What is the Ram 1500?
The Ram 1500 has been one of our top-rated full-size pickup trucks for the past decade or so. It offers a rare combination of an upscale interior, a surprisingly comfortable ride quality and, of course, the utility one might expect from a large pickup truck. The "secret sauce" of Ram 1500's comfort stems from the company's decade-old decision to move away from leaf springs and switch to a coil-spring rear suspension.
For 2022, the Ram 1500 received a nice technology update with the addition of the latest Uconnect 5 touchscreen operating system as standard or optional equipment in all but the base Tradesman trim. That system is available with an 8.4-inch or 12-inch touchscreen display depending on your Ram configuration. It responds more quickly and features the ability to get over-the-air software updates that allow it to fix any bugs or add new features.
This current fifth generation of 1500 has been around since the 2019 model year. Reports seem to indicate that the Ram 1500 is due for what's called a midcycle refresh. With a refresh, you're likely to see cosmetic updates to the exterior, such as new front bumper styling, new headlights and taillights, and perhaps some minor changes to the interior. In late March, Stellantis (Ram's parent company) debuted its new Hurricane 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-six-cylinder engines, meant for use in its larger vehicles. They promise the power of a V8 engine, with the fuel economy and comparatively lower emissions of a six-cylinder engine. We can see this going one of two ways: Either the new engines are used for the expected 2023 refresh or Ram holds off until the next major redesign.