2026 Ram 1500 RHO Crew Cab 4X4 Review

When Ram said goodbye to the TRX, plenty of folks, including me, figured that was the end of the line for high-performance Ram trucks. Turns out, they were just getting warmed up. The new 2026 Ram 1500 RHO (Ram High Output) steps in as the brand’s new desert runner — lighter, leaner, and just as wild, but with a different kind of muscle under the hood. Instead of the old supercharged 6.2-liter V8, the RHO runs Ram’s new 3.0-liter Hurricane High Output twin-turbo inline-six, delivering 540 horsepower and 521 lb.-ft. of torque. It may not have the same roar, but it’s quicker, more balanced, and far more refined than I ever expected.

I am super pleased to have a base model RHO to review.  That is not to say it is a stripped-down model by any stretch, but this one has no options at all.  I’ll spoil the surprise by telling you the MSRP is just over $72,000.  To put it in perspective, the last TRX I reviewed was four years ago and it was right at $100,000.  Now to be fair, you can run an RHO MSRP up past $90,000, but my review vehicle is a true bargain Baja runner and is very nicely equipped.

Performance 

The BIG NEWS, which I was very worried about, is what is under the hood?  As I noted, gone is the Hemi engine I always loved, and it was replaced by the new 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight six-cylinder Hurricane engine.  As we know, F-150 and Tundra have both gone to twin-turbo sixes with great success.

As you read in the first paragraph, the horsepower and torque numbers are impressive and this beast will tow over 8,300 pounds and while Ram says top speed is 118-miles per hour, I have proof positive that this one tops out at 114, but maybe it’s not broken in yet. I do miss the Hemi rumble, but the Hurricane does sound good!

The Ram RHO for 2026 comes only in full-time 4-wheel drive and it is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel.  It has pin-you-to-the-seat acceleration. The RHO has a Launch mode and it is amazing.  All four wheels dig in, it squats, and it just GOES.

Exterior    

The RHO is a real head-turner on the outside.  There are new LED headlights and taillights that look terrific.  The fenders are flared and there is black along the bottom, and I love the Canyon Lake exterior paint. 

There is 11” of ground clearance, and the RHO rides on 18” aluminum wheels and 35” Goodyear Wranglers.  The hood has a big functional scoop with marker lights across it, and heat extractors built into the hood. 

The grill area is heavily-vented to feed air to the engine, and the hood scoop tells you that under it is a Hurricane High Output. Recovery hooks and fog lights sit under the big grill. The rear has another pair of recovery hooks and massive exhaust tips.  This is a beautiful pickup.

Interior

As you move to the inside, you see a huge interior that will comfortably, and I mean COMFORTABLY seat five adults.  There is a large center console between the front seats. 

The gear-shifter is there, a couple of cupholders, a standup wireless phone charger, USB and USB-C ports, a row of auxiliary switches for lights or a wench, and your trailer brake controller is there as well.  This is the most luxurious off-roader I’ve seen or reviewed.

The RHO’s leather seats are embroidered with the RHO insignia, they are very cushiony and are heavily-stitched and a combination of leather and Alcantara.  The seats are power on both sides with power lumbar controls, and heated-but not cooled-on this particular truck. 

A large 12.3” digital gauge cluster is easy to read and configure and it changes with the drive modes. The 12-inch Uconnect screen runs nearly everything on the truck, including navigation, audio, climate, cameras, phone integration, and vehicle settings, all through a crisp, tablet-style interface.

Uconnect5 works like a dream, is easy to operate, lightning fast, and super intuitive.  Ram has made it very easy for everyone, no matter what their experience is in the past with infotainment systems.  You have to go into the screens to operate most things, but the air conditioning controls are functional without the screen and there are knobs for radio volume and tuning.

You will spend a lot of time on the Apps page. It serves as a central hub for just about every function the truck offers. It neatly organizes shortcuts for navigation, media, climate, phone, cameras, performance pages, and off-road settings, along with controls for comfort and convenience features like heated seats and steering wheel. It’s customizable, so you can drag and drop your most-used icons to the top, and it supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The layout is clean and intuitive, letting you find what you need quickly without flipping through endless menus.

