The word “dinosaur” is often considered an insult. The world has moved on and left you behind; an asteroid is coming for you and your kind.
In the case of the Ram 1500 TRX though, it’s not an insult… it’s a point of pride.
Dinosaurs are extinct, sure, but they dominated the landscape, and they’re still an object of fascination. They’re big, tough, and scary, and few were bigger, tougher, or scarier than the T-Rex.
Ram was shooting for more than the Walking with Dinosaurs crowd when it picked the TRX name for its hero. It was a deliberate swipe at the Ford F-150 Raptor, which is named after a smaller dinosaur – and as we know, bigger is always better in prehistoric matters.
An asteroid is coming for this dinosaur, no matter how proudly it wears its bonafides. The next TRX – or RHO, as it’s known – will trade its screaming supercharged V8 for a turbocharged inline-six, as emissions rules around the world bite.
Before it’s laid to rest, Ram has rolled out the TRX Final Edition.
The TRX has never done anything quietly. It should come as no surprise this prehistoric beast will be raging against the dying of the light right up until extinction.
How much does the Ram 1500 cost?
Pricing for the Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition is $249,950 before on-road costs.
That’s up $25,000 on the regular TRX, although with just 130 coming to Australia buyers will have exclusivity on their side.
Aside from the TRX Final Edition, Ram is currently offering runout deals on MY23 examples the DT 1500 ute. We’ve listed the MSRP; for details on New Car Deals check out our dedicated page.
ModelPrice before on-road costsRam 1500 Big Horn SWB$119,950Ram 1500 Big Horn LWB$120,950Ram 1500 Laramie Sport SWB RamBox$141,950Ram 1500 Limited SWB RamBox$156,950Ram 1500 TRX $224,950Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition$249,950
To see how the Ram 1500 stacks up against it rivals, use our comparison tool.
What is the Ram 1500 like on the inside?
No matter which model you opt for, the Ram 1500 is a massive and comfortable place to spend time.
The TRX took things further in standard guise, with a range of tasty add-ons to reinforce its sporting credentials, but the Final Edition goes further again with plenty of microsuede, unique badging, and a unique splash screen on startup.
You also get a panoramic sunroof, which is an upmarket touch that’s rare in the ute world. Then again, it’d want to feel nice at $250,000 before on-road costs.
From the generously padded seats to the flat-bottom steering wheel, it feels pretty damn special. And that’s before you press the start button.
There’s also a gloss-covered commemorative badge on the central armrest with the car’s outputs, its build number, and a cool graphic
The driver sits in a different postcode to the passenger, and the front-row pews feel like Gold Class cinema seats. They’re trimmed in leather, and are designed to make even broad-backed (or pot-bellied) owners feel comfortable during long stints behind the wheel.
Not only are the seats electrically adjustable, the pedals can be brought closer to the driver using a switch on the dashboard. The view of the road ahead is commanding, as you’d expect from such a burly beast of a ute.
Ram put technology in the spotlight when it revealed the DT 1500. The vertical infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, and wouldn’t look out of place in a modern Mercedes-Benz.
Unlike in previous testers, the software on this car worked flawlessly for us. It started quickly, and was always responsive to inputs.
It’s easy to navigate and looks fantastic, with modern graphics and snappy responses. Apple CarPlay looks great, and the ability to show more than one thing – maps and radio, for example – saves you from having to take your eyes off the road for too long.
Ram also deserves credit for keeping some physical buttons and dials, rather than forcing you to dive through sub-menus to adjust your temperature. A few of the big German brands should be taking note.
There’s more storage space than most owners will know what to do with.
Along with the removable cupholders and coin tray on the centre console, there’s a wireless phone charger slot below the touchscreen, and a bin big enough to hide a whole handbag, or a laptop and all your work kit. It puts the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in the shade, let alone something like a Ford Ranger.
Rear seat space is standout. The bench is wide enough to comfortably cart three apprentices (or kids) across, and legroom is excellent behind tall drivers.
Rather than an afterthought, the back seats feel like they were a key consideration for Ram from day one. Along with device power, there are air vents back there to keep kids cool on hot summer days.
