2025 Ram 1500 RHO: A New Apex Predator in the Off-Road World
Hellcat. Hellcat. Hellcat. The incantation to summon Beetlejuice doesn’t seem to work for snarling V-8 engines despite their similar attitudes. With the official unveiling of the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO, it’s time to accept that not even black magic will save the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 from its certain fate.
Ram’s new top off-roader, the Ram High Output, is undeniably very similar to the TRX, but enough has changed that it deserves a fair shot to win us over without the shadow of the Hellcat looming over it. While we can’t forget the 702-hp Ram supertruck existed, if we accept that the RHO is its own thing rather than a TRX replacement, there’s an argument to be made that it could be Ram’s best sport truck yet.
A Storm Is Brewing
If you’ve paid any attention to Ram’s refreshed 2025 light-duty lineup, you will be entirely unsurprised that the RHO uses a version of the new Hurricane inline-six engine under the hood. The RHO’s Hurricane High Output Straight-Six Turbo uses twin low-inertia Garrett turbos to force 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque out of 3.0 liters of displacement, but there are some changes specific to the RHO.
Air destined for the Hurricane’s combustion chambers enters through a water-draining hood scoop before being routed to a high-flow radial filter. The open-top air box design makes it easy to change the filter or shake out debris when you’re out tearing up the dunes. Ram engineers designed an equal-length dual exhaust with an H-pipe in the middle, enabling more effective exhaust scavenging—exhaust gas from one bank creates a pressure differential that pulls the next pulse from the other bank. Oil pickups at the front and rear of the oil pan ensure that lubrication keeps flowing when you’re running wide open throttle up or down steep inclines.
Ram isn’t claiming new power ratings for the RHO but does say that there is a perceptible performance difference compared to other Hurricane engines. Capping off the RHO’s sport-tuned exhaust is a flow-actuated valve that opens at wide-open throttle to minimize restriction and maximize sound. Before you throw shade at the sound of a six-cylinder, this is no Pentastar V-6. A twin-turbo inline-six generally produces a sound worth listening to, and it already sounds good in the other 1500 trucks.
The Hurricane H/O SST weighs 150 pounds less than the TRX’s Hellcat engine, and due to its smaller footprint, the Hurricane sits far enough behind the front axle to shift 30 pounds to the rear axle. That’s effectively 180 pounds off the front end, enough to reportedly improve handling with a more balanced truck.
Let’s Get Rolling!
The RHO has an eight-speed automatic transmission bolted to its Hurricane engine, sending torque through a BorgWarner 49-13 full-time four-wheel-drive transfer case with a 2.64:1 low range. The independent front suspension features forged aluminum control arms and 13 inches of wheel travel. The Dana 60 axle in the rear has full floating axle shafts, an electronic locking differential, and unique hardpoints compared to the rest of the Ram 1500 lineup to allow for 14 inches of wheel travel.
Ground clearance is a forgiving 11.8 inches after a 2-inch ride height increase and 35-inch tires wrapping available 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels. The extra height helps the RHO wade through 32 inches of water.
Borrowed from the TRX, the Bilstein Black Hawk E2 adaptive dampers have been reworked for the RHO. New internals, a new adaptive damping strategy, and new mounts mean the RHO will have its own ride and handling characteristics. Ram states it will be better controlled on- and off-road, a significant improvement over the TRX’s stiffer ride. Hydraulic jounce control prevents bottoming out the Bilstein dampers when gravity brings the truck back to the ground.
Changing between the nine modes (Auto, Tow, Mud/Sand, Rock, Snow, Sport, Baja, Custom, and Valet) is easy with the drive mode button located to the right of the steering wheel, where you’ll also find controls for four-wheel-drive settings and launch control. Engage launch control, and Ram says you can expect the RHO to hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, 100 mph after 11.7 seconds, and the quarter-mile mark in 13.1 seconds at 105 mph. A top speed of 118 mph indicates Ram is extremely confident in its customers’ driving abilities or that the RHO’s handling truly lives up to the engineers’ claims.
The RHO was designed to get dirty, so let’s jump to Baja mode. In this mode, 75 percent of available torque is sent to the rear, enhancing throttle steering on loose surfaces and, frankly, increasing the fun factor. While it’s still possible to perform doughnuts and launch massive rooster tails of sand in 50/50 four-wheel-drive trucks, it’s exponentially more thrilling with more oomph in the rear.
But Does It Truck?
Another benefit of the Hurricane? It makes the RHO more capable as a truck. The lighter weight of the Hurricane contributes to increased towing capacity from 8,100 to 8,380 pounds, and the payload climbs 210 pounds to 1,520 pounds. These figures render it a better hauler than both the TRX and the Ford F-150 Raptor. The numbers don’t improve drastically, but the enhanced payload allows for an additional passenger or more gear off the grid.
Still a Looker
Ram’s approach to exterior design sets it apart from many competitors. Instead of opting for an aggressive look with an oversized grille, many features on the Ram are smaller and more refined. The all-black LED headlamps are thinner, giving it an intense gaze toward its rivals. While the flow-through RAM badge is more prominent on the aggressive 1500, it’s strategically shifted upwards, creating an illusion of a larger grille.
From nose to tail, the RHO’s dimensions are impressive, but not oversize compared to the TRX. Composite fender flares elongate the RHO by 8 inches to accommodate the large off-road tires, which also provide a 6-inch wider track. The overall width of 88 inches, along with the hourglass shape, gives the RHO an eye-catching Baja truck aesthetic.
The front bumper features RHO-specific end caps to accommodate LED clearance lamps, while additional marker lamps are integrated into the hood scoop. The center identification lamps are modeled after Ram’s heavy-duty trucks, positioned between the tailgate and the RHO bumper. Approaching, departing, or remotely starting the RHO triggers an animated light sequence.
The box is designed to be wider than the standard Ram 1500’s, allowing effective operation of the blind-spot monitoring system. Optional side and hood graphics are available, along with full-length rock rails or powder-coated running boards.
What’s Inside?
Equipped with the optional RHO equipment group, Ram’s off-road vehicle features 50-plus inches of digital displays across four viewable areas. The 14.5-inch vertical center touchscreen serves as the largest display in the truck, complemented by a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 10.0-inch head-up display. There is also a standard 10.3-inch passenger screen that displays navigation, off-road camera feeds, or media. Hands-Free Driving Assist is also available as a new option.
As a relief from all the digital elements, the RHO includes physical auxiliary switches below the touchscreen, alongside redundant HVAC buttons. The 900-watt Harman Kardon audio system features 19 speakers, second only to the 23-speaker, 1,200-watt system found in the Tungsten trim. The interior also showcases a serialized center console badge, complete with specifications and a rhino graphic, a fitting tribute to the RHO.
What Does It All Mean?
It’s time for a dose of reality. What’s on the horizon is a formidable off-road truck packed with premium tech and interior features, all of which often come at a high cost. However, the RHO’s best feature is its price. Starting at $71,945, it’s over $20,000 less than the TRX while boasting equal or superior off-road capabilities on paper. While the Hellcat was loved, many off-road enthusiasts may prefer to trade a bit of power for the affordability of this exceptional truck.
