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Quick Summary
The 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel is a functional and complete off-road package that delivers practical levels of off-highway clearance, traction and style without sacrificing payload or towing capability.
What Is It?
Prepare to be disappointed if you were clamoring for a Ford Raptor killer. The Ram 1500 Rebel was not conceived with the same sort of Baja-inspired desert racing mindset that birthed Ford's single-minded off-roader.
But for most of us that's a very good thing. The Rebel is a less expensive, down-to-earth collection of off-road components that offers meaningful performance and clearance gains without harming the payload and towing capabilities of the underlying 1500 crew cab on which it's based.
The formula is similar to the Toyota Tundra's TRD off-road package, but the Rebel ups the ante with a 1-inch lift, 33-inch tires, air suspension and hiked-up front bodywork that improves the Rebel's approach angle beyond what the lift would accomplish on its own.
What's Different About the Ram Rebel?
Unlike Toyota's TRD off-road package, the Rebel is not an option. It's a brand-new trim level that brings along the off-road goodies as standard equipment.
Ram's four-corner air suspension is one of those standard items, and for good reason. It allows the Rebel's 1-inch lift to boil down to a software tweak that transforms the former "Off-Road 1" setting into the Rebel's normal ride height. Likewise, the old "Off-Road 2" setting becomes simply "Off-Road" in the Rebel and offers a further 1-inch boost when extra clearance is needed.
Other suspension changes include the addition of Bilstein monotube shock absorbers specifically tuned to tame body motions on paved and unpaved surfaces alike. The cornering balance of the new combination was trimmed with a softer rear stabilizer bar, a tweak that also helps its off-road suspension articulation. Revised wheel alignment specs keep the tires in line despite the hike in baseline ride height.
The tires are aggressive 33-inch 285/70R17 Toyo Open Country all-terrain units that span nearly an inch wider and stand a full inch taller than Ram's usual 17-inch 4x4 offering. They're more ideally suited to crawling over rocky surfaces and maximizing traction on sand and mud, and they offer additional impact protection for the Rebel's distinctive new 17-inch aluminum wheels, which have enough extra offset to broaden the truck's track width by about a half inch.
That extra width is why the Rebel wears the black fender flares from the Ram Power Wagon. Its blacked-out front bumper, on the other hand, is all-new and has a wraparound steel brush guard/skid plate built in. The bumper's raised bottom edge gives the Rebel a 23.8-degree approach angle when set to normal height, an increase of more than 4 degrees. Clearance is even more dramatically improved out toward the ends, where the bumper's "wings" are cut higher to expose more of the tire tread to rocky obstacles that lie ahead.
What Is the Interior Like?
The Rebel's interior is based on the Ram Big Horn, which means it's comfortable and well-appointed without being so pretty you'd hate to track mud inside. Black and red are the dominant colors, so the instrument panel hood and leather steering wheel wrap are decorated with red stitching.
Likewise, the Rebel's instrument faces are black with red anodized aluminum bezels instead of the usual chrome. Additional red anodized aluminum trim encircles the air-conditioning vents, dresses up the door panels and frames the cupholders and new smartphone holder that occupy the bin just ahead of the console armrest.
But the grained-vinyl and fabric seats make the biggest impression because the tread pattern of the Toyo Open Country tires has been pressed into the seating surfaces. We can't actually feel anything different when we climb behind the wheel, which is a relief because Ram 1500 seats are some of the most agreeable in the segment.
If you ever look up you'll discover the Rebel's headliner has been switched to black. Let your gaze drift down and you'll see heavily ribbed all-weather rubber floor mats that are meant to keep mud and slush from soaking into the black carpet.
How Many Body Styles and Engines Are Available?
Because it's the combination chosen by about 70 percent of Ram pickup buyers, the Rebel will only come as a crew cab with the 5-foot-6-inch short bed.
But that doesn't mean there are no choices. You can get your Rebel with the 305-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or a 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine. In either case you'll get the sturdy and economical eight-speed automatic transmission, which remains a class exclusive in the pickup world.
And you can get a Hemi-powered Rebel in a rear-wheel-drive configuration and save yourself $3,580 if the clearance, suspension and stance are all you want.
How Does It Drive?
Our test truck is a 5.7-liter 4x4 fitted with 3.92 axles. It moves out smartly and offers plenty of the familiar Hemi punch, even at our test location's 7,000-foot elevation. There's a little hum from the Toyo tires, but it never rises to the level of objectionable, even when the 5.7-liter V8 is mumbling along quietly on cruise control.
As with other Ram trucks, the air suspension drops an inch at freeway speeds to reduce air resistance. But the Rebel starts out an inch higher than other 1500 4x4s, so this merely brings it down to the regular truck's standard height. The result is a freeway ride that feels more compliant and pothole-resistant because the suspension isn't squatting as close to the bump stops.
