The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO provides performance, presence and character. However, the rumoured comeback of the Hellcat engine might greatly influence this truck’s desirability.
Although the Canadian market generally prefers smaller vehicles than the U.S. market, I was crunching some numbers the other day while getting notes together for this 2025 Ram 1500 RHO review, and came across a significant statistic. Consumers in Canada buy more full-size pickups than their southern neighbours.
Not in raw sales numbers, obviously. However, through the first half of the 2025 calendar year, full-size pickups accounted for 16.6% of total light vehicle sales in Canada, compared to 13.6% in the United States. During the 2020 model year, the full-size pickup mix was a staggering 21.1% in Canada, while in the U.S., full-size pickups reached a high-water sales mix of 15.9% during 2019. In fact, the last time USA sales numbers showed a higher sales mix of big pickups than in Canada was in 2008 (12.2% vs. 11.9%). Shocking, eh?
As we can see, both countries love road-crushing trucks, even those priced above $100k and that are low on utility, yet high on desirability. The newly introduced 2025 Ram 1500 RHO comes immediately to mind, which emphasizes performance, intimidation and masculinity at the expense of towing and payload capacities.
The current-generation Ram 1500 was introduced for the 2019 model year, and has finally received its first major product update. The biggest change was the elimination of the 5.7L HEMI V8 and 6.2L HEMI V8 engines, in favour of Stellantis’ recently launched Hurricane twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six engine, in regular and high output tunes. The mild-hybrid 3.6L V6 with 305 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque soldiers on as the base powerplant, while the 3.0L I6 develops 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque, and is available as an option on most trim levels.
The crown jewel motor for 2025 is the SST HO straight-six that generates 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque, fitted as standard in the Limited, Longhorn, Tungsten and RHO variants. It’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and must run on 91-octane fuel.
As one can expect, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO’s city/highway/combined fuel ratings stand at 16.7 / 14.9 / 15.9 L/100 km, and during our latest test, we managed an average of 17.9 L/100 km. A gas-guzzler in its own right, it’s significantly better than the outgoing Ram 1500 TRX’s outrageous ratings of 22.4 / 16.5 / 19.8 L/100 km. As a reminder, the TRX boasted the company’s Hellcat supercharged 6.2L V8 that belted out 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.
Powertrain aside, the RHO does share many mechanical components with the TRX, such as the long-travel suspension with adaptive damping, 35-inch all-terrain tires, zombie-attack ground clearance, stretched fender flares, oversized tow hooks, and oversized exhaust tips. It’s available only in crew cab short bed configuration. There’s no mistaking this truck from any other Ram 1500, save for the discontinued TRX. Stellantis claims it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and reach a governed top speed of 190 km/h.
In Canada, standard features include an electronic-locking differential, launch control, an adjustable air suspension, full-time 4WD, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, a Uconnect infotainment system with 12-inch touchscreen and navigation, a 10-speaker sound system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and front and rear park assist.
The optional RHO Level 1 Equipment Group includes a surround view camera system, a power tailgate, drowsy driver detection, hands-free active driving, head-up display, intersection collision warning, traffic sign recognition, digital key compatibility, a 14.5-inch touchscreen, a front passenger media display, a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system, rain-sensing wipers, massaging front seats, heated and ventilated rear outboard seats, power-adjustable pedals, carbon fibre interior trim and much more. A trailer tow group, beadlock-capable wheels, a dual-pane sunroof, a spray-on bedliner, off-road running boards, rock rails, red interior trim and graphics packages to make the truck stand out even more, are available as well.
Pricing for the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO in Canada starts at $117,340 including freight and delivery charges, while a loaded truck runs $141,420. That’s before adding the Canadian luxury tax, which means piling on an additional $3,488 to $8,304. There’s also the limited-edition Mopar ’25 RHO, which starts at $134,320. In the U.S., the Ram 1500 RHO is priced from $72,090 to $94,025.
Competition includes the Ford F-150 Raptor and Raptor R as well as the GMC Hummer EV Pickup. No other automaker offers ridiculously powerful, widebody, high-riding, factory-built desert runner pickups such as these three nameplates, so buyers of this type of truck must turn to aftermarket tuners for Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Toyota Tundra equivalents.
Why You Should Buy a 2025 Ram 1500 RHO
- Because it’s fast, mean and menacing. It’s disconcerting to realize that a 2,850 kg (6,283-pound) pickup truck can blast to 100 km/h in less than five seconds, and that this can be easily achieved with the help of a launch control feature.
- The RHO can tow up to 3,860 kg or 8,500 pounds and carry a load of up to 689 kg or 1,520 pounds, which isn’t bad, given its focus as a high-performance pickup above anything else.
