Ram 1500 Tradesman review: Powerful and practical work truck with unexpected perks

Climbing into the seat of the new Ram 1500 Tradesman might feel familiar—after all, it looks just like the next work truck out on the road—but it’s what’s under the hood of this truck that will surprise any driver, passenger, and likely, anyone in a sports car stopped beside you at a red light.

The new Ram 1500 Tradesman's powertrain ensures its capability. The extra perks and creature comforts make drivers and crewmembers more comfortable and will also ensure you won’t be embarrassed when taking a client out to lunch. While the technology comes with a couple of frustrations, this truck was one that I was genuinely disappointed to hand back over after my time driving was done.

Under the hood

The new Ram 1500 Tradesman is powered by a Stellantis Hurricane Straight-six turbo, a 3-liter twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder engine. Stellantis unveiled this engine in 2022, boasting that it “delivers better fuel economy and fewer emissions than larger engines” while generating “more horsepower and torque than many competitors’ naturally aspirated V8 and boosted six-cylinder power plants.”

Paired with a Chrysler TorqueFlite 8-speed transmission, the Hurricane outputs 420 hp and 469 lb.-ft. of torque. While I didn’t put the Ram Tradesman head-to-head against a truck powered by a V8 engine, I could feel the Tradesman’s impressive power. I must admit, I got a bit of an adrenaline high as I experienced all 469 lb.-ft. of torque off the line.

But the Ram 1500 Tradesman wasn’t just brute power—it was also incredibly smooth, handling tight turns like a much smaller, more lightweight vehicle. Were it not for its size, I would have compared it to one of the small-sized SUVs I see scampering about my tiny suburban neighborhood.

While designed specifically as a work truck trim, the Ram 1500 Tradesman doesn’t sacrifice comfort or those nice amenities that crewmembers appreciate in their personal vehicles.

In the cab

The Ram 1500 Tradesman crew cab can comfortably hold up to five adults, leaving ample room in the back for grown men and women to stretch their legs. The front center console converts into a seat accommodating a sixth crew member. Further, the Tradesman features a fold-down armrest with cupholders in the back seat when the middle seat isn’t occupied by a crewmember.

While designed specifically as a work truck trim, the Ram 1500 Tradesman doesn’t sacrifice comfort or those nice amenities that crewmembers appreciate in their personal vehicles. These include telescopic trailer tow mirrors, a power back window, and safety technology such as collision warnings and active emergency braking—which was deployed not once but twice while I was operating the truck. More on that later.

Built for work, the Tradesman allows drivers to create profiles for various trailers. These profiles are saved within the truck’s system to recall trailer-specific tow settings, making it easier to switch from one haul to the next.

When backing out of my driveway, I had to rely on the help of others to guide me instead of using the truck’s backup camera. This is because the lines on the monitor that represent the path of the truck’s tires were several inches to a foot from the tires’ actual location (shown on previous photo).

Driver assistance and camera frustration

I enjoyed my time in the 2025 Ram 1500 Tradesman, although I didn’t find some features pleasant. One of the first things I noticed was the placement of the large side mirrors. While they were great for seeing what was behind the truck, the one on the passenger side blocked my vision and became a blind spot. This was especially apparent when stopped at intersections with heavy pedestrian traffic.

Another concern was with the backup camera’s alignment, specifically with the tire guides displayed on the infotainment screen. When backing out of my driveway—which is narrower than most places a crew would take the Ram 1500—I had to rely on the help of others to guide me instead of using the truck’s backup camera. This is because the lines on the monitor representing the path of the truck’s tires were several inches to a foot from the actual location. I realize this could be a problem only with the specific truck I drove, but any fleet owner with crews maneuvering in tight spaces should be aware.

Secondly—and also while backing out of my driveway—I was lunged forward by the truck’s automatic emergency braking system twice. While I’m glad the system is available in the truck (it’s always better to be safe than sorry), I felt the system engaged the brakes a bit too cautiously.

See also: Ram introduces new ProMaster EV

Regardless of these few aspects, the 2025 Ram 1500 Tradesman was fun to drive and packs practicality, power, and perks into a pretty package. Ram didn’t forget the creature comforts and the small details often missed in a work truck trim, and the front and back seat area leaves space for legs, equipment, tools—whatever you can pile in.

But as mentioned before, this truck’s power leaves the biggest impression. The frustration of lunging forward from the automatic braking was nothing compared to the feeling of being pinned to my seat after pressing the gas pedal. It’s truly what’s under the hood of this truck that will turn heads and keep work days a little more exciting. That is if you don’t call in sick.