Even though we recognize that the current auto market’s landscape provides numerous challenges here at Landmark Dodge of Morrow, the Ram brand has been absolutely off-the-charts excellent over the past few years! It is the undisputed ruler of the truck segment, which is the most sought-after in the entire industry. As the many ways in which electrification will change things are becoming more prevalent, the remaining units that are bold and prominent are enjoying a thrilling era!
This week the Dayton Daily News had the pleasure of testing the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel, which exists as the all-out antithesis of anything electric. It has a very familiar and very potent engine, which eagerly storms the trail at hand with a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 cranking out 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. An all-out favorite engine of ours here at Landmark is by no means a sleeper surprise, as the 6.7-liter Cummins Diesel engine is standing by on deck for those needing a durable bump in hefty performance.
We are thrilled to see HEMI still taking on this commandeering role in what could soon be an all-electric world and enjoy seeing the Ram Rebel impressing the media and masses alike. The 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel can haul, tow, and get everything done designated to the revered “big-truck” category. Many drivers have put her quickly into gear, sat up straight, and realized that they are ready to take on more off-road challenges. The Rebel is prepared for this type of terrain due to its off-road prepped suspension, limited-slip differential, and 3.73 axle ratio.
The Dayton Daily News’ group’s testing model was paired with the 8-speed automatic transmission, which they ranked as excellent and with a class-leading shifting quality. The Rebel sits on 20-inch tires with 8.0-steel rims, with a fit and finish that evokes “incredibly tough” without even needing to flex. They proceeded to take the Rebel with them on a camping trip and enjoyed compliments from others on how great it looked. Once inside, the telltale Rebel badging is displayed front and center on the dashboard and seats, and the very cool 12-inch vertical touchscreen dominates the center stack area.
Here the group went on to claim that the infotainment in the Ram is the best in the entire industry and offers thoroughly “headache-free” integration with smartphones. When smartly boasting the HEMI engine configuration, the Heavy-Duty Rebel can tow 16.870 pounds with a payload capacity of 3,150 pounds. The truck boasts capability that exceeds any standard bragging rights yet can still handle consistently changing road conditions. Thoroughly winning over the choosiest truck fans in the industry can be a bit tough, but the 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel has doubled down on candor and chivalry to do so.
Just to assure that the 2500 Rebel will be as off-road capable as ever, it forgoes running boards, which is well worth the fun. The Car and Driver staff claimed that the Rebel “hits the 3200-rpm redline with all the urgency of an early-morning mall walker” and was impressed with how well the noise canceling software does at keeping cabin clatter at bay. While traveling just outside of California’s beautiful Big Bear Lake, the diesel’s abundant low-end torque and tall first gear made for a perfect hill ascent. We’d also have to agree with the Gear Patrol writing staff here at Landmark when they remarked that “The 2500 Rebel can navigate a simply staggering amount of different use cases without even breaking a sweat.”
