2023 Ram 1500 TRX Interior and Cargo

The standard Ram 1500's interior is already a lovely place to spend time, and the TRX adds several nice touches, all functional. You get the top-spec 12-inch vertical screen with the model-specific performance pages. It gives you all the necessary information and the ability to finetune the launch control. If we might be so bold as to make a suggestion, we'd like a feature that measures how high you can get it off the ground. We don't condone irresponsible driving, and our plight is purely for scientific reasons.

Other model-specific features include a flat-bottomed steering wheel with proper grips, aluminum shift paddles, and a console-mounted shifter. The latter is a nice touch, but we like to keep both hands on the steering when driving hard. Our favorite interior feature is the unique front seat design. Given the potential for serious sideways action, the additional side bolstering is welcome. The seats are supportive in all the right places and keep you firmly in place when doing the kinds of things you can't post on social media.

The TRX is only available in the Crew Cab body style, best suited for family use. It's wide enough to seat three people in the rear, and the two bucket seats in the front are delightfully supportive.

With 45.2 inches of legroom and 39.8 inches of headroom, you won't hear any complaints from the rear seats. Front passengers get 40.9 inches of legroom and the same amount of headroom. You can lift the rear bench for additional storage space when not ferrying the family. For older or shorter occupants, getting into and out of the TRX is a bit of a challenge with its increased ground clearance.

It's ridiculous that you have to pay extra for leather-trimmed bucket seats in an $84,000 truck. The only no-cost option is cloth and vinyl buckets in Black and TRX Red.

To upgrade to leather, you have to add either the TRX Level 1 Equipment Group ($3,995) or the Level 2 Equipment Group ($10,995). You lose out on the TRX Red, but you do get upmarket black leather and several additional comfort features like power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, and power-adjustable pedals.

TRX Red Interior Accents treatment costs $1,495 and adds red accents and stitching to the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, center console, and door panels. Another option is the TRX Carbon Fiber Package at $1,295 that equips interior carbon-fiber accents and finishes the steering wheel in a blend of leather and carbon fiber. Other packages will add a bright pedal kit, luxury front door trim, and a premium-wrapped instrument panel bezel.

The only load bed option available is the 5.7-footer. It's 66.4 inches wide, 21.4 inches deep, and 60 inches long with the tailgate open. The distance between the wheelhouses is 51 inches. According to Ram's measurements, the bed can carry 53.9 cubic feet of cargo, and the maximum payload is rated at 1,310 lbs.

Interior storage in the Ram 1500 TRX pickup is excellent. Every occupant has access to a cupholder plus there is storage space under the armrest and under-seat storage in the second row. To gain the under-seat storage, you need to pay $3,995 for the TRX Level 1 Equipment Group.

At the price, you don't get much. We suspect Ram had to cut the budget in some places to include the engine and suspension setup. Neither of those things is cheap. That means the TRX is not based on the top-spec Limited. It's more of a mid-spec 1500, mostly combining the Long Horn's basic features with the Rebel's general appearance. All of the best luxury goodies are locked behind paywalls.

The standard features list includes LED exterior lighting, heated auto-dimming side and rearview mirrors, dual-zone climate control, and a new 12-inch color display in the instrument cluster replacing last year's seven-inch item. It also lacks advanced safety features. You only get basic cruise control, forward-collision warning, hill-start assist, and trailer-sway damping.

The options list includes a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, front/rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and blind-spot and cross-path detection.

The TRX comes standard with Stellantis' Uconnect 5 Nav infotainment system, and it's a fine unit. It's a huge 12-inch screen that comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The touchscreen is intuitive, and it swipes quickly. It feels pretty similar to a smartphone, which is the highest praise you can give an infotainment system. Ram also includes several physical buttons for quick access to the most-used menus.

The system also comes standard with HD Radio, SiriusXM, navigation, Bluetooth, USB ports for media and charging, and the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot. A nine-speaker sound system is standard, but a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system can only be had via the $10,995 Level 2 Equipment Group package.