2023 Ram 2500 Rebel First Drive: More heavy duty than rock crawler

PIONEERTOWN, Calif. — A vocal subset of Ram truck fanatics has lengthy clamored for a selected mixture: a Energy Wagon with a Cummins turbodiesel. Effectively, they nonetheless aren’t getting one. However the 2023 Ram 2500 Insurgent is supposed to be the next-best factor, because it does certainly provide that long-coveted turbodiesel, whereas including and subtracting in a number of locations to create one thing that’s extra heavy-duty truck and fewer rock crawler.

First, what the Insurgent shares with the Energy Wagon. The one physique alternative is a Crew Cab and 6-foot-4 mattress, with a alternative of five- and six-passenger seating. Patrons can select between the identical BorgWarner part-time switch case, with a alternative of digital or guide shift operation no matter engine. It consists of 4Hi and 4Lo (crawl ratio of two.64:1), with the latter requiring you shift into Impartial. On the rear, the Insurgent inherits the identical digital locker and digital limited-slip differential. The 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 33-inch all-terrain rubber. The identical skid plate bundle is shared, as is similar common look aside from a barely completely different grille mesh and 20-inch wheel design. Mainly, aside from the shortage of POWER WAGON sticker on the mattress aspect, it could be awfully robust to inform the 2 aside.

Commonplace on the Insurgent is the Energy Wagon’s solely engine possibility: the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 good for 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. A ZF-sourced eight-speed automated is normal.

Now, what the Insurgent doesn’t get. Up entrance, there’s no digital entrance locker, nor the disconnecting sway bar and further rear suspension joint that permits for the Energy Wagon’s absurd suspension articulation. To that very same finish, the Energy Wagon has softer springs on the rear than different 2500 Rams, however the tradeoff for all that rock-crawling articulation is a significantly decrease tow score of 10,590 kilos and payload of 1,630 kilos.

The Insurgent will get firmer rear springs, which zaps articulation, however permits for massively upgraded heavy-duty trucking. The tow score jumps to 16,870 kilos with the 6.4-liter, whereas the payload goes as much as 3,140 kilos. Towing goes down by about 2,000 kilos with the Cummins because the engine weighs a lot extra. What you achieve, although, is sort of twice the torque. The 6.7-liter inline-six sends 370 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque by way of a six-speed automated. Sorry, you possibly can’t get the 1,075-lb-ft Excessive Output model, however let’s not be choosers, beggars.

You can also’t get the 12,000-pound Warn Zeon-12 winch whenever you go for the Cummins, since there’s mainly not sufficient house up entrance for each winch and diesel to coexist. That’s an enormous cause the Energy Wagon doesn’t provide the diesel. In the event you’re OK with the 6.4-liter, although, the winch could be added to the Insurgent.

Out on the street, the Insurgent feels each bit the heavy-duty truck with a big-honking diesel engine. Acceleration can directly really feel torpid, after which full-on indignant stump puller. The six-speed automated is innocuous sufficient beneath regular situations, however climbing a number of thousand toes into the mountains towards Huge Bear Lake, Calif., demonstrated a reluctance to downshift. It’s value questioning whether or not you’d favor the 6.4-liter and its further two gears whereas towing regardless of the torque deficit.  

The all-terrain tires add vagueness to the steering, however the hydraulic system fortunately nonetheless manages to supply simply sufficient response to forestall any spooky moments whereas protecting the truck in a straight line. The Ram HD doesn’t have a telescoping steering column, although, so for many who sit a bit rearward, discovering a perfect place could also be troublesome. Worse, your head may slam into the B pillar whereas off-roading, ask me how I do know.

Though I didn’t get an opportunity to drive the Energy Wagon and Insurgent back-to-back, the {hardware} variations and previous expertise would lead me to consider that the Insurgent received’t experience as comfortably on- or off-road. The firmer springs and lack of the disconnecting sway bar being the principle culprits. That is positively a firm-riding truck, and though it received’t beat you up (OK, so in case you’re driving over a rock-strewn path, it’s going to beat you up), there’s a value to pay for choosing a heavier-duty truck. This positively applies when evaluating the 2500 Insurgent to its 1500 Insurgent sibling: You’re going to be lots happier driving the 1500 each day even in case you can’t tow a small home.

That mentioned, the 2500 Insurgent nonetheless has rear coil-over springs with the added possibility of air suspension versus the leaf springs present in Ford and GM’s heavy-duty pickups. This not solely ends in superior experience consolation, however improved dealing with and trailer management. Theoretically, the Insurgent will not be as livable as a Energy Wagon, however ought to be extra nice than a Ford F-250 Tremor or GMC Sierra 2500 AT4. Theoretically at the least.

Off-road, the Insurgent could also be much less succesful than the Energy Wagon, however that’s just about the best bar you possibly can attempt to clear within the off-roading truck realm. A rock-strewn path with nasty ruts was distributed with out a second thought, assured that the truck’s floor clearance, articulation and large all-terrain tires would shrug all of it off. For a a lot higher problem, a number of comically steep hill climbs with deep ruts had been dispatched by merely holding the accelerator regular and permitting the 4Lo, rear locker and Goodyear Wranglers do their factor. Hill-descent management is included, however my proper leg and the brake pedal work capably sufficient. In the event you’re on the lookout for newfangled Selec-Terrain-style off-road modes, you received’t discover them right here. That is old style off-roading the place the {hardware} and the driving force take priority over the computer systems.

Now, it’s not like the paths and off-road “playground” we tackled within the Insurgent are doubtless something particular. A Wrangler driver would in all probability shrug and say “no massive deal.” It’s that they are often tackled in a heavy-duty truck that might tow three of these Wranglers to that path.

Do you have to attempt that, the Insurgent provides the identical array of trailering aids as different 2500s. Chief amongst these are numerous cameras, together with a brand new rearview digicam mirror that not solely shows the same old view from the tailgate, however provides the choice for a cut up aspect view (the cameras are added to the in any other case normal power-extending tow mirrors) that expands your blind-spot protection. You can too plug in an adjunct digicam that mounts to the again of a trailer, and even contained in the trailer, must you wish to keep watch over horses or alpacas or troublesome youngsters you’ve relegated to the toy hauler (don’t do that).

There’s additionally a ahead digicam, which can appear to be a newfangled further on this old-school off-roader, however that is additionally an unlimited old-school off-roader with a hood that stands taller than many individuals. Seeing precisely what’s over that hill crest is more durable than most, and with out a spotter, good luck. With the digicam, you all the time have that spotter. The ahead view will keep lively as much as 12 mph and can return to it whenever you dip beneath 12 mph once more.  

Pricing begins at $68,940, together with the hefty $1,895 vacation spot cost. That’s barely lower than the 2023 Energy Wagon, which had its priced hiked up by $4,000 to $71,240 for ’23. It’s due to this fact finest to consider the Insurgent as a unique kind of off-roading Ram 2500 moderately than a lesser model. Oh, and it will get lots pricier. There are a number of choices packages that change fabric with leather-based, clean panels with cameras, and an empty grille with a winch (amongst numerous luxuries). Actual choices pricing wasn’t obtainable on the time of writing, however the big-ticket merchandise, the Cummins, was a $9,595 possibility on the 2022 Ram 2500. So yeah, all that torque doesn’t come low-cost: A diesel Insurgent will probably be pushing $80,000 and possibly will strategy 90 massive when loaded. That’s in the end not that outrageous within the heavy-duty truck world particularly when you think about you’re getting a pickup that may pull off excessive towing, hauling and off-roading.