2025 Ram Heavy Duty First Drive: Making the Grade

• Ram's new HD trucks have a max towing capacity of 36,610 pounds.
• The Cummins diesel engine now produces 1,075 lb-ft of torque.
• More standard safety tech is a welcome addition.

But here’s the thing: Around 80% of Ram HD truck buyers shell out the extra $12,595 for the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline-six engine. That’s a huge amount of money, but you get a huge amount of power: 430 hp and a staggering 1,075 lb-ft of torque. That’s bananas. So bananas, in fact, that Ram claims the 2500 will now do a 0-60 mph run in just 6.9 seconds, something we definitely look forward to verifying at the Edmunds test track.

Both engines now use eight-speed automatic transmissions, and all 2025 Ram HD trucks have electronic column shifters — no more rotary knobs for some models. Ram says this is because fleet customers wanted a consistent operating experience across all their HD trucks.

A true test of towing

The Davis Dam grade is a grueling, miles-long 6% grade stretch of highway near the Arizona/Nevada border. Not only does this hill test trucks to their limits, but it’s also the home of the official SAE J2807 test, which levels the playing field for published towing capacities. Manufacturers can't cheat or make outrageous or dangerous claims because the test procedure is clearly outlined and must be done in a specific location.

The 2025 Ram HD's max 36,610-pound towing spec is only available if you get a diesel-powered 3500 4x4 with an 8-foot bed and the Max Towing package, which adds gooseneck trailer prep, a 3.42:1 rear axle ratio, a 14,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and a cargo view camera.

36,610 pounds is an almost unfathomable number to most motorists — it certainly is for me — so Ram provided a number of trucks outfitted with different items to tow. Among the heavy things to lug around are a trailer full of sand, a trailer with a Ram SRT-10 on it, a gooseneck trailer with a massive tractor,and arguably the biggest travel trailer I’ve seen (it has a back deck!).

The tow rigs are all diesel-powered, naturally, and while I can certainly feel that there’s a trailer behind me, the trucks never feel like they're working especially hard. Acceleration is smooth and the transmission shifts effortlessly. Ram's Tow/Haul driving mode helps by hanging onto gears longer than normal to keep the Cummins in the heart of its powerband.

The trucks for this towing demo all have digital instrument clusters, which are highly configurable and make keeping track of things like engine and transmission temperatures, turbo boost pressure and more very easy. The huge variety of exterior cameras also makes things a cinch, so there's never a question about where your truck and its trailer are, and the gigantic power-telescoping side mirrors offer a clear picture of what’s behind.

Going up the grade, the Ram 3500 HD thrums along quietly with none of the drone or clatter found in old diesel engines. The interior of the truck is quiet, too — so much so that it's easy for me to chat with Doug Killian, Ram's chief vehicle synthesis manager.

“It’s not just about posting crazy huge towing numbers anymore,” Killian says. “SAE J2807 kind of put a stop to that. Now it’s about making the truck drive well while towing those max numbers. We want the customer to feel confident in how the truck handles and brakes with a trailer. We want it to be a nice driving experience.”

I have almost no experience towing, and what Killian says rings true. I never feel like I'm outside my comfort zone, and the truck doesn't either. Even on the long descent back into Laughlin, Nevada, an exhaust brake keeps the truck's physical brakes nice and cool. Ram thought of everything, and not in a sort of opaque way that can give false confidence. There's a huge safety net here.

Let it ride

Pickup trucks ride poorly when there’s no weight in the bed; this has been true since time immemorial. The reason for this is simple: Trucks have heavy rear springs designed to cope with heavy payloads. If the springs were focused on comfort, the truck would overload that suspension, which would be dangerous.

All of this is to say that driving a Ram 2500 with an empty bed and no trailer isn't exactly smooth or comfortable. But with a little weight in the bed, it's a completely different experience — very well sorted, and that's true whether or not you stick with the standard steel springs or Ram's optional air suspension.

What else is new?

The 2025 Ram HD models come with a new grille design and have a bunch of standard safety tech like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and — on Big Horn trims and up — park distance warning. Available features include a new drowsy driver detection feature, traffic sign recognition and lane keeping assistance.

Ram's new 14.5-inch portrait-style infotainment screen looks great while mirroring your phone with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also an available passenger screen like you’d find in the standard Ram 1500. Across the upper trim levels, the Ram HD models are super nice inside — trucks have long been real contenders in the luxury vehicle space, and the new 2500 and 3500 are no exception.

No big price hike

Pricing for the 2025 Ram 2500 starts at $47,560 including a $2,095 destination fee. The 3500 HD starts at $48,565, also including destination. Eagle-eyed readers will note that this price increase is more like a year-to-year bump rather than a big refresh. Ram found cost savings in a number of ways, including offering fewer à la carte options and more bundled packages to make the trucks cheaper to build.

Ultimately, Ram builds these trucks to do work. They are bought by contractors, long-haul drivers, landscapers, plumbers and every other trade you can think of. (The base model is called the Tradesman for a reason.) These trucks are tools, and as such, they’re meant to make the lives of their owners easier. Based on my experience with the 2025 Ram HD, it feels like those lives won't just get easier but safer and more comfortable as well.