2023 Ram 1500 TRX Performance

Despite being a fatty, the Ram 1500 TRX truck gets off the line exceptionally quickly. Ram claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds, and a 118-mph top speed. Thanks to an interview with Ram's CEO early in 2022, we happen to know that this 0-60 mph time is quite conservative. In reality, this thing can do 0-60 mph in the threes, and independent testing has produced figures ranging from 3.7 to 3.9 seconds.

The beast responsible for this massive turn of speed is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The standard 1500's part-time 4WD system is not available; instead, the TRX has a permanent 4WD system to manage the power, and some will lament that the Raptor's tire-smoking RWD mode is not an option on the TRX. It's still quite unruly, and the TRX will spin all four wheels happily.

The increase in weight takes a chunk out of the TRX's towing capacity and hauling abilities. It can still tow 8,100 lbs and carry 1,360 lbs in the bed. Not bad, but way down on the standard 1500 with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which can tow nearly 13,000 lbs.

The Stellantis group, in general, is going through a rather happy phase. It will eventually introduce the obligatory hybrids and full-electric models, but the engineers are having fun for now. That's why silly cars like the Jeep Wrangler 392 exists, and the TRX is the wackiest of the lot. The 6.2L supercharged V8 under the hood produces 702 hp @ 6,100 rpm and 650 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm. This frankly silly amount of power is sent to a permanent 4WD system via an eight-speed transmission.

作为新Ram TRX卡车是一个体育的卡车,你通用电气t the obligatory hardware and software goodies. In terms of hardware, you get a set of paddles behind the wheel, but the gearbox does a pretty good job on its own. Punch the throttle hard, and it will drop a few cogs and hurl itself forward. On the flipside, it's pretty docile when one is idling along at average speed.

Launch control is standard, and it's one of the better systems we've encountered. Once you've accessed the performance pages within the touchscreen infotainment system, you can set the rpm at which you want to launch. The four-wheel-drive system provides epic grip from a standing start and plays as much of a role as the engine in setting the TRX's impressive acceleration times.

There is one thing to keep in mind. As you can imagine, the brakes wear out faster than usual on a truck with 702 hp. Once you go above a certain rpm, the brakes no longer bite sufficiently to hold the car back. We experienced this same problem with the Jeep Trackhawk a few years ago.

You're kidding, right? Do we really need this part in a Ram 1500 TRX review? We're hardly a bunch of environmentalists, and even we felt slightly embarrassed about the conspicuous consumption. But, honestly, what did you expect? The TRX is an emotional purchase, and you buy one because you want a truck that can jump over stuff. And we respect that. That's the cost of having something as special as this.

If you're here to find out how much fuel it consumes so you can argue with a TRX owner, the EPA-estimated figures are 10/14/12 mpg city/highway/combined. It has a 33-gallon tank, but it can only go 396 miles between refills.

We did some digging on the forums, and owners reported real-world figures between 8.5 and 9 mpg. To put that into perspective, a modern Formula 1 car consumes 6 mpg during a race…