- Interior fit and finish is a cut above that’s found in Chevrolet, GMC and Toyota trucks, and in line with the F-150 Raptor’s interior presentation. The 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster combo is mighty impressive, with multiple menus and features to dig through, including a lap timer, acceleration and braking meters, as well as off-road meters for pitch, roll and wheel articulation. The system is somewhat slow to load, though, like a computer that doesn’t have enough RAM (no pun intended). The Harman/Kardon sound system is terrific.
- One advantage of desert runner trucks is their spongy suspension that glides over road imperfections, meaning a more comfortable on-road ride. The RHO is pretty refined in relaxed driving situations than its appearance and character suggest.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy a 2025 Ram 1500 RHO
- The RHO is quick, no doubt, but the F-150 Raptor R is even faster with a 0-100 km/h time of less than four seconds. It’s also equipped with a supercharged 5.2L V8 engine that lashes out 720 horsepower and 640 pound-feet in addition to being much more vocal. The Hummer EV is even quicker, which can hit 100 km/h in about three seconds.
- The Ram 1500 RHO may be one of the widest light vehicles on the road, and that’s not to be overlooked if we use this truck as a daily driver. It completely covers one whole parking space at the mall (except at Costco) and isn’t the most manoeuvrable vehicle in tight parking lots. In addition, the Raptor R’s towing capacity is slightly higher at 3,946 kg or 8,700 pounds, although the RHO beats the Ford’s 640 kg, 1,410-pound payload capacity. The Hummer EV can tow between 7,500 and 12,000 pounds, depending on the chosen configuration, and can carry a load of up to 674 kg or 1,485 pounds.
- Well-heeled folks likely don’t see this as an issue, but $120k for a pickup truck is a tough pill to swallow for us. The purchase price isn’t the only financial concern, either, as maintenance, tire and fuel costs will further challenge our budget.
- It doesn’t have a HEMI V8, and that may be the dealbreaker for some potential buyers. The Hurricane I6 is powerful and provides plenty of performance, but you can’t make a blown six sound as good as an eight. Not only that, but with the return of the 5.7L V8 in the 2026 Ram 1500, there’s a good chance Stellantis will bring back the Ram 1500 TRX and its Hellcat engine, and the RHO will suddenly feel like a pussycat in a world of tigers, not to mention that its resale value may take a consequential hit.
Should You Buy a 2025 Ram 1500 RHO?
If we’re into macho, hairy-chested, rip-snorting, crush the neighbourhood pickup trucks, the RHO is definitely worth a look. We’re concerned about its future if the TRX makes a comeback, but the F-150 Raptor R exists and the 450-horsepower, twin-turbo V6 Raptor is doing just fine. And since one out of every six new car buyers in Canada chooses a pickup truck, Ram shouldn’t have any problem selling its RHO.
On the other hand, the 1500 RHO is a big vehicle to handle, its operating costs cannot be overlooked, and the Ram 1500 lineup isn’t any more reliable than the other full-size pickups currently on the market, so there’s no advantage there, either. Rather, it’s a super-comfy attention magnet that’s slightly more sensible with a six-cylinder engine under the hood than a V8, with limited yet still useful pickup truck capacities.
| Specifications | |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Ram 1500 RHO | 2025 GMC Hummer EV 2X Pickup | 2025 GMC Hummer EV 3X Pickup | 2025 Ford F-150 Raptor | 2025 Ford F-150 Raptor R | |
| Price Range Before Options and Luxury Tax ($CAD) | $117,340 | $133,698 | $146,698 | $112,020 | $153,625 |
| Output (hp) | 540 | 570 (opt. 635) | 830 (opt. 1,000) | 450 | 720 |
| Torque (lb-ft) | 521 | 775 (opt. 1,033) (est.) | 1,200 (est.) | 510 | 640 |
| City/Highway/Combined (L/100 km) | 16.7 / 14.9 / 15.9 | 4.0 / 5.0 / 4.5 (Le/100 km) | 4.1 / 5.1 / 4.5 (Le/100 km) | 16.6 / 13.1 / 15.0 | 22.8 / 15.9 / 19.7 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,686 | 3,445 | 3,445 | 3,693 | 3,693 |
| Length (mm) | 5,936 | 5,507 | 5,507 | 5,908 | 5,908 |
| Width (mm) | 2,235 | 2,201 | 2,201 | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Height (mm) | 2,080 | 2,009 | 2,009 | 2,027 | 2,047 |
| Ground Clearance (mm) | 300 | 257 to 404 | 257 to 404 | 305 | 333 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 2,850 | 3,829 (est.) | 4,090 (est.) | 2,590 | 2,659 |
| Max Towing Capacity (kg) | 3,860 | 5,443 | 3,856 | 3,719 | 3,946 |
| Max Payload Capacity (kg) | 689 | 674 | 590 | 640 | 640 |
| 0-100 km/h (sec.) | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.5 (opt. 3.0) | 5.4 (est.) | 3.9 (est.) |
