2026 Ram 1500 Hemi Road Test and Review

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Is a pickup truck a status symbol, an extension of its driver’s personality? Or is it a tool, engineered for functionality and capability? Yes, and yes. 

Last year, the Ram 1500 pickup leaned into the latter. It was still a fancy tool, to be clear, with richer interior finishes and a smoother ride than rival trucks. But Ram scrapped the iconic “Hemi” V8 engine in favor of a new six-cylinder motor. The new engine made the Ram much quicker while still eking out better gas mileage. On paper, it made perfect sense. But many Ram loyalists weren’t having it. 

So after a single year’s hiatus, the Hemi is back. Ram hastily engineered the Hemi to play nice with the Ram’s latest electrical system. For this review, we spent a week testing the 2026 Ram 1500 with the reborn Hemi engine. Keep reading to learn more about the Ram Hemi’s pros and cons to see if it’s the best full-size pickup for you. 

‘No Replacement for Displacement’

The 2025 Ram 1500 was available with a choice of three six-cylinder engines. A naturally aspirated (non-turbo) 3.6-liter V6 came standard, making 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. But the replacement for the Hemi was a pair of six-cylinder turbos that Ram called Hurricanes. The next-up standard-output (SO) Hurricane was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six with 420 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque. And the top-of-the-line high-output (HO) Hurricane made 540 hp and 521 lb-ft. 

The Hurricane engines make the Ram 1500 wildly fast. Even the SO model can hit 60 mph in barely 5 seconds, and the HO cuts that sprint into the 4s. That’s sports-car speed from a giant pickup. 

These engines are all still available for 2026. But now the Hemi V8 is back. It’s a 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V8 making 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, the same output as Hemi Rams from 2013 through 2024. 

Astute readers will note that 395 and 410 are smaller numbers than 420 and 469, to say nothing of 540 and 521. They explain why the Hemi takes an extra second to reach 60 mph even versus the SO Hurricane, to say nothing of the HO model. 

But as one classic automotive adage goes, “there’s no replacement for displacement.” And the math is clear once again: A 3.0-liter engine is smaller than a 5.7-liter one. All Rams use an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt

‘Symbol of Protest’

When the Ram brought on a Hemi engine in 2002, it defined the truck as bold and brash. This engine wasn’t only about speed. While it was quick for a truck at the time, it was also loud. It rumbled at idle and bellowed under acceleration. By contrast, the Hurricane is smooth and quiet. It’s a silky luxury vibe, rather than the truck equivalent to a Harley-Davidson. 

For 2026, the reborn Hemi comes with special badging on the fenders that Ram calls the “Symbol of Protest.” It shows a V8 engine block with a Ram’s head. (It’s a lucky thing the badge is available, since under the hood, you mostly see plastic.) We guess the idea is that a Hemi-powered Ram is giving a middle finger to the politically correct Hurricane. Maybe the libs wanted everyone to have a 540-hp six-cylinder instead of a 395-hp V8?

Except for the badge, the badges are the only clue that this is a Hemi Ram. Like most other 2026 Ram 1500s, it has a smoother, milder-looking body than other big pickups. You will find dual exhaust tips on every Hemi Ram, but they're also available with the Hurricane.

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt

A $1,200 Upcharge

The Hemi is a $1,200 upcharge versus the SO Hurricane engine on the order sheet. It’s also unavailable on both the lowest and highest Ram trim levels, and you need the four-wheel-drive Crew Cab with four full-sized doors rather than the less limo-like Quad Cab or a rear-wheel-drive model. 

Put this together and the cheapest Hemi Ram – the 4WD Express Crew Cab trim level – costs $53,040 plus a mandatory $2,595 destination charge. Our tested Laramie trim level starts at $64,130, and our truck came to $81,675 including options and the destination charge. Ram justifies this steep price withamenities that include heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control, a power-operated liftgate, a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, a panoramic roof, and of course the $1,200 Hemi. 

You also pay extra for the Hemi at the pump. The Hemi Ram gets an EPA-estimated 16 mpg in the city, 20 mpg on the highway, and 18 mpg combined. It uses mid-grade gasoline. The Hurricane SO gets 18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined using regular-grade fuel. The HO drinks 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 17 mpg on premium. But recall that even the SO model is significantly quicker than the Hemi. And between its higher fuel economy and higher tier of gasoline, the Hemi costs an extra $750 every 15,000 miles based on EPA estimates. 

