2023 Ram 1500 Rebel G/T Review: The Baby TRX

When I first heard the news that the TRX, Ram's 700-plus horsepower full-size pick-up, would end its time on earth at the end of this year, I'll admit to pouring one out for the V8 monster. Sure it's huge, gets terrible fuel economy and generally makes the driver look, well, douchy, but like, a badass douche, you know?

Once the TRX is gone, the Ram 1500 Rebel will again take its place as the top off-road spec for Ram and you know what? That's not a bad thing. The optional V8 doesn't produce as much power, but the fuel economy is better. It's still a big, full-size truck, but it's better at doing truck stuff like towing and hauling. The Rebel doesn't have as beefy a suspension set-up as the TRX, but buyers still get plenty of off-road fun.

Of course, the Ram 1500 is available in a variety of different trims with a 3.6-liter V6 or 3.0-liter diesel in addition to the Rebel's V8. Crew cab or the smaller quad cab are on tap for most models, as are a five-foot, seven-inch or six-foot, four-inch bed. Here, the focus is the Rebel, which is available only as a crew cab with the short bed. Honestly, this is the best looking combination and still has plenty of utility. Other configurations may tow more or offer better fuel economy, but I think the Rebel hits the sweet spot with capability, on-road manners and off-road shenanigans.

The Ram's interior is still one of the best out there, with plenty of tech and an easy layout. Again, the G/T package adds some niceties like leather seats that are ventilated — heated seats are in the required Level 2 Equipment Group — a leather-wrapped steering wheel, adjustable pedals, and an eight-way adjustable driver's seat. I love the little cubby on the dash for keeping smaller items like pens, gum, and house keys out of the way and the center console is gigantic. Materials here are excellent with plenty of soft-touch surfaces and spot-on fit and finish.

If the standard 5-inch or available 8.4-inch infotainment screen is too small for you, go big with the 12-inch portrait oriented screen running Ram's excellent Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The least expensive way to do it is to forgo the G/T package and add the Level 1 Equipment Group. The required Level 2 Group is almost $2,000 more expensive and frankly, there isn't much difference in there save for parking assist, rain-sensitive wipers, remote start, and a Harman Kardon sound system. If that's your jam, go for it but there is more value in the Level 1 Group.

Start up the Ram Rebel and you're greeted with the lovely sound of that 5.7-liter V8, pushing out 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. For those who want to feel a tiny bit better about the environmental impact of that V8, it's actually a 48-volt mild hybrid system. This technology gathers energy that would normally be wasted and pushes it into a small battery pack, used to aid in acceleration, smooth out the stop/start system, and — in theory — provide better fuel economy.

Performance is enhanced on the Rebel G/T with a standard cat back exhaust to improve air flow, and a standard cold-air intake brings more dense air into the engine as well. Stomp on the gas pedal and the truck surges forward, quickly clicking through the 8-speed automatic transmission. There are paddle shifters if I want a bit of control, but the computer does a pretty good job and they are more of a toy feature than anything else. Still, nice to play around with under spirited driving.

Other cool toys here are the standard performance pages. I can see my zero to sixty miles per hour time — it should be just over six seconds — g-forces, gauges for engine, transmission and water temperatures as well as engine performance. What's curious is that there are no drive modes. I would expect at least sport, normal and off-road modes, but in the Ram Rebel, it's WYSIWYG.

When it comes to off-road prowess, the Rebel is pretty good. Although it doesn't have the fancy Multimatic shocks found in the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 or the Fox shocks you can get in the Ford F-150 Tremor and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, the available four-corner air suspension paired with monotube Bilstein off-road tuned shocks with rear reservoirs is sufficient as long as I don't get too crazy. After all, this isn't a long-travel set up like the soon-to-be gone TRX. It's not going to let me sail down a set of deep whoops in Baja at 50 miles per hour, but driven within its limits it performs admirably.

Helping out is a one-inch lift for a maximum of 10.8 inches of ground clearance, skid plates on the front, the fuel tank and the two-speed transfer case. A rear locking differential is also standard.

The Rebel will never be a proficient rock crawler, its 144-inch wheelbase takes care of that, but it still boasts some good geometry. It's on a par with the competition from Ford and Toyota, although the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 has it beat. Approach angle on the Ram Rebel is 26.7 degrees when the air suspension is at max height. Departure angle is 23.8 degrees while breakover angle is 21.8 degrees.

New for 2023 is Selec-Speed control on the Ram Rebel. Think of this like cruise control for slow-speed off-road maneuvers. I simply set a speed and the truck keeps it steady, while I just have to worry about steering inputs. This is great for newbies who might not have good throttle control or be wary of left-foot braking. Smooth driving is the key for tricky terrain, and this feature makes it easy.