ALL-NEW RAM Rampage Is Brilliant! So Why Is RAM Worried?

The all-new Ram Rampage is turning out brilliant, and now it's coming to the US market. If you have been priced out of new trucks, this compact pickup is aimed straight at your budget. Most people think a small unibody truck can't do real work, but this one outcarries its biggest rivals. US Arrival, Finally This truck is not a fresh experiment. It has been selling in Brazil for a few years, shaped by crowded cities and rough roads. From there, it moved on to Europe, where pickup buyers are far harder to impress. It holds its ground there as well. Therefore, Ram is treating it as a proven product, not a gamble. Years of daily use are standing behind it before the first American order. The recipe is simple. The Rampage is riding on a unibody platform so it is going to drive much like a crossover, but the styling is coming straight from Ram's bigger trucks with the same bold face. For America, the truck is arriving largely unchanged. Only the updates required by U.S. regulations are being made. It is going to slot below the new Dakota, which is taking the mid-size, body-on-frame role. A proven record overseas is a strong start, but it won't beat an established rival alone. That takes real muscle, which brings us to what is sitting under the hood — powertrain. South American buyers are choosing between two turbocharged four-cylinder engines. One is running on gasoline, the other on diesel. The diesel is a 2.2-liter turbodiesel, making about 197 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Its strength is low-end torque, the kind that pulls hard from a standstill. It is also the more efficient of the two, but it is staying overseas. American shoppers in this class are simply not asking for diesel, so the U.S. truck is going to focus on gas. That means the 2.0-liter Hurricane 4 Turbo, rated at roughly 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet. Those figures are going to place the Rampage among the strongest trucks in its class. Anyone who has merged onto a fast highway in a small truck knows the feeling. The gap is closing, the pedal is down, and very little is happening. The Hurricane is going to fix that. It is bringing 30 more horsepower than the Maverick's turbo engine, which makes 238. Torque is also beating the Maverick's 277 pound-feet. The Santa Cruz is slightly ahead at 281 horsepower, but the gap is small. 60 miles per hour should arrive in about 6 seconds. For reference, the Maverick needs 6.1 seconds and the Santa Cruz 6.3, so the newcomer is going to run right alongside both and possibly ahead. Power is going through a 9-speed automatic transmission. With nine ratios to work with, the engine is going to stay in its strongest range. At highway speeds, the tall-top gears are going to keep things quiet and efficient. Drivers who want more control are getting paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. All-wheel drive or four-wheel drive is going to be available, too, for buyers facing rain and snow. A hybrid version is also possible down the road. That would answer the Maverick hybrid directly and cut fuel bills for daily drivers. For a retired driver watching monthly costs, that could be the version worth waiting for. That engine is impressive, but it means little if the truck can't carry or pull, and that is exactly where the Rampage is going to move ahead of its rivals. Capabilities Unibody pickups are carrying a reputation for being soft. The Rampage is about to challenge it. With the gas engine, payload is going to reach about 1,653 pounds. The Maverick is topping out at 1,500 pounds, while the Santa Cruz stops at 1,411, so the smallest Ram is going to out-carry both of its main rivals. Picture a Saturday run to the home improvement store. A stack of pavers and a few bags of concrete can leave a small truck sagging. That extra margin is going to mean one trip instead of two. Towing is getting the same serious attention. The turbo engine's 295 pound-feet is going to keep a small camper or fishing boat moving easily. Trailer sway control is coming as well, steadying the load when crosswinds hit. Then there is the bed. It is going to offer close to 35 cubic feet of cargo volume. A power-opening tailgate is part of the plan, which is rare at this size. Ram is also preparing a bed divider to stop groceries and tools from sliding around. Power running boards are going to extend when the doors open, making every climb in easier. Underneath it all sits a robust steel body, built to take daily abuse. So, the bed is going to outwork the competition. But if that sounds good, wait until you see what Ram has done with the cabin. Interior Hard plastics are usually the price of an affordable truck. Ram is taking a different route. Soft-touch materials are being used on every trim level. The Rebel is getting all-black leather. The R-T is pairing leather and suede with bold ruby-red stitching. Room is not being sacrificed either. Four full doors and a proper rear bench are going to let adults ride in back comfortably. Technology is where the cabin is pulling ahead. A 12.3-inch touchscreen is going to anchor the dashboard. Next to it, a 10.3-inch digital cluster is replacing the old analog gauges. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are coming, and two phones can be paired at once. On a hot summer drive, a phone left on a charging pad often overheats and quits. RAM is solving that with a cooled wireless charger. Six USB ports are going to keep every passenger's device topped up. Comfort features are stacking up as well. Expect dual-zone climate control, remote start, and a power-adjustable passenger seat. A 10-speaker Harman Kardon system and ambient lighting are being offered on higher trims. safety tech is following the same pattern automatic emergency braking is going to watch for pedestrians and cyclists adaptive cruise control with lane centering is going to ease long highway days with hands on the wheel blind spot monitoring is on the list too a cabin this polished raises a fair doubt though, can a truck this refined still cope once the pavement ends. Off-road performance the answer is going to come from the Rebel. Every four-wheel drive Rampage is using an automatic 4x4 system. It is shifting torque between the front and rear axles, without any driver input. When the ground gets worse, a 4x4 low mode is ready for slow, slippery work. The Rebel is building on that base. It is getting all-terrain tires with thicker sidewalls, plus trail-focused hardware and a tougher look. Selectable drive modes are going to tune the truck for different surfaces. Steep, loose descents are where many drivers lose their nerve. Riding the brakes on gravel often makes a slide worse. Hill descent control is going to take over there, holding a slow crawl while the driver steers. Expectations should stay realistic, though. This is not going to be a rock crawler like a Wrangler. But for forest roads, muddy boat ramps, and snowy driveways, it is going to be plenty. Buyers who never leave pavement are getting their own version. The R/T is going the other way, with a sport suspension, lower ride height, and larger wheels. A sport exhaust is completing the package. Two personalities, one small truck. But none of it matters if the price is wrong, and that is Ram's biggest worry. Release date and price The Rampage is going to reach American dealers sometime next year. The Maverick has built its following on a sticker under $30,000. Miss that mark, and compact truck shoppers are going to walk straight past. Therefore, Ram is aiming right at it. The base Tradesman is going to start around $29,000 to $30,000. A mid-range Laramie is going to land near $33,000. The off-road Rebel is set for about $35,000. At the top, a Limited is going to reach roughly $37,000. Many buyers have watched full-size truck prices climb beyond reason. A new Ram 1500 is now starting above $45,000. The Rampage is going to bring that badge back within reach at roughly two-thirds the cost. There is a catch, however. The Rampage is positioned as a more premium truck than the cheapest Maverick trims, so Ram has to deliver that extra quality without letting the price drift upward. The new Ram Rampage is arriving as a proven truck, not a first attempt. It is bringing 268 horsepower, a payload that beats both rivals, and a cabin from a pricier class. The Rebel is adding real trailability while the R/T is covering the street, so Ram's concern is not the product itself, it is whether a late entry can pull loyal Maverick owners away at the same money. If the sticker holds near $30,000, that worry is not going to last long. In the meantime, already established players are preparing for this massive impact. Of course, we are primarily talking about the 2027 Ford Maverick, which you can check out in our next video, and it is getting further polishing in order to solidify its leading position in the segment. Known for a perfect balance of efficiency and utility, the Maverick is now coming with more exciting performance-oriented variants, while more variants are reaching the maximum towing capacity of 4,000 pounds.