The Bilstein monotube shocks deserve credit for this, too, but they cope well with the insistent hammering of washboard dirt roads. And there's no wheel hop when climbing the steep volcanic cinder cones on our test loop. The ingredients are all around us, but the Rebel doesn't take the bait.
Our test area doesn't include the sort of rock-strewn roads and crumbly ledges we see back home, so the jury is still out on that point. But the suspension, clearance, gearing and tires our Rebel enjoys don't leave much to the imagination. There's no reason it shouldn't excel, but we can't be certain until we get a production model on home soil.
What Kind of Mileage Does It Deliver?
EPA regulations make allowances for special models like the Rebel, so its window sticker fuel economy matches that of the volume-selling versions of the Ram 1500 pickups that share its drivetrains.
The 3.6-liter V6 Rebel is rated at 19 mpg combined (16 city/23 highway) and the 5.7-liter Hemi 4x4 version is rated at 17 mpg combined (15 city/21 highway). The Rebel 4x2 Hemi matches the 4x4 except it earns 22 mpg on the highway.
Keep in mind that the Rebel's 3.92 axle gearing, broad Toyo knobby tires and the aerodynamic disadvantage of its taller stance were never part of the Ram 1500 fuel economy testing rubric. These attributes will surely take a bite out of its actual fuel consumption.
Rebel V8 buyers who want maximum fuel economy instead of maximum towing and off-road prowess should avoid the 3.92 axles and buy the standard 3.21 ratio. This strategy is unavailable to Rebel V6 buyers because 3.92 gearing is the only offering there.
The absence of Rebel-specific fuel economy testing makes it impossible to confirm, but what all of this means is the 5.7-liter Hemi 4x2 Rebel with 3.21 gears may well be the thriftiest real-world combination. It's certainly the cheapest one to buy.
How Much Extra Will It Cost?
The Rebel 4x4 with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 starts out at $45,915. If that's higher than you expected, remember that air suspension (a Ram option that usually goes for $1,695) is standard fare here.
Move up to the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and your cost of entry rises to $47,565 for the 4x4 configuration. Want the Hemi but don't need four-wheel drive? You're in luck. The cheapest Rebel by far is the V8 two-wheel-drive model, which starts at $43,985.
What Are Its Closest Competitors?
The Rebel offers much more than the retuned shocks and modest tire changes associated with the 2015 Ford F-150 FX4 or 2015 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 packages. It would be unfair to characterize these stand-alone options as sticker packages, but the Rebel's 1-inch lift, air suspension, Bilstein shocks, redesigned front bumper and taller tires represent a more meaningful nod to enhanced off-road performance than either of them.
Toyota's 2015 Toyota Tundra comes in two off-road flavors, the TRD off-road package option and the TRD Pro off-road trim level. Both come with Bilstein shocks, and the basic Tundra has a goodly amount of underbody clearance and an admirable approach angle. Functionally, the Rebel slots between the two.
It has more to offer than the relatively inexpensive TRD off-road package, but Toyota offers that on any trim level at a lower price point. The 2015 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro V8 4x4 rides on a 2-inch lift and has extended suspension travel. Its Bilsteins are sophisticated big-bore remote reservoir units with multistage damping. The TRD Pro is more like the Raptor than the Rebel, but it costs less than either one.
Why Should You Consider It?
Ram's new Rebel is a strong choice for those who want an off-road package that offers meaningful performance improvements and a distinct personality in a truck that retains all of the payload and towing capability of the regular Ram 1500 on which it's based.
It's unique in the segment because the Ram's five-link rear suspension design allows the Rebel to employ standard four-corner air suspension, which allows elevated height modes off-road, supple ride comfort on pavement and a reduced-height mode to ease passenger and cargo loading when parked.
And let's not forget the two-wheel-drive Rebel, which is perhaps the most capable and complete example of that subspecies. There's no such thing as a rear-wheel-drive Tundra TRD Pro or Ford Raptor.
Why Should You Think Twice About It?
Diesel fans will need to look elsewhere for the moment. There's no engineering reason why a diesel-powered Rebel couldn't exist, but Ram is selling all of the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engines it can get its hands on already.
Those looking for a Ram-flavored Raptor and who are willing to give up payload and towing capacity (and the ability to park it easily) won't find it here. The 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel was never intended to be that single-minded. Thing is, the 2015 Tundra TRD Pro V8 4x4 doesn't sacrifice any of its payload or towing, either, and it costs less than a Hemi-powered Rebel 4x4.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Is the 2015 Ram 1500 a good car?
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2015 Ram 1500 and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2015 1500 featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
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We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
How do people like the 2015 Ram 1500?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2015 Ram 1500 and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2015 1500 4.8 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2015 1500.
