If the 2025 Ram 2500 Limited Longhorn I reviewed not long ago was a dressed-up ranch hand in Lucchese boots and a bolo tie, the 2026 Ram 2500 Warlock I’ve got this week is his brother who shows up in work jeans and steel-toed boots, ready to haul instead of hobnobbing. New to the Ram heavy-duty lineup, the Warlock trim brings the same brawny 6.7-liter Cummins diesel power and stout towing credentials as the pricier models, but it trades the wood-trimmed luxury and Western décor for blackout styling, Bilstein shocks, and all-terrain grit. It’s Ram’s way of saying you don’t have to spend luxury money to get heavy-duty muscle—with a little attitude thrown in for good measure. This is a truck I have wanted an automaker to produce: strong and capable, a truck you could be proud of, but that doesn’t have a six-figure MSRP. This is it!
Exterior
On the outside, the Warlock presents a top-notch look with an updated grille, refined LED headlights and taillights, tow hooks, and big 20” diamond-cut aluminum wheels and meaty Goodyear Wranglers.
My tester has mirrors that extend and retract at the push of a button for trailer towing safely. The big hood is raised and there are metal, fixed side steps to help you get in and out, and fender flares over all four of the tires.
The Cummins logo adorns the front fenders, and there is a Warlock sticker on the rear fenders. All in all, this is a beautiful truck in Ceramic Gray Clearcoat that looks a lot more expensive than it is.
Performance
The Warlock designation signals an off-road–focused, heavy duty towing or hauling work truck trim level. First introduced on the half-ton Ram 1500 and now expanded to the 2500 this year, the Warlock blends towing and hauling with factory-installed off-road equipment. It rolls out of the factory ready for rough stuff with Bilstein gas‐charged off-road shocks tuned for both dirt and pavement, a transfer-case skid plate for under-body protection, and a limited-slip (anti-spin) rear differential to help when traction vanishes.
Powering this truck is the legendary 6.7-liter Cummins High-Output turbo diesel, delivering 430-horses and a massive 1,075-pound feet of torque, paired with a heavy-duty 8-speed automatic transmission. The torque is nothing short of incredible, making light work of big trailers and steep grades.
Acceleration is strong, cruising is effortless, and the big Cummins is super-quiet. This engine is a $13,000 option on the 2500 Warlock, it comes standard with the 6.4-liter Hemi V8.
Interior
Inside, the Warlock keeps things straightforward and tough, just like the truck itself. You won’t find the stitched leather or barn-wood trim of the Limited Longhorn here, but you do get a clean, comfortable cabin with plenty of space for six adults and gear.
The cloth bench seats feel durable enough for daily use, the controls are large and friendly, and Ram’s excellent Uconnect 5 system anchors the dash with an easy-to-use touchscreen. It’s more work truck than luxury suite, but it’s quiet on the highway, visibility is excellent, and the layout makes sense. This is an interior built to get dusty, cleaned up, and go again—no complaints, just business. There is a large fold down armrest if you only have two people in the front seat.
Technology takes a step forward with a big 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen that runs just about everything, from navigation to climate and apps you can customize. It has Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. There are off-road pages, trailer towing pages, and a page for power management. There is a lot of info in the big screen, but it is quick and easy to operate.
The driver gets analog dials with a central 3.5-inch digital display to keep key information like engine oil temp, DEF level, a digital speedometer, and gear selection right in your line of sight. You can configure the driver screen from your steering wheel.
Standard Features
The 2026 Ram 2500 Warlock comes standard with cloth bench seats with carpeted flooring, all-weather floor mats, power convex tow mirrors, 20-inch diamond-cut wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, an anti-slip (limited-slip) rear differential, Bilstein off-road tuned shocks, a transfer-case skid plate, hill descent control, blacked-out exterior trim (bumpers, grille surround, fender flares) and the Warlock bedside decals. You also get a trailer brake controller, a Wi-Fi hotspot, tire fill alert, and a tailgate ajar warning.
On the safety side, it has a rear-view backup camera, ParkView rear parking assist, forward collision warning with active braking, adaptive cruise control (with trailer-mode support), electronic stability control with roll stability control, anti-spin rear differential, hill-start assistance and a full suite of airbags (front, side-curtain, driver and passenger) and child-safety locks with rear seat alert.
My review truck for this week has a whopping $20,905 worth of options, with a lot of those bucks attributed to the $12,995 Cummins High-Output diesel under the hood. There is $845 for the spray-in bedliner and LED lighting inside the bed, $1,895 for the Level 1 Equipment Group that includes power-adjustable pedals with memory, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, the 12” screen, a remote tailgate release, a power sliding rear window, and second-row in-floor storage bins to enhance convenience beyond the base trim. The tri-fold tonneau cover is $695.
It also has the $2,995 Level 24B equipment group which bundles the 20-inch diamond-cut wheels with the all-terrain tires, the power trailer towing mirrors, the Bilstein shocks on the front and rear, the skid plates, utility lights, and the 3:42 rear axle ratio.
Finally, $1,295 gets you the 2.4 kW onboard power system, which turns the truck into a rolling generator. Included is the dual-alternator setup. The system can power tools, lights, or even a small welder directly from the bed or cabin outlets, making it ideal for job sites, camping, or tailgating. It’s a significant step up from the standard 400-watt inverter found in most Ram HD models, and for buyers who use their trucks for more than commuting, it’s worth checking that option box for sure.
OK, so I’ve told you everything is has, but what about what it doesn’t have? My review truck does not have any kind of sunroof, or power seats. Don’t look for heated or cooled seats. This package only comes as a short bed. Given the much cheaper price of this one, the only things I couldn’t live without is blind spot monitoring and remote start.
Ride and Drive
Driving the 2026 Ram Warlock with the Cummins diesel is a commanding experience. The torque is always on tap when you push hard on the gas pedal. The suspension tuning and cabin refinement give it a smoother, quieter ride than you’d expect from something this capable and heavy-duty. This truck is manageable in city driving and it cruises smoothly and quietly on the highway at 80-miles per hour.
Fuel economy is not rated on over 8,500 pound GVWR vehicles. This much power and capacity in a very loaded pickup usually comes with a hefty price tag, but MSRP as equipped is $75,340. If you don’t need as much power and go with the standard 6.4-liter V8, you can likely get this truck from a CarPro Ram dealer under $60,000 with incentives and discounts, and it will still tow 15,000 pounds.
In a nutshell, with its combination of muscle, comfort, and technology, the 2026 Ram 2500 Warlock with the High-Output Cummins diesel raises the bar for heavy-duty trucks without breaking the bank.