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Roomy, Comfortable, and Quiet

We mentioned that the Hemi engine makes some extra noise compared with the Hurricane. But this is mostly when you’re accelerating. We expected a bigger shout right when we fired up the engine, but it rumbles pretty calmly when you’re idling or cruising at a steady speed. And like other Rams, the Hemi model has a smoother, gentler ride than most full-size pickups. That’s thanks to its rear coil springs, while most truck suspensions have cruder leaf springs. Our test truck also included the optional four-corner air suspension. Loud acceleration or not, this truck doesn’t have a bouncy, rough character overall. 

The cabin is spacious and comfortable, too. The seats are well-shaped and supportive. Like other crew-cab full-size pickups, the Ram has massive rear legroom. You can flip up the rear seatbacks to create an enclosed cargo hold. And our test truck has the optional RamBox storage compartments in the walls of the bed. 

Both the Hemi and the Hurricane Rams have similar towing capacities that max out north of 11,000. Towing limits vary more by body style and trim level than by engine, but the more powerful Hurricane can pull a trailer with less effort than the Hemi.  

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Richly Finished Dashboard

The Ram is also a posh, genteel truck on the inside. Moving parts glide smoothly, and upper trim levels have beautiful leather on the seats, dash, and door panels. 

The interior layout changes by touchscreen. An 8.4-inch unit comes standard, complemented by extra-simple buttons and knobs. Uplevel models have a 12-inch portrait-oriented screen that looks flashier but absorbs some functions into the digital display, making some of them harder to use. Our test truck has an even bigger 14.4-inch screen plus a bonus touchscreen in front of the front passenger. The graphics weren’t beautiful, and we had occasional bugs with the GPS system (loading slowly) and the trip computer (resetting itself to 8.9 mpg every couple of drives). But overall, the Ram’s interior quality and technology help justify its price tag.  

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Ram vs. the Competition

The Ram 1500 faces two competitors with their own optional V8 engines – the Ford F-150 plus the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 twins. 

Like the Ram, the F-150 has a lineup of powerful yet relatively economical turbocharged six-cylinder engines alongside a naturally aspirated V8. The F-150’s is a 5.0-liter with 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. It gets slightly worse gas mileage than the Hemi (17 mpg versus 18 mpg), but it cuts fuel costs by running on regular-grade gas instead of the Ram’s midgrade. The F-150 isn’t as cushy and coddling as the Ram, and its interior has less dazzle. But it’s simpler and easier to use, even with a big touchscreen. 

The Silverado and Sierra take a different approach to engines. It has a choice of two V8s – a 355-hp 5.3-liter and a 420-hp 6.2-liter. Neither is as economical as the Hemi Ram, and the 6.2-liter also needs premium-grade fuel. But for character and efficiency, though not great speed, the Silverado and Sierra share a class-exclusive six-cylinder diesel.

The final traditional truck in this class is the Toyota Tundra. Like last year’s Ram, the Tundra is only sold with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine. It’s powerful yet more economical than the Ram Hemi, and it sounds heartier than the Ram Hurricane. Upper-trim Tundras also rival the Ram’s interior details. But when you’re looking for eight screaming cylinders, the Toyota no longer has that option. 

You can also get a choice of fully electric full-size pickups. They’re fast, nearly silent, and cheap to charge up at home. Ram was planning to introduce its own EV pickup, but it chose to focus on a plug-in hybrid that will run on electricity for an estimated 145 miles while keeping a gas engine on board for longer drives. That model is currently set to hit dealerships later this year as a 2027 model, but it won’t tempt someone who likes the sound and simplicity of a Hemi V8. 

2024 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Hemi Is a Choice

The 2026 Ram 1500 reintroduces choice to the lineup. You can get the base 3.6-liter V6 to save money. You can get the SO Hurricane for the best balance of speed, fuel costs, and value. You can get the HO Hurricane for the quickest possible acceleration. And now you can get the Hemi, well, when you want a Hemi. 

We’ve seen arguments that the Hemi, as an older and simpler design, is more likely to be reliable than the newer turbocharged Hurricane engine. But that’s guesswork at this point. The big thing is the Hemi’s sound and its traditional connection to past Rams. 

So here’s the question: Do you want your smooth-riding, poshly finished, mild-looking big pickup to snort and bellow? If so, you’ll be glad to have the choice of a Hemi again. 

To others, paying extra for a slower, thirstier engine is what the kids would call “a choice” – in the tone suggesting that you could also choose to throw $1,200 into the trash can. If that’s your take, the Hurricane awaits.

2026 Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi ・ Photo by Brady Holt