2026 Ram Big Horn Crew Cab Review

The 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 occupies an appealing spot in the Ram lineup. It is noticeably more comfortable and better equipped than a basic work truck, yet it avoids many of the costly luxury features that can push today’s full-size pickups into premium-car territory.

My tester combines the spacious Crew Cab, a 5-foot, 7-inch bed, the Off-Road Group and a well-chosen collection of comfort and utility options. Most importantly to traditional Ram buyers, it has the newly returned 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood.

This is not a stripped-down pickup, nor is it trying to imitate a luxury sedan with a cargo bed attached. It is a comfortable, capable and nicely equipped half-ton with cloth seating, useful technology, legitimate off-road hardware and that unmistakable Hemi sound. For many Ram buyers, this combination may be right in the sweet spot. People who want a truck may want more, but this may be the one they can afford, and there is certainly nothing here to be ashamed of. This is a very nice truck.

What’s New

The biggest news for the 2026 Ram 1500 is the return of the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with eTorque. Ram discontinued the Hemi when the redesigned 2025 model arrived, replacing it with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six. The Hurricane is more powerful and more fuel-efficient, but a large and vocal group of Ram customers made it clear that horsepower figures were not the only consideration when choosing a truck.

Ram listened, and the Hemi returned for 2026 with a standard G/T performance exhaust and what Ram calls a Symbol of Protest badge. The emblem incorporates a Ram head, engine-block graphics and exhaust-pipe styling. In other words, Ram is acknowledging that its customers staged a small but apparently effective mechanical rebellion. I go back and forth on which I like the most. I am a Hemi guy at heart, but the Hurricane is hard to deny.

Exterior

My tester is finished in Forged Blue Metallic, a $295 color that changes considerably depending on the light. It can look almost navy blue in the shade and becomes noticeably brighter when the sun hits it.

The $1,405 Sport Appearance Package replaces much of the traditional chrome with body-color front and rear bumpers, body-color door handles and a darker, cleaner overall appearance. The black grille, black mirror housings and dual exhaust outlets give the truck just enough attitude without making it look like it drove through an aftermarket-accessory catalog with a magnet attached.

The Off-Road Group raises the ride height and adds exposed front tow hooks, extra-heavy-duty shocks and underbody skid plates. The truck rides on 18-inch painted aluminum wheels with a substantial amount of tire sidewall. That is becoming increasingly unusual as some manufacturers apparently believe every pickup should wear wagon wheels wrapped in rubber bands. I am a wheel guy, loving them the bigger and chromer they are, so these fall short for me, but for the price, you can’t have everything.

The proportions are unmistakably Ram, with a broad grille, narrow headlights, sculpted hood and muscular fenders. At the rear is a conventional dampened tailgate, straightforward RAM and 4x4 badging, LED bed lighting and a useful deployable bed step.

This truck does not have RamBox bedside storage or the multifunction tailgate. Those are clever features, but the simpler bed and conventional tailgate suit the Big Horn’s practical personality.

Powertrain

Under the hood is the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with eTorque, producing 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. It is connected to Ram’s TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission and an electronic shift-on-demand four-wheel-drive system.

The Hemi is naturally aspirated, so there are no turbochargers waiting to build boost. Throttle response is immediate and predictable, with smooth power delivery and enough low-end torque to move the truck confidently without making the engine feel overworked.

The eTorque system uses a belt-driven motor-generator to assist the engine during initial acceleration and operate the automatic stop-start system, which can be disabled. It also helps smooth low-speed operation and transmission shifts. It does not turn the Ram into what most people would consider a conventional hybrid, and there is no electric-only driving mode.

Ram’s Fuel Saver technology can deactivate cylinders under light loads, but the truck still sounds exactly like a Hemi-powered Ram should when you step on the accelerator. The G/T performance exhaust is civilized during normal driving but let’s enough V8 sound into the cabin to remind you why many buyers wanted this engine back, like me.

The standard-output 3.0-liter Hurricane produces 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque, so the six-cylinder engine wins the specifications contest. Choosing the Hemi is about more than the largest numbers on a chart. It is about linear throttle response, familiar V8 character and, of course, the sound.

Four-wheel-drive controls are positioned to the left of the center touchscreen. The driver can select two-wheel drive, four-wheel-drive automatic, four-wheel-drive high or four-wheel-drive low. This truck does not overwhelm you with a long menu of artificial on-road drive modes. Instead, it provides the four-wheel-drive settings a truck owner is most likely to use, along with Selec-Speed Control for managing speed over difficult terrain.

Interior

The interior is finished in black and has deluxe cloth bucket seats. The seats are heated, nicely padded and supportive without being overly firm. The driver gets eight-way power adjustment and two-way power lumbar support, while power-adjustable pedals help drivers of different heights find a comfortable position.

