Ram thing gone wild
It’s hard to see much Ram in the grille. … Um, strike that. If you can read, yes, it’s easy to see this big bruiser of a half-ton is a Ram, thanks to the 58-inch-tall silver letters across its face. But where you would otherwise see a signature crosshairs grille, the Rebel sports a giant handlebar mustache ripped straight from the face of Machete himself. And just as with Mr. Danny Trejo, the Rebel ain’t exactly pretty to look at, but we definitely enjoy its attitude.
Performance—on the road, at the pump and fully taxed—is on par with the standard-issue Ram 1500, with a 1,530-pound payload and 10,150-pound towing capacity. Engine output (395 hp and 410 lb-ft) and fuel economy (15 mpg city, 22 highway) from the optional Hemi 5.7-liter V8 matches the pedestrian 1500’s, too. (The Rebel comes standard with the familiar 305-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.)
The new 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel brings a one-of-a-kind off-road design to the full-size truck segment.
From a substance standpoint, the Rebel departs from the base formula with a slightly higher ride height, the standard air suspension pumping an extra inch of lift into the truck’s stance. That added room makes way for a set of chunky 285/70R Toyo Open Country A/T all-terrain tires wrapped around Rebel-specific 17-inch, silver and black aluminum wheels. We found the aggressive tread pattern to be surprisingly quiet when cruising over pavement at 80 mph.
The Rebel also gets unique Bilstein dampers and black wheel-arch moldings borrowed from big-brother Power Wagon.
The new 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel brings a one-of-a-kind off-road design to the full-size truck segment.
Every Rebel comes in a single body configuration—crew cab and short (5-foot-7-inch) bed—and each gets the same interior treatment. Black and gray tones dominate, with red and gray topstitching highlighting the soft surfaces, while the center stack, console and door panels sport red anodized trim pieces. The color palette is dark, masculine and attractive. Things get a bit cartoonish (in keeping with the the grille’s theme) on the seats, though, where the fabric inserts are embossed with the same tread pattern you find on the Toyos. Not necessary.
As with the standard Ram 1500, we love the optional RamBox storage compartments, and of all the alternative design spins on the shifter we’ve seen the last few years, the Ram’s rotary controller works well. We also never tire of the addictive Hemi/eight-speed combo; plant your foot, and this Rebel both hauls ass and sounds good.