The central square rear window is also a winner, allowing cool air to circulate when you’re moving without the buffeting that comes with open windows.
Two ISOFIX and three top-tether points feature for child seats, although shorter occupants will have to really clamber up given how tall the car is.
DimensionsRam 1500 TRX Final EditionLength5929mmWidth2235mmHeight2055mmWheelbase3686mmLoad bay1711mm x 1687mm
To see how the Ram 1500 stacks up against it rivals, use our comparison tool.
What’s under the bonnet?
The engine in the TRX is at the heart of its appeal. It’s a tower of power, and makes all the right noises.
SpecificationsRam 1500 TRX Final EditionEngine6.2L supercharged V8Power523kW Torque882NmTransmission8-speed autoDrive type4WD with 4A modeFuel economy (claimed)19.6L/100kmFuel economy (as tested)19L/100kmCO2 emissions (claimed)506g/kmFuel tank125 litresWeight3057kg (kerb)Payload743kgBraked towing capacity3500kgGross vehicle mass (GVM)3800kgGross combination mass (GCM)6878kg
To see how the Ram 1500 stacks up against it rivals, use our comparison tool.
How does the Ram 1500 drive?
Big, loud, and fast, the TRX takes some getting used to.
Overseas model shown
You sit so high in traffic, looking down on Ranger Raptor drivers, and the extended wing mirrors feel like they’re tickling the edges of your lane pretty much all the time. It will fit through most gaps with experience, but you do need to be warier here than in most utes.
The V8 engine totally dominates the experience here. It bursts to life with a flourish, and has a lovely rumble to it on light throttle inputs… and that’s before you layer in the supercharger, which is constantly there to make you giggle.
It starts out as a plaintive whine at low revs, before building to a demonic shriek higher in the rev range. Even when you’re not in a hurry it feels special, and everyone who took a ride was immediately charmed by the soundtrack.
When you are in a hurry, the TRX is less charming and more… unhinged.
Bury the throttle from a standstill and it’ll spin all four wheels on command, before the nose heaves skyward and the V8 drop kicks you down the road like this three-tonne beast is a hot hatch.
Rolling acceleration is similarly alarming. With 6.2 litres of displacement and a massive supercharger, torque isn’t exactly an issue here. But the eight-speed automatic is still keen to kick down when you’re in a hurry, dropping one, two, three gears to plant you in the heart of the engine’s sweet spot whenever you dip into the throttle’s travel.
It’s not the quickest transmission in the world, but it does respond to inputs on the paddles eventually.
The sum total of all this is hilarious performance from such a massive beast, although opportunities to stretch its legs are limited in daily driving. Ram says the 100km/h sprint takes 4.5 seconds, which feels completely believable from behind the wheel.
When you’re not trying to dominate the traffic light drags, the TRX is a pretty amenable cruiser. The long-travel off-road suspension makes for a plush ride, and the steering is quite direct given the car’s size.
That means you’re not constantly sawing at the wheel to keep it between the white lines.
Adaptive cruise is on hand to lighten the load on long drives, and we’d imagine the highway is one place you could come close to getting your fuel consumption around the 10L/100km mark. Okay, maybe the 15L/100km mark.
Key to the TRX’s capability off-road are the adaptive Bilstein dampers. They use a single-piece aluminium construction and dual electronic proportional valves offering independent control of rebound and compression at each corner.
They also have a remote nitrogen-filled reservoir serviced by stainless steel, braided high-pressure hoses.
Each corner can wear up to 1000kg of force in a sharp hit, such as when you’re jumping the car or flying over sand dunes at close to the vehicle’s 189km/h top speed.
Each damper has a three-stage Jounce Cut-Off designed to progressively bottom out in these scenarios, while the coil spring also has a bump stop to protect the body if you manage to impart force beyond the dampers’ capacity on the car.
There’s a wild amount of wheel travel relative to most of the utes we test, so it’s tough to even get a wheel in the air, and there’s so much torque on hand that there ain’t no mountain high enough to stop the T-Rex getting to the top – usually without having to bother with low-range.
Off-road dimensionsRam 1500 TRX Final EditionTrack front and rear1892mm + 1882mmGround clearance252mmApproach angle30.2 degreesDeparture angle23.5 degreesRamp breakover angle21.9 degreesWading depth812mm
To see how the Ram 1500 stacks up against it rivals, use our comparison tool.