Review
I have the '15 Reg Cab Ram 1500 V6 Black/out Edition. My Ram was affordable. Also, I love the mileage and the overall look. It just has issues very early on. I have owned the truck since Feb '15 and have 5k miles. My first problem I had was at 400 miles after my radio just stopped working for about 2 days. After 2 days it luckily started working, well kind of. Next after around 600 miles my front bumper has blemished paint spots that look like the sun "burnt" this area. My truck is regularly kept under a car port and washed/waxed w/ quality product. Oh & my Bluetooth doesn't work anymore and Pandora capability is a joke!
See all consumer reviews and retings for the 2015 Ram 1500
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Is the 2015 Ram 1500 safe?
The 2015 Ram 1500 earned a 4-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "GOOD" ratings from the IIHS in the following caregories: Rear Crash Protection/Head Restraint, Moderate Overlap Front Test Results, and a JD POWER overall quality rating of 4.0 out of 5. Among Edmunds' many tools and resources for finding your perfect car are detailed safety ratings and analysis from NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power, including overall ratings, frontal barrier crash ratings, side impact tests and crash ratings, rollover test results, roof strength tests, rear crash protection and head restraint ratings, side barrier ratings, combined side barrier and pole ratings, and more.
What options are available on the 2015 Ram 1500?
Available Ram 1500 2015 Submodel Types: Crew Cab, Quad Cab, Regular Cab
Available Trims: Big Horn, Tradesman, SLT, Laramie, Express, Sport, Rebel, Longhorn, ST, Night, Limited, Outdoorsman, Laramie Longhorn Edition, Harvest, Lone Star, R/T, Lone Star Silver
Exterior Colors: Bright White Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat, Delmonico Red Pearl Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Pearl White, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Black Forest Green Pearl Coat, Luxury Brown Pearl Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Blue Streak Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Bright White Clearcoat, Deep Water Blue Pearlcoat, Flame Red Clearcoat, Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat, Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Prairie Pearl Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat, Pitch Black Clear Coat, Western Brown (Late Availability), Black Gold Pearl Coat (Late Availability), True Blue Pearl Coat/Black Clear Coat (Late Availability), Copperhead Pearl Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Rugged Brown Pearlcoat, Western Brown, White Gold Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearlcoat, Saddle Brown Pearlcoat, Walnut Brown Metallic Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Hunter Green Pearlcoat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Prairie Pearl Coat (Late Availability on Quad Cab/Crew Cab), Bright White Clear Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clearcoat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearlcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Low Vol Detonator Yellow Clear Coat, Sagebrush Pearl Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Black Gold Pearl Coat, Blue Streak Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability), Bright White Clear Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Bright White Clearcoat/Light Graystone Pearlcoat, Bright White Clearcoat/White Gold Clearcoat, Copperhead Pearl Coat/Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat, Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Deep Molten Pearl Coat, Flame Red Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Low Vol Agriculture Red (Fleet), Low Vol Bright Green, Low Vol Light Cream, Low Vol Omaha Orange, Mineral Gray Metallic Clear Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Mojave Sand Clear Coat, Prairie Pearl Coat/White Gold Clear Coat, Saddle Brown Pearl Coat, Tequila Sunrise Pearl Coat, Torred Clear Coat, True Blue Pearl Coat/Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat (Late Availability)
Interior Colors: Black/Diesel Gray cloth, Black leather, Black/Diesel Gray premium cloth, Black/Diesel Gray vinyl, Dark Slate/Medium Graystone cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige leather, Black premium leather, Black premium cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium leather, Black/Red premium cloth, Black cloth, Black/Cattle Tan premium leather, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige premium cloth, Dark Slate leather, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) cloth, Canyon Brown/Light Frost Beige cloth, Dark Slate cloth, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium cloth, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown leather, Light Pebble Beige/Bark Brown premium leather, Black/Diesel Gray (Fleet) premium cloth, Indigo/Frost premium leather, Dark Slate Gray/Russet premium leather, Black/Yellow premium cloth, Black/Ruby Red premium cloth
Popular Features: Aux Audio Inputs, Post-collision safety system, Tire Pressure Warning, Stability Control, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Trip Computer, 6ft Bed, USB Inputs, Crew Cab, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, AWD/4WD, 10,000lb+ Towing Capacity, Towing Hitch, Bluetooth, Back-up camera, Upgraded Engine, Power Driver Seat, Alarm, Remote Start, Mobile Internet, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Parking sensors, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Auto Climate Control, Heated seats, Navigation, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Cooled Seats, Keyless Entry/Start, Upgraded Stereo, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, 8000lb Towing Capacity, Standard Cab, 8ft Bed, Rear Entertainment System, 5000lb Towing Capacity
Engine/Mechanics: 8, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: regular unleaded, flex-fuel (unleaded/E85), diesel
Drivetrains: four wheel drive, rear wheel drive
