2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn Long-Term Test: 40,000-Mile Review
The 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn, featuring the innovative Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six engine, has successfully concluded an exhaustive 40,000-mile long-term evaluation. This comprehensive assessment underscores the truck's exceptional power, refined ride quality, and generously proportioned cabin, establishing its versatility across a spectrum of demands, from heavy-duty towing to routine daily commutes. While certain drawbacks, such as the disproportionately large towing mirrors, the absence of keyless entry, and intermittent unscheduled service appointments, presented minor inconveniences, the truck's overarching performance, practical utility, and superior driving dynamics garnered significant acclaim. This robust performance solidifies its standing as a premier contender within the full-size pickup segment. The Hurricane engine, though offering only marginal gains in fuel efficiency compared to the previous V-8, delivered notable enhancements in acceleration and overall refinement, proving to be a compelling powertrain option.
Over the course of its 40,000-mile trial, the Ram 1500 Big Horn distinguished itself as a formidable and sophisticated machine. The Hurricane engine, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, proved to be a smooth and powerful replacement for the Hemi V-8, offering 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain enabled impressive acceleration, achieving 0-60 mph in just 4.8 seconds, a significant improvement over its V-8 predecessor. Beyond its raw power, the Ram 1500's four-corner coil-spring suspension provided an exceptionally comfortable and composed ride, setting it apart from competitors with traditional leaf-spring setups. This combination of robust performance and refined ride quality made the truck an ideal companion for long-distance travel, heavy hauling, and everyday tasks. The interior further enhanced the driving experience with ample space, comfortable seating for six, and well-placed controls, reinforcing Ram's reputation for superior truck cabins. Despite its considerable capabilities and luxurious feel, the vehicle presented a few notable points of contention that detracted from its otherwise stellar performance.
Performance and Utility: A New Benchmark for Full-Size Pickups
The 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn's 40,000-mile evaluation clearly demonstrated its prowess as a versatile and potent workhorse. The newly introduced Hurricane twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine, producing 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque, delivered remarkable acceleration, outperforming its V-8 predecessor with a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds. This power, coupled with the truck's smooth and refined operation, made it adept at various tasks, from towing trailers and hauling large cargo to devouring interstate miles with ease. The truck's ability to maintain its acceleration performance even after 40,000 miles further attested to the Hurricane engine's durability and consistent output. The four-corner coil-spring suspension system provided a ride quality that consistently garnered praise, offering a level of comfort and stability often likened to a luxury vehicle rather than a rugged pickup. This unique suspension setup allowed the Ram 1500 to glide over diverse road conditions, making long journeys remarkably less fatiguing and enhancing its overall appeal as a premier choice for those seeking both capability and comfort in a full-size truck.
Throughout its extensive 40,000-mile long-term test, the 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn consistently showcased its exceptional capabilities and utility, firmly establishing a new benchmark in the competitive full-size pickup market. The Hurricane engine's robust performance translated into effortless towing, whether it was a recreational boat or heavy equipment, and its ample bed volume easily accommodated oversized items, highlighting its practical utility for both work and personal use. This powerful engine, combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission, delivered seamless power delivery across a wide range of driving conditions, from city streets to challenging off-road terrains. The interior design of the Ram 1500 Big Horn was another significant highlight, offering a spacious and well-appointed cabin that comfortably seated six adults. Passengers benefited from generous legroom and high-quality materials, reinforcing the truck's commitment to comfort and driver-focused ergonomics. The intuitive infotainment system, featuring a large touchscreen, further enhanced the user experience with easy access to navigation, climate control, and entertainment options. The truck's impressive on-road manners, thanks to its sophisticated suspension, made it an enjoyable vehicle for daily commuting and extended road trips alike. The remarkable blend of power, utility, and comfort solidified the Ram 1500 Big Horn's position as a top-tier contender, capable of meeting diverse demands with remarkable proficiency.
Ownership Experience: Balancing Innovation with Practicality
The long-term ownership of the 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn presented a mixed bag of innovative features and practical shortcomings. While the new Hurricane engine delivered a compelling blend of power and refinement, certain aspects of the truck's design and maintenance experience led to frustration. The oversized towing mirrors, while useful when actively towing, became a significant nuisance in everyday driving, creating substantial blind spots and requiring constant attentiveness, particularly in urban environments. The absence of passive entry on a vehicle priced near $70,000 was a surprising omission, forcing owners to manually engage the key fob—a feature long considered standard in modern vehicles. Additionally, the remote start system proved temperamental, refusing to operate with a quarter-full fuel tank and suffering from an irritating delay, which undermined its convenience, especially in adverse weather. The dealership service experience also left much to be desired, with higher-than-expected costs for routine maintenance and the inclusion of unnecessary services without prior consent, reflecting issues that impacted the overall cost of ownership and user satisfaction.
The ownership journey with the 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn over 40,000 miles underscored a tension between its advanced engineering and several practical annoyances that challenged its overall user-friendliness. Beyond the aforementioned issues with the mirrors and keyless entry, the truck also exhibited a series of unscheduled service visits for various components, including the trailer-control module, forward-collision warning system, wastegate actuator, and infotainment updates. While these issues were often covered under warranty and did not result in stranding the vehicle, their cumulative frequency raised concerns about the truck's long-term reliability post-warranty period. The fuel economy, despite the shift to a six-cylinder engine, showed only a marginal improvement over the previous V-8 model, averaging 15 mpg compared to 14 mpg, which fell short of the efficiency expectations typically associated with downsizing. Furthermore, the cost of replacement parts, such as a tonneau cover priced significantly higher than its factory option cost, highlighted potential future expenses for owners. These practical drawbacks, though not entirely overshadowing the truck's stellar driving dynamics and utility, served as ongoing reminders that even a highly capable vehicle can present a challenging ownership experience when design and service aspects fall short of expectations.