2025 Ram 1500 RHO First Look: Don't Call It a TRX

• Meet the Ram 1500 RHO, which the company says is definitely not a TRX replacement.
• It comes with the same Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shocks that debuted on the TRX.
• There's also a Dana 60 rear axle, Baja driving mode and 11.8 inches of ground clearance ... just like a TRX. Hmm.

What's an RHO?

Ram won't officially said what "RHO" stands for and though options such as "Rebel High Output" or "Ram High Output." If the TRX was a play on "T. rex," then the rhinoceros adorning the RHO's badge on its center console offers a hint to a similar animal reference. Though the road to get from "rhino" to "RHO" requires more brainpower.

The Ram 1500 lineup ditched all of its eight-cylinder engines for 2025, so the RHO features the high-output version of the Hurricane engine: a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder that makes 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel-drive system. The RHO will only be offered in a single configuration: a crew cab with the shorter 5-foot-7-inch box. The company says its RamBox side storage won't be available on this truck to give it the greater wheel travel necessary for off-road performance. Maximum towing capacity is 8,380 pounds, while maximum payload is 1,520 pounds.

The RHO is also larger than anything else in the updated Ram light-duty lineup, with a 6-inch increase in track width, necessitating flared fenders to reach out over the tires and amber marking lights that get tucked up under the hood scoop up front and look very cool. This being a Ram, the interior is relatively luxurious, with heated, ventilated and massaging leather seats up front. You can also option the RHO with three interior screens (including a passenger screen), a hands-free highway driving assistance system and a surround-view camera.

What about off-road parts?

Ah, now we get to the fun part. Here are the components the RHO shares with the TRX:

• BorgWarner 48-13 full-time active transfer case
• Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive performance shocks
• Dana 60 rear axle with floating shafts
• 2.64:1 low range for rock crawling; truck can be flat-towed while in neutral

We could go on, but you get the picture. Ground clearance is 11.8 inches, thanks to a 2-inch ride height increase over the standard Ram 1500s and 35-inch all-terrain tires. The RHO also has 18-inch wheels and beadlocks are available from the factory. The RHO will also offer 13 inches of front wheel travel with 14 inches at the rear, an increase of about 50% over the regular 1500s. You'll also get a Baja driving mode that sends 75% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels, and this mode has been recalibrated from the TRX since the smaller-engine truck is a bit lighter.

All of this adds up to a highly capable truck. It might not have TRX power, but it has TRX everything else. And that's awesome.

OK, when can I get one?

Ordering for the RHO will start now, but deliveries of the truck won't begin until the third quarter of 2024. Between now and then we're looking forward to putting the RHO through its paces. Even though the TRX might be extinct, a hard-charging RHO should still offer plenty to get the blood boiling.

Edmunds says

Ram's shyness in comparing the RHO to the outgoing TRX is understandable but not necessary. It looks to be an awesome truck of its own accord, at a price that's less eye-watering. We can't wait to try it out.