2025 Ram 1500 Rebel review: Australian first drive

We've written it before, and it's worth restating here now, that RAM Trucks Australia deserves a healthy dose of recognition for creating what has now become a legitimate segment in the Australian new car market.

A segment that now features the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, RAM 1500, and Toyota Tundra, started with RAM Trucks Australia taking a punt on the merits of full-size American trucks for our market and the significant investment required to remanufacture in right-hand drive.

Something RAM Trucks Australia has also done though, beyond kick-starting the segment, is offer a variety of models across the 1500 range rather than simply one – or two – models. Express, Big Horn, Warlock, TRX, Laramie Sport and Limited have all featured throughout the RAM 1500's sales success in this country, and now the 2025 RAM 1500 Rebel joins that list.

At the time of writing, RAM had ticked past 35,000 sales in this country – including 2500 and 3500 variants – so it's fair to say Aussies have lapped up the capability that comes with a truck of this size.

We've tested the new Laramie Sport and Limited - with their new twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six cylinder engines and their punch and performance is undeniable. As is their capability in regard to cabin space, amenity and towing ability.

What's interesting about these trucks in this market is that RAM Trucks Australia knows they represent a significant investment, and as such, equip them to a level that steps them up into a more luxurious realm. That means we get plenty of standard equipment that is optional in their home market. Further, it means the likes of Laramie Sport and Limited 1500 models feel less like a hard-nosed off-roader and more like an upper-large, luxury SUV.

And, that's where the new variant in the line up – Rebel – steps in. Rebel is targeted at those of you with a more adventurous lifestyle. That's what the advertising and marketing guff claims.

In real terms, though, if you head off-road more often, whether that includes proper 4WDing or light-duty dirt-road touring, if you spend time on rural properties and poor road surfaces often, and you need added capability, the Rebel is the RAM 1500 to consider.

Between suspension and tyres, you get an extra inch of ground clearance, as well as underbody bash plate protection, off-road-focused driving modes, low-range and a rear electronic diff lock, and tough styling that ensures the Rebel looks as focused as it promises to be on the road.

The 18-inch wheels are model-specific, and they are wrapped in all-terrain tyres. On paper, the Rebel certainly looks the goods, but we go into this launch drive wondering – as we've seen with Ranger Raptor or Silverado ZR2 – that Rebel's off-road enhancements have added to its chops on road as well.

Our pricing and specification report details the important information, and pricing for the Rebel will start from $141,950 before on-road costs. That asking price sets it on a line-ball with the Laramie Sport, the more road-focused of the two, but there are also subtle specification differences between them.

In comparison to the Laramie Sport, the Rebel gets 32-inch Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tyres, the aforementioned 18-inch alloy wheels, Bilstein off-road suspension, fender flares, underbody skid plates, an electronic locking rear differential, and greater approach, departure and ramp breakover angles.

The RamBox tub is gone, with Rebel focusing more on overall tray space, ensuring it works for those of you needing other load dirt bikes into the tray for example. That means you get a larger tray floor to use for storage.

RAM 1500 Rebel gets features like heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster, a passenger touchscreen that the driver can't see, and a quality 19-speaker Harman Kardon pemium audio system.

All of which are optional in the United States, but standard for RAM 1500 Rebel in Australia. The other key feature for Rebel is the 893kg payload, higher than either Laramie Sport or Limited, and coupled with the larger tray due to the RamBox delete, offers added flexibility for owners.

Rebel's cabin is attractive and suits the off-road vibe with quality black trim, with red highlights, and Rebel stitching in the seats. The space, that always features in these reviews, is evident once again, with tremendous flexibility especially in the second row. The seat bases fold up to open the floor space up as a broad, flat storage option, ideal for keeping smaller items out of the tray.

Robust rubber floor mats are standard, and once you're in either of the front two seats - or the rear outboard seats for that matter – the broad glass expanse, as well as the high-riding seating position, afford excellent visibility. As we have noted with the two variants we've already tested, the technology, the simplicity of the way it works, and the layout of the crucial controls are all excellent.

The RAM 1500 - Rebel or not - delivers the ability reality of transporting five adults in absolute comfort, something that only the likes of Nissan Patrol can offer, outside the US truck brigade.

There's so much room, so much storage, and so much comfort on offer, it's hard to find a reason not to buy a vehicle of this size if you're a family of four or five with regular long-distance touring in your future. The ride comfort inside the cabin is excellent, too, more on that in a minute.

Soundtrack aside, if you're sceptical in regard to the absence of the Hemi V8, take a new RAM 1500 for a test drive. The new Hurricane inline-six is a powerhouse, even in standard output guise.

The HO engine won't be available under the bonnet of Rebel in Australia, but the standard output's 313kW and 635Nm are formidable and ensure the RAM 1500 gets up and cranking swiftly and without effort. This truck feels significantly faster than you would ever expect and the power on offer makes for a fun drive under any conditions.

There's an eight-speed automatic transmission, which works smoothly at any speed, on road or off, as well as selectable 4WD, low-range, and an electronic-locking rear diff. On our brief off-road loop, a wet and sloppy affair with deep ruts, the Rebel made light work of the course, despite its heft and long wheelbase.

These trucks are better off-road than you would give them credit for, and the Rebel will cope with the kind of terrain most buyers are likely to encounter, easily. With genuine low-range gearing, selectable 4WD, and a rear diff lock that works, you'll be able to get out of most sticky situations if you're not trying to be silly off-road.

What's less expected is the lift in on-road ride quality, thanks to the off-road suspension additions. Quality Bilstein dampers clearly play their part here.

A lift of one-inch is subtle, but coupled with all-terrain rubber and a meaty sidewall, the RAM 1500 Rebel is comfortable and compliant on the type of B road surfaces we all have to deal with once we leave the city. While the suspension changes are no doubt more about off-road ability than on-road quality, the side benefit of added sealed road comfort is a good one.

The inline-six is a firecracker. On a wet road, under hard launch, you'll want 4WD Auto engaged, because the Rebel will light the rear tyres up with ease. 313kW and 635Nm are formidable outputs from what RAM calls the Standard Output engine, and the Rebel feels fast despite how big it is.

From launch or on the move, the Rebel feels a lot more like a regular-sized dual-cab rather than a full-size US truck.

The long wheelbase and physical size are something you need to get used to in town if you've never driven one of these trucks, but the visibility, easy steering and general quality of the drive experience mean you quickly get used to it.

Once you're out on the open road though, they come into their own, and long distance rural touring is the kind of work the Rebel is designed for.

The full-size US pickup truck segment - started by RAM Trucks Australia - has brought a level of capability to our market that the regular dual-cab brigade can't match.

While there's undoubted appeal in the Laramie Sport and Limited, budget depending, the new RAM 1500 Rebel is a solid addition to the 1500 range.

It suits those of you likely to do more driving on unsealed roads, but the added bonus of non-road comfort is hard to ignore. For mine, it's the model in the 1500 range that I would be buying.

Trent Nikolic has been road testing and writing about cars for almost 20 years. He’s been at CarAdvice/Drive since 2014 and has been a motoring editor at the NRMA, Overlander 4WD Magazine, Hot4s and Auto Salon Magazine.

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