Cloth seats may not have the visual impact of premium leather, but they are comfortable, durable and far less likely to become frying pans after sitting in a Texas parking lot all afternoon.

Between the front seats is a large center console with deep covered storage, cupholders and a wide padded armrest. An open storage area at the front of the console is handy for phones and smaller items, and there are additional bins and pockets throughout the cabin.

Ram continues to understand that pickup owners tend to carry considerably more than a wallet and sunglasses.

The rotary transmission selector is mounted on the dashboard. Some traditionalists still prefer a column or console shifter, but the rotary control clears valuable space and becomes second nature quickly. Below the center screen is a row of physical switches for frequently used functions, including the climate controls, heated seats and heated steering wheel.

Materials are appropriate for the Big Horn’s position in the lineup. There is plenty of durable black plastic, but contrasting trim around the dashboard, center stack and doors keeps the interior from looking like a basic fleet truck. Fit and finish appeared solid, and everything is arranged logically.

Standard Features

Standard equipment includes push-button starting, remote keyless entry, power windows and locks, air conditioning, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a power-operated parking brake and a rearview camera.

Mechanical equipment includes the electronic shift-on-demand four-wheel-drive system, 3.21 rear axle ratio, electric power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, heavy-duty front and rear shocks, a Class IV receiver hitch and four-pin and seven-pin trailer wiring connections.

The Big Horn also comes with a power locking tailgate, dampened tailgate operation, automatic headlights, heated exterior mirrors, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and multiple USB connections.

Safety

The 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn comes with a good amount of standard driver-assistance technology. It includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, Active Lane Management, Blind-Spot and Cross-Path Detection, Full-Speed Forward-Collision Warning Plus, Advanced Brake Assist and automatic high-beam headlight control.

Other safety equipment includes electronic stability control, traction control, Hill-Start Assist, Electronic Roll Mitigation, Trailer Sway Damping, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, advanced multistage front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and side-curtain airbags covering both seating rows.

Adaptive cruise control is particularly useful on long highway trips, and it is notable to see it included on a Big Horn rather than reserved exclusively for one of the most expensive trims.

Driver Information Screen

The driver faces traditional analog gauges with a configurable color information screen positioned between them. I like this arrangement because the speedometer and tachometer remain easy to read at a glance, while the center display can be changed to show fuel economy, tire pressures, trip information, four-wheel-drive status, audio information and other vehicle data.

The steering-wheel controls are clearly marked and easy to operate without looking down for an extended period. The overall layout is traditional enough to be familiar but modern enough to provide the information most drivers expect today.

Center Screen and Audio

The center of the dashboard contains an 8.4-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen. It handles audio, phone functions, vehicle settings, climate information and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The screen is clear, responsive and large enough to operate comfortably without becoming the dominant architectural feature of the dashboard. Ram also retains physical knobs and buttons for volume, tuning, temperature and fan speed, allowing common adjustments without digging through touchscreen menus.

My tester has the optional nine-speaker amplified audio system with a subwoofer. It produces substantially better sound than a basic factory audio system and is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone who spends a lot of time in the truck.

The Big Horn Level 1 Equipment Group adds a 400-watt inverter, while the Bed Utility Group provides a 115-volt outlet in the bed. There are also multiple charging connections inside the cab for front and rear passengers.

Back Seat

The Crew Cab back seat is enormous, with up to 44.8 inches of rear legroom. Adults can sit comfortably behind adults without conducting a negotiation over who gets to keep their knees.

The rear doors open wide, the floor is nearly flat and the 60/40-split seat bottoms fold upward to create a useful interior cargo area. The Big Horn Level 1 Equipment Group also adds a folding rear center armrest and storage compartments built into the floor, which are a great place to store valuables.

Rear passengers get air-conditioning vents and charging connections, and the power-sliding rear window can be operated from the front. The rear bench is not heated, but the generous space makes this an excellent truck for families, road trips or anyone who regularly carries adult passengers.

Cargo and Utility

The Crew Cab’s 5-foot, 7-inch bed is 67.4 inches long, 66.4 inches wide at its broadest point and provides approximately 53.9 cubic feet of cargo volume. The box is large enough for most household, recreational and job-site uses while keeping the truck’s overall length manageable.

The $945 Bed Utility Group is one of the smartest options on the truck. It includes LED pickup-box lighting, a Mopar spray-in bedliner, a 115-volt exterior outlet, a deployable bed step and four adjustable cargo tie-down hooks.

None of those items will attract attention like giant wheels or a panoramic roof, but every one of them makes the truck more useful.

The $1,345 Off-Road Group adds an electronic locking rear axle, a fuel-tank skid plate, steering-gear skid plate, transfer-case skid plate, extra-heavy-duty front and rear shocks, raised ride height, tow hooks, Selec-Speed Control and a full-size spare tire.