What do you get?
On test here is the flagship Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition.
Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab highlights:
18-inch alloy wheelsFull-sized steel spareAutomatic halogen headlightsTub linerKeyless startCloth upholsteryHeated front seatsLeather-wrapped steering wheelHeated steering wheel8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment systemWireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay3.5-inch instrument cluster screen6-speaker sound system3 x USB-A ports2 x USB-C portsElectrochromatic rear-view mirrorAir-conditioningTilt and telescopic steering column adjustmentElectric rear sliding cab windowCruise controlTyre-pressure monitoringCarpet flooringCarpet floor mats
1500 Laramie Crew Cab adds:
20-inch polished aluminium wheelsFull-sized aluminium spareAutomatic LED headlightsAutomatic high-beamLED tail lightsRain-sensing wipersPower tailgateKeyless entryElectric side stepsTub liner12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemSatellite navigation5 x USB-A ports4 x USB-C ports19-speaker Harman Kardon sound systemWireless charging padRemote startPartial leather upholstery10-way power driver’s seat with memory10-way power passenger’s seatFold-down centre rear armrestHeated and ventilated front seatsHeated outboard rear seatsHeated steering wheelPower-adjustable pedalsDual-zone climate control
1500 Laramie Sport adds:
12-inch digital instrument clusterBlind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane-keep assistAdaptive cruise controlSurround-view cameraSemi-autonomous park assistRamBox cargo management systemLED tray lightingTonneau cover
1500 Limited adds:
22-inch black-finish alloy wheelsAir suspensionPanoramic sunroofRubber floor mats with carpet insertsBlack ‘premium’ partial leather upholsteryHeated and ventilated rear outboard seats
1500 TRX adds:
18-inch alloy wheels35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory 325/65/R18 All-Terrain tyresProjector LED headlightsAluminium paddle shiftersFlat-bottom steering wheelBlack leather-and-suede upholstery
1500 TRX Final Edition adds:
Satin Titanium 18-inch beadlock capable alloy wheelsPatina stitching on dashboard and seatsEmbroidered TRX logo on seat backsTriaxle suede door panel insertsMatte carbon fibre weave on instrument panel, doors, console and steering wheelBuild number plate on centre consoleSatin Titanium passenger-side dashboard badge
Is the Ram 1500 safe?
The Ram 1500 hasn’t been tested by ANCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes:
Front, front-side and curtain airbagsReversing cameraRear parking sensors
Opting for the 1500 Laramie or above adds the following:
Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)Front parking sensors
There is no longer an optional safety package for the 1500 Laramie. You need to step up to the 1500 Laramie Sport, Limited or TRX to receive the following safety equipment:
Blind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane departure warningLane keep assistSurround-view cameraSemi-autonomous park assistAdaptive cruise control
How much does the Ram 1500 cost to run?
Ram is one of very few brands to have stuck with a three-year warranty in Australia, and doesn’t offer capped price servicing.
Running costsRam 1500 TRX Final EditionWarranty3 years, 100,000 kilometresRoadside assistance3 yearsService intervals12 months or 12,000 kilometresCapped-price servicingN/ATotal capped-price service costN/A
CarExpert’s Take on the Ram 1500
I understand why the TRX is a lightning rod, but it’s impossible not to be enthralled by what Ram has done here.
Its particular breed of insanity is rapidly disappearing from the road; no matter how capable the 1500 RHO coming to replace the TRX turns out to be, it’s hard to imagine it will be anywhere near as charming.
Of course there’s more to the T-Rex than its engine. It’s a lovely car to drive on the road thanks to its long-travel suspension, and we’ve spent enough time off-road in the car to know there’s very little that will stop it when the going gets tough.
It also has a comfortable, modern interior that wouldn’t look out of place in an expensive SUV.
Sure, more than $250,000 including on-road costs is a wild amount of money for a ute. But this dinosaur isn’t a museum piece – it’s a living, breathing animal you can drive every day.
We’re going to miss it when it’s gone…
Interested in buying a Ram 1500? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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