Ram’s 2025 1500 RHO Has the Raptor Watching Its Six
Ram is back in the high-performance pickup game, and its new 2025 1500 RHO might just be the best challenger yet to Ford’s legendary F-150 Raptor. While it doesn’t carry the same brute-force V8 engine as the outgoing TRX, the RHO makes a compelling case with less weight, more control, and a much friendlier price tag.
Let’s break it down: Ram’s latest muscle truck is built for speed, off-road dominance, and everyday usability—all without breaking the bank. In fact, it might be the smartest super-truck you can buy today.
Big Trucks, Bigger Ambitions
Modern full-size pickups have grown to enormous proportions, and Ram’s 1500 is no exception. It’s longer than a Cadillac Escalade, wider than your average city street, and designed to haul not just cargo—but serious performance. While trucks were once the domain of utility and work, today’s performance pickups have taken on a different identity: built for desert runs, off-road trails, and unapologetic speed.
Credit (or blame) goes to the Ford F-150 Raptor, which over a decade ago redefined the pickup segment. Ram’s answer in 2021, the 702-hp TRX, was a beast—but it was expensive, and perhaps too much truck for most. Now, Ram’s second swing at the segment—the 2025 1500 RHO—offers a more balanced approach.
Meet the RHO: Toned-Down Power, Amped-Up Value
Instead of the TRX’s supercharged V8, the RHO features a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 making 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. That’s still more power than the Raptor’s 450 hp and 510 lb-ft—and it comes at a starting price of $69,995, undercutting Ford’s offering by nearly $10,000.
Towing capacity? Slight edge to Ram at 8,380 lbs vs. the Raptor’s 8,200. The RHO also retains much of the hardware found in the TRX, including Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive dampers, now re-tuned for the lighter powertrain. It’s a serious machine—purpose-built for speed, sand, and shock absorption.
Drive modes include Sport, Tow, Snow, and Auto, plus terrain-specific settings like Baja, Rock, and Mud/Sand. There’s also a Custom mode that allows deep personalization across throttle response, suspension stiffness, steering feel, and more. Add configurable shift lights and launch control in 100-RPM increments, and you’ve got a truck ready for both trail and track.
Interior: Feature-Rich, But Lagging Behind
Inside, the RHO doesn’t hold back on features. Heated and ventilated seats front and rear, massage functionality (with the $9,995 Customer Preferred Package), dual wireless charging, and a stunning 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system all make for a luxurious cabin.
But the tech? That’s where things stumble.
Ram’s 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12-inch digital gauge cluster are rich in features but slow to respond. Simple actions like changing drive modes or navigating menus often come with frustrating lag. The optional passenger screen is just as sluggish. And the voice assistant? Barely usable—it struggled with basic commands like finding food or inputting an address.
Still, connectivity and charging are top-notch. The RHO offers seven USB ports, four more in the rear, two three-prong outlets, and HDMI streaming for the passenger screen. Whether you’re on a cross-country haul or a weekend trail run, everyone stays powered up and entertained.
Design and Road Manners
From the outside, the RHO is impossible to ignore. Flame Red paint, oversized LED lighting, bold graphics, and aggressive lines make it look like it’s ready to jump dunes straight from your driveway. It screams off-road ambition—even if you’re just cruising to Costco.
On pavement, though, things aren’t as smooth. Despite its adaptive suspension, the RHO feels unsettled over bumps and mid-corner imperfections. Handling is acceptable for a truck of this size, but the ride never quite settles after dips or crossings. It’s best suited to wide-open spaces, not tight city streets or mountain switchbacks.
Fuel economy is a sacrifice too. Official numbers clock in at 15 mpg combined, but real-world testing yields closer to 13 mpg. Not ideal for daily driving, but par for the course in this category.
The Verdict: RHO vs. Raptor
At the end of the day, choosing between the Ram 1500 RHO and the Ford F-150 Raptor comes down to your priorities.
The RHO delivers more horsepower, more towing, and more high-tech features at a lower base price. It looks the part of an off-road warrior, and it offers customization options that performance enthusiasts will love. If you want to stand out from the crowd and save some cash, this is your truck.
The Raptor, meanwhile, offers a more refined on-road experience, better tech integration, and a more proven track record. It may not be as powerful, but it’s more polished in everyday driving.
Still, if you’re tired of seeing Raptors at every trailhead and gas station, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO might just be the super-truck that breaks the mold—without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO strikes a bold balance between raw power, off-road prowess, and real-world affordability. It may not match the brute-force appeal of the outgoing TRX, but it delivers more than enough performance to thrill, with a twin-turbo V6 that outguns the Raptor and a price tag that keeps it within reach for more buyers. While its sluggish infotainment system and unsettled on-road ride hold it back from perfection, the RHO still stands out as a compelling alternative for those looking to make a statement—both on the trail and at the traffic light. If you’re looking for a super-truck that dares to be different, the Ram RHO is ready to rumble.