The Off-Road page gives you a live look at what the RHO is doing underfoot. It shows ride height, pitch and roll angles, steering angle, transfer case status, and axle lock engagement, along with real-time tire pressures and temperatures. You can monitor suspension articulation, power distribution, and even access the cameras to see obstacles ahead or below the truck — all useful tools when the trail gets rough.

The Performance and Race pages are straight out of the Ram TRX playbook, with detailed readouts for horsepower, torque, boost pressure, and oil temps, plus timers for 0-60 mph, quarter-mile, and braking distance runs. Together, the pages transform the Uconnect display from an infotainment center into a live performance command post.

Just below and to the right of the steering wheel is the switch for drive modes and there are nine of them. They include Auto, Tow, Snow, Sport, Mud/Sand, Rock, Baja, Custom, and Valet—each tuning the suspension, throttle, steering, and transmission to suit the conditions and you can feel distinct differences. From everyday commuting to high-speed desert runs, the system automatically adjusts for traction and response, letting the truck feel equally at home on pavement or off the beaten path.  Below the drive mode switch is a button to turn off the start/stop, 4-wheel drive modes, axle lockers, and a shortcut to the Launch control.

Back seat passengers get their own air vents, USB-C ports, and a home power outlet.  There is a large fold down armrest with cupholders and storage.  There are large map pockets in the back of the front seats.  The bottom of the 60/40 back seats folds up with storage bins underneath.

Safety   

On the safety front, you get adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keep assist, blind-spot and cross-path detection, forward collision warning with active braking, and pedestrian/cyclist emergency braking. It also offers parallel and perpendicular park assist, a surround-view camera system, and rear cross-traffic alert, and it has Active Drive Assist that brings lane-centering capability for highway semi-self-driving. 

Standard Features 

The RHO comes with a nice suite of standard equipment. You get 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels with 35-inch all-terrain tires, performance-tuned suspension with Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks, a 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen, power adjustable pedals, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 9-speaker audio system, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, remote start, keyless entry, power tailgate, LED lighting all around, and an integrated trailer brake controller.

Ride and Drive

Much of the beauty of this truck is in the suspension setup and can’t be seen.  The RHO’s suspension system is built to take punishment without punishing the driver. Up front, it uses high-strength aluminum control arms and coil springs with special Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shocks, designed specifically for high-speed off-road performance. In back, a multi-link coil spring setup replaces the leaf springs found on lesser trims, allowing greater wheel articulation and control. The Bilsteins use remote reservoirs and active damping to automatically adjust for terrain and speed, keeping the truck level and stable whether you’re plowing through desert sand or cruising down the highway. With 11.8-inches of ground clearance, 14 inches of rear suspension travel, and reinforced components throughout, the RHO’s underpinnings strike a rare balance between Baja-tuned toughness and daily-driver comfort. Don’t sweat rough terrain, skid plates protect the entire underbelly of the RHO.

Don’t think of the RHO as the replacement for the TRX, it’s not.  It is different and unique in many ways.  It is more nimble as a daily driver, and it is more controllable. The interior is nicer and way more luxurious than the TRX was, and it is certainly easier on the pocketbook.

MPG and MSRP 

This is not exactly a truck you get for fuel economy with that many horses, full-time 4-wheel drive, and a total weight around 6,300 pounds.  It is rated at 14 in town, 16 on the highway, and 15 overall.  I wish you all the luck in getting that.  MSRP is $72,195, and while you don’t get a big moon roof or massaging seats for that price, it is bound to make some Raptor shoppers take pause.  One note of caution, all that ground clearance is great, but if you are under six foot four, be SURE you get some sort of running boards.

Verdict   

To recap, the 2026 Ram 1500 RHO is not a substitute for the TRX—it’s proof that Ram can still build a desert runner that balances brute strength with refinement. It delivers nearly all the off-road hardware and attitude of its supercharged predecessor, but with a smoother, more efficient twin-turbo inline-six that doesn’t compromise capability. Inside, it’s every bit a luxury truck, loaded with tech, comfort, and thoughtful details that make long drives as enjoyable as high-speed trails. Whether you’re chasing horizons or hauling home improvement supplies, the RHO feels engineered for both worlds—fast, functional, and unmistakably Ram.

Kudos to the new management team at Stellantis for getting back to what made Ram the great truck everyone knows it is.