The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO may be a “beast of a truck,” as one company official recently described it, but the Stellantis brand says it’s not trying to replace its even more monstrous TRX, which was dubbed the Ford F-150 Raptor killer.
Instead, the Ram brand on Thursday is unveiling a roadster with performance and pricing figures that could open up a new dimension in the ongoing battle of automakers.
The company, which also owns Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat, even touted it as “the best value with more horsepower per dollar … than any other off-road offering.”
The RHO, with a starting price of $69,995 excluding a $1,995 destination charge, is priced lower than the base Raptor, currently starting at $78,330, excluding destinations, while offering more horsepower than the base Raptor model (high end and even the higher priced F. -150 Raptor R is in a different league).
Not trying to replace the respected TRX
At a recent press and analyst show in Detroit, Ram officials explained how the addition of the RHO expands the brand’s light-duty sport-utility truck lineup, which also includes the Ram 1500 Warlock and Rebel.
But they did not close the door on the possibility that TRX could return. They made sure to dampen expectations that this truck is the replacement for the brand’s V8-powered muscle truck, which ends its run for the 2024 model year.
“We have a lot of respect for what we’ve built on the TRX. And so I’m not trying to change it. But now having a more accessible truck, using what we’ve already built is going to be really important to our customers,” said Bob Broderdorf, Ram Brand chief operating officer.
Ram RHO specs
The truck, which is assembled at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, is powered by a 3-liter Hurricane High Output straight-six turbo engine, built at the Saltillo North Engine Plant in Mexico. That’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
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Here are a few key metrics, according to Stellantis:
- It is rated at 540 horsepower, 521 foot-pounds of torque
- 0-60 in 4.6 seconds; 0-100 mph in 11.7 seconds
- Quarter mile in 13.1 seconds at 105 mph
- Top speed of 118 mph
- 15 MPG (city), 21 (highway), 17 (combined)
- Maximum towing of 8,380 pounds; maximum load of 1,520 pounds
- Up to 32 inches of water diversion.
The truck, which is said to be “extremely similar” to the TRX, can be ordered now, and is expected to go on sale in the third quarter.
A few exterior features worth noting include hidden amber lights on the hood and hood and a “super air ventilation system” with a water and dirt-filtering pipe that “helps the truck breathe only fresh, cool air.”
Inside, Easter egg hunters will have no trouble finding the rhinoceros on the center console badge, which includes the vehicle’s identification number. A 14.5-inch touchscreen provides access to the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, and there’s a 10.25-inch screen visible only to passengers, according to the company.
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Sam Abuelsamid, senior travel and mobility analyst at Guidehouse Insights in Detroit, said RHO helps position Ram in the market in the near term.
Will RHO come in an electric version?
“They priced this thing very aggressively compared to the Raptor. This thing is $8,000 cheaper than the V6 Raptor. It’s got more power and possibly … better performance,” he said.
Although RHO is not electrified, questions about electrification abounded at the Detroit event.
Abuelsamid, noting the company’s reputation in the past as power inefficiency, said Ram engineers are well-planned for their next steps, with various options related to the power supply.
“They have a lot of Lego bricks in a toy bin that they can put together in different combinations,” he said, pointing to a Ramcharger range extender or a fully electric car.
But Abuelsamid predicted that the differences between RHO and TRX may not matter much now. The Hurricane’s engine would be slower than the supercharged V8, but it has “good low-end torque potential” and the truck is 150 pounds lighter to help bring performance back, he said.
“The performance gap probably won’t be that big,” Abuelsamid said.
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