filed as an upgrade. The grilles are indeed taller, which imposes a more intimidating stance. The Power Wagon and Rebel now have grilles with bars going each horizontally and vertically. It’s lots to soak up.
While the front became busier, the rear was streamlined. The updated taillights are simpler and lose their almost sideways cattle brand turn signal design. The whole lens is now red outside of the reverse lights, and it’s aligned with the updated 2025 Ram 1500’s rear end.
The Power Wagon still rides on 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain rubber, while the Rebel rides on 20-inch wheels and 33-inch all-terrain rubber. The promised 18-inch wheels that were to be available on the Rebel at its debut never arrived. Who buys 20s to go off-roading? Ram said 35- and 37-inch rubber still won’t clear the fenders of either of those trucks without rubbing. The Super Duty Tremor and Silverado HD ZR2 each come on 35s. Ford actually modified the front suspension for the 2023 update to make sure 37s would fit without rubbing on the Super Duty’s suspension.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
2025 Power Wagon and Rebel receive minor interior updates
Anyone who’s been inside a Ram HD will feel right at home within the updated 2025 trucks. Little or no has modified. That’s not a foul thing because these trucks have the nicest interiors of their segment, by a mountain pass or two.
While the 12.0-inch touchscreen stays standard, Ram now offers a 14.5-inch touchscreen upgrade in each the 2500 Rebel and Power Wagon. The larger screen incorporates what could be some hard buttons and makes them digital buttons. It seems somewhat useless, nevertheless it also harms nothing. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster stands pat, and thankfully has a turboboost gauge when the turbodiesel is provided within the Rebel 2500 unlike the Ram 1500 with a turbocharged inline-6 gas engine.
A moderately large change for 2025 is the gear selector. Every Ram HD now has a column-mounted electronic gear selector. Previously, every truck equipped with the gas engine had a dash-mounted rotary shift knob while only turbodiesel trucks had a column-mounted shifter. Ram said customer feedback—seems like loud complaining to us—drove the change. Rejoice column shifter fans. You won.
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon and Rebel HD
2025 Ram 2500 Power Wagon and Rebel struggle with value
The 2025 Ram Power Wagon costs $74,235 including an absurd $2,095 destination charge. That’s $4,105 greater than a 2024 model for what amounts to mostly the identical truck.
The story is similar with the 2025 Ram Rebel HD, which now costs $70,740 with the gas engine. That’s up $1,020 from 2024. Think about one other $12,595 for the turbodiesel, which is form of the purpose of the Rebel, no?
The true issue is that a Ford Super Duty Tremor costs only $61,880 with a more modern gas engine. Slapping the $12,995 high-output turbodiesel within the Tremor brings the overall to $74,305, which is about what a Rebel’s going to cost with out a turbodiesel after an option or two.
Ford is severely undercutting Ram’s pricing, and really sticking it to the HD off-road pioneer once a turbodiesel’s factored into the equation. It also rides on 35s out of the box.
Despite the mildest of updates to maintain pace with the fresh-face competition, Ram’s 2500 Power Wagon can still do things no competitor can, or can at the very least do them more easily. The Power Wagon stands alone with its hardware. The 2500 Rebel, alternatively, has some opportunities ahead for a softer suspension, smaller wheels, and bigger tires.
Ram paid for travel, lodging, and tacos within the desert for Motor Authority to bring you this first-hand review.
This Article First Appeared At www.motorauthority.com
