Used 2021 Ram 3500 Regular Cab
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
2021 Ram 3500 Review
byChristian Wardlaw
Correspondent
Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at Edmunds and was the first editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.
Pros
- Massive towing capacity with diesel engine
- Comfortable seating and a quiet cabin
- Easy-to-use and feature-packed infotainment system
- Numerous available safety technologies
Cons
- The diesel engine is on the noisy side
- Lacks competitive trailering technology
- No dedicated off-road package or model
What's new
- High-output diesel engine now has 1,075 lb-ft of torque, a gain of 75 lb-ft
- Maximum tow rating rises by 2,000 pounds
- Digital rearview mirror newly available
- Part of the fifth Ram 3500 generation introduced for 2019
Overview
Among truck owners, numbers matter. They settle claims, justify choices and validate bragging rights. This year, the 2021 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty holds two of the biggest ones among full-size heavy haulers.
First, the Ram 3500 HD's optional turbodiesel six-cylinder engine delivers a claimed 1,075 lb-ft of torque. That figure beats the Ford F-Series Super Duty lineup's Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 by all of 25 lb-ft. The Duramax turbodiesel V8 in Chevy and GMC trucks musters no more than 910 lb-ft. Second, the Ram 3500 HD boasts the highest gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing capacity of any full-size heavy-duty pickup truck, at 37,100 pounds, depending on the configuration. The Ford Super Duty is slightly behind at 37,000 pounds, while the limit for the Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD is 36,000 pounds.
The Ram's numerical advantages matter much less in real-world situations — all of these heavy-duty trucks are supremely capable for towing and hauling. Yet there are still plenty of other reasons to select the 2021 Ram 3500, including its comfortable seating and wide range of available technology and driver assistance features. It's definitely worth checking out if you're shopping for a heavy-duty truck.
Which 3500 does Edmunds recommend?
Your decision about which Ram 3500 HD to buy depends on how you plan to use the truck and the size of your budget. Unless you can't live without leather seats, the cloth-upholstered Big Horn offers you the broadest access to cab styles, drivetrains, seating configurations and equipment at the lowest price. You can restrict options to keep the truck basic and affordable, or you can add lots of extras to increase capability, upgrade technology or improve its looks.
2021 Ram 3500 models
The 2021 Ram 3500 is available in five trim levels: Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, Longhorn and Limited. Regular-cab, crew-cab, and Mega Cab (the extra-large crew-cab) configurations pair with standard (6 foot 4 inches) or long (8 foot) cargo beds and rear- or four-wheel drive.