This week we are taking a look at the very large 2023 Ram 2500 Rebel Crew Cab 4x4, a serious off-roader and a truck that will tow 16,800 pounds if needed. 2023 brings the first Rebel entry in a ¾ ton truck, having been reserved for ½ ton trucks in year’s past.
While this truck is outwardly very good looking with its factory lift kit, Bilstein shocks, 33-inch tires and 20” wheels, the raised, cowled hood with air vents and a functional hood scoop tells you this truck is tough and capable.
You’ll also see huge tow hooks in the front and rear, LED lighting (including fog lights) and the grill is unique to the Rebel.
Under the hood we find the big 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that is putting out 410-horses and 429-pound feet of torque. It is hooked to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The power and torque will pin you to the seat when you stick your foot in the accelerator. If you prefer, you can also get the Rebel with the famous 6.7-liter Cummins diesel that will take your towing capacity past 20,000 pounds if needed.
As you move to the inside, you see a huge interior that will comfortably seat five adults. There is a large center console between the front seats that slides, and one thing I love about the Ram is the way the back seat folds up to reveal in-floor storage bins that sit under the all-weather floor mats. Everything inside is soft-touch materials, and there is an abundance of stitching throughout the cabin.
The Rebel’s seats are embroidered with the Rebel insignia, they are very comfortable and everything is easy to reach. Large 12” gauges are easy to read and there is the massive 12” Uconnect screen on the dash that looks like a large, vertically placed iPad.
The UConnect system virtually operates everything including the 17-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a cell phone charger, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a host of apps you can personalize.
On the safety front, you get lane keep assist, full speed collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and warning, and adaptive steering.
The Rebel comes with a nice suite of standard equipment, including power windows and locks, power heated and cooled seats, tilt wheel, cruise control, air filtration system, a tonneau cover, and a 360-degree camera. For trailer towing folks, you get power sliding and retractable mirrors, and the terrific trailer reverse steering system.
Fuel economy is not rated on ¾ ton and up trucks, but when driving normally it seemed like it was getting pretty good mileage, but that is not what you buy a truck like this for.
MSRP on this Ram as equipped, is $80,065 and nowadays, when heavy-duty trucks are topping out at over $100,000, the price seems in line, considering how this truck is equipped.