This gives the Big Horn more capability on dirt roads, hunting leases and rough job sites without requiring the more aggressive styling of a dedicated off-road model.

Towing

A factory trailer brake controller is included, along with a Class IV receiver hitch and four-pin and seven-pin trailer connections. This truck does not have the larger trailer-tow mirrors or Ram’s complete suite of available trailering cameras and guidance systems.

Ram rates Hemi-equipped 2026 Ram 1500 models to tow as much as 11,320 pounds when properly configured, but this particular truck’s 3.21 rear axle, equipment and installed options mean it should not be assumed to have the maximum rating. The exact towing and payload limits should always be confirmed using the truck’s VIN-specific documentation and door-jamb certification label.

Options

The Big Horn has a base price of $53,430 before options and transportation.

Forged Blue Metallic paint adds $295, while the Sport Appearance Package costs $1,405 and includes the body-color front bumper, body-color rear bumper with step pads and body-color door handles.

The $945 Bed Utility Group includes pickup-box lighting, a Mopar spray-in bedliner, the exterior 115-volt outlet, a Mopar deployable bed step and four adjustable cargo tie-down hooks.

The $1,345 Off-Road Group brings the full-size spare tire, extra-heavy-duty front and rear shocks, electronic locking rear axle, skid plates for the fuel tank, steering gear and transfer case, Selec-Speed Control, raised ride height and front tow hooks.

The $1,695 Big Horn Level 1 Equipment Group is responsible for much of the truck’s everyday comfort. It includes heated front seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, an eight-way power driver’s seat, two-way power lumbar support, power-adjustable pedals, rear center armrest, 60/40-folding rear seat, second-row in-floor storage bins and a power-sliding rear window.

The package also includes the 400-watt inverter, automatic-dimming rearview mirror, universal garage-door opener, heated power-folding exterior mirrors and a three-month SiriusXM subscription.

The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 costs $2,895. The no-charge Big Horn Package 27Z identifies the Hemi-equipped configuration and includes the Symbol of Protest badge, active noise control and G/T performance exhaust.

The remaining options are $195 for rear wheelhouse liners, $795 for the nine amplified speakers and subwoofer, and $295 for the trailer brake controller.

Altogether, the truck has $9,865 in factory options.

Ride and Drive

Ram continues to build one of the smoothest-riding full-size pickups on the market. Its five-link coil-spring rear suspension absorbs bumps and broken pavement without the hopping and shuddering that can still occur in trucks using traditional rear leaf springs.

The extra-heavy-duty shocks and raised suspension from the Off-Road Group give this Big Horn a slightly firmer and more controlled feel, but the ride is never harsh. Steering is light enough for parking lots and stable at highway speeds, while the relatively tall tire sidewalls provide another layer of cushioning over rough pavement.

The Hemi delivers immediate throttle response and moves the truck confidently without feeling strained. The eight-speed automatic shifts smoothly and keeps the engine in the proper part of its power range. The eTorque system also makes the automatic stop-start operation less abrupt than many conventional systems.

The cabin is quiet at cruising speed, but the G/T exhaust allows the V8 to make itself known when the accelerator goes down. That is the balance Ram needed to achieve: civilized during normal driving and just antisocial enough when the situation calls for it.

Fuel Economy and Price

The EPA rates this Hemi-powered 4x4 at 16 miles per gallon in the city, 20 on the highway and 18 combined. Nobody should buy a Hemi expecting economy-car fuel mileage, and regularly exercising the G/T exhaust will not improve matters.

The base price is $53,430. After $9,865 in options and a $2,595 destination charge, the total window sticker comes to $65,890.

That is still a substantial amount of money, but the truck is equipped with a V8, four-wheel drive, a large Crew Cab, genuine off-road hardware, modern safety technology and several useful comfort and utility packages. More importantly, very little of the option money was spent on decorative features that do not make the truck better to own.

I reached out to my DFW Ram dealer, Classic DCJRF and asked what this truck could be bought for in real world shopping. With July 2026 Texas incentives and the Car Pro discounts normally applied, the price would be $51,500 not including tax, title, & license. NOW we’re talking!

Verdict

The 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 makes a strong case for buyers who want the returning Hemi without turning their pickup into a rolling luxury suite. It is comfortable enough to drive every day, roomy enough for a family and properly equipped for hauling, towing and moderate off-road use.

The combination of the Hemi, Big Horn Level 1 Equipment Group, Bed Utility Group and Off-Road Group makes sense. You get heated seats, useful technology, a functional bed, genuine underbody protection and the V8 sound many Ram owners missed.

This Big Horn remains honest about what it is. It is a comfortable and refined truck, but it is still a truck. For a lot of buyers, that may make it the right Ram 1500.