2021 Ram 1500 Review

The Ram 1500 truck has been our top-rated light-duty pickup since this latest generation debuted for 2019. It has set the bar for the class in terms of technology integration, interior materials quality and ride comfort while providing stout towing and hauling capabilities. For 2021, however, the competition is significantly tougher: The 2021 Ford F-150 has been fully redesigned.

Ram isn't just giving up its crown without a fight. This year's 1500 gets new optional tech features such as a driver head-up display, an available digital rearview mirror, new performance and off-road readouts via the 12-inch touchscreen, and a trailer reverse control system that steers the truck for you as you direct your trailer into your parking spot.

Small potatoes, you say? OK, how about the all-new Ram 1500 TRX? It features a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 thumping out 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. That's a lot of russets. Ram says the TRX can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds — an astonishing figure for a beefy pickup truck like this. But that's not all. The TRX also gets wide-body fenders, 35-inch tires, a specialized suspension, a reinforced frame and a 2-inch chassis lift, all for enhanced off-road high-speed performance.

With a potential price tag approaching $100,000, a fully loaded TRX certainly isn't for everyone. Then again, that's the beauty of a full-size truck — there's a version to pretty much match every need, want and budget. Want to know more? Check out our Expert Rating below to get our team's full evaluation of the 2021 Ram 1500's performance, comfort, towing capability and more.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds purchased a Ram 1500 and drove it for two years and nearly 50,000 miles. To learn more about our experiences, read our Ram 1500 long-term test. We cover everything from seat comfort to real-world fuel economy and durability. Note that we tested a 2019 Ram 1500 but it and the 2021 truck are of the same generation, so most of our observations still apply.

The Ram 1500 comes in seven trims: the base Tradesman, Big Horn (also called the Lone Star in Texas), the beefed-up Rebel, followed by the Laramie, Long Horn and Limited. Finally, new for 2021 is the TRX, an off-road-focused version with many exclusive features.