There’s a specific style of auto fanatic that completely despises the luxurious pickup truck. They’re going to let you know that vehicles are for work, that nobody really wants a pickup adorned with segment-shattering luxurious options. And positive, perhaps nobody really wants a top-trim pickup truck — however boy, do individuals need them. And I’ve received a sense the 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten goes to be a type of vehicles that retains flying off seller tons.
Full disclosure: Ram invited me to Austin for 3 nights to check drive the revamped 1500 pickup truck fashions debuting for the 2025 mannequin yr.
Let’s Talk Tungsten
The Ram 1500’s new top-of-the-line luxurious trim takes its title from Tungsten, one of the vital sturdy components on the periodic desk. Its power makes it an distinctive materials to make use of for chopping, drilling, and sawing within the machine store, but it surely’s additionally been used as ballast in race automobiles, a base for jewelers, and {an electrical} element. If you’re going to call a pickup truck after a steel whose makes use of are as cool as its title, you received’t discover significantly better than “tungsten.”
The “Tungsten” title was clearly chosen to connote the type of do-all angle shoppers need from their pickup vehicles. During the press occasion, Ram representatives shared a variety of sweeping definitions of what tungsten means to the manufacturing group, however I’d a lot fairly deal with what it means, concretely, for patrons.
Tungsten has dethroned the Limited trim as the highest providing on Ram’s pickup vehicles — however the Limited nonetheless exists. That ought to provide you with some perspective on simply how far Ram has taken this trim; it’s completely redefining what luxurious means for Ram, to the extent that the model felt prefer it wanted a complete new trim line to account for it.
What Makes The 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten So Swanky?
The Tungsten trim is not like something we’ve seen on a pickup truck earlier than. The greatest visible factor to notice is that this truck does not have a metal bumper; as an alternative, it’s outfitted with the type of fascia you’d see on an SUV. Ram engineers advised us that the purpose with the fascia is basically to differentiate the Tungsten from different trims as a hyper-luxury truck; it’s extra of a present pony than a workhorse. Paired with a taller grille and Ram’s shiny new brand, the Tungsten makes for one attractive truck to have a look at.
Inside, although, issues get even higher. The heated and ventilated entrance passenger seats are wrapped in quilted Natura Plus leather-based and have each 24-way energy changes and an simply accessible therapeutic massage perform. The headliner, A- and B-pillars, and visors are wrapped in suede. There’s a 23-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere audio system. You’ve received not one however two wi-fi chargers.
And that’s not even mentioning all of the little particulars. To additional draw on the Tungsten title, Ram adorned the inside with the identical type of diamond knurling sample you’d see on machine instruments. That’s paired with crystal-effect touches on the shifter cap and within the middle console, the place a Tungsten badge proudly shows the VIN variety of the truck.
How About The Hurricane?
The Tungsten trim isn’t the one new characteristic on the block; this Ram has additionally been outfitted with a new-to-ram engine referred to as the Hurricane.
The Hurricane made its manufacturing debut with the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and the high-output model is commonplace for the Ram Tungsten. The 3.0-liter straight-six engine options twin-turbochargers and produces 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. It helps energy the Tungsten to a most towing capability of 11,580 kilos and a most payload of two,300 kilos.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten: The Good
For as a lot as I respect pickup vehicles and their patrons, I don’t hesitate to criticize these behemoths when the time is correct. Sometimes, these critiques are primary: I’m quick, and I simply can’t attain the rattling pedals. Sometimes, they’re harsher: I completely wouldn’t pay upwards of $70,000 for a so-called “luxury” truck that has a sloppy match and end.
Ram is aware of there are people like me on the market on the earth — ones who’re prepared to look previous brand-name loyalty to actually tear right into a pickup. But the 1500 Tungsten is fairly rattling resistant to my criticisms.
From a purely ergonomic perspective, this truck appears to be like and feels good. I can increase the pedal peak in order that I don’t need to squish the truck seat proper as much as the steering wheel. When you open the door, an computerized working board pops out on your comfort, so I didn’t need to rappel myself out of the entrance seat. Inside, all the pieces simply felt good to the contact. You anticipate these tactile pleasures from a luxurious automobile, in fact, however some truck makers can skim over them, even on their highest trims. Not so with the Tungsten.
I used to be additionally impressed by the tech. Higher-level Ram 1500 trims are outfitted with a 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system; in the event you’ve used earlier Uconnect programs and had been unimpressed, don’t fear — the previous points have been ironed out. Now, the infotainment system is responsive and simple to make use of. I additionally didn’t really feel like the scale of the display was too massive, which tends to be one thing that bothers me in different automobiles; I’m attributing that to Ram’s spectacular integration. It didn’t simply really feel like they’d glued an iPad to the dashboard; it felt as if it really belonged within the truck.
The sound system was distinctive. The therapeutic massage seats had been nice, and the 24-way energy really helped me really feel comfy and safe in an in any other case very massive automobile. The 10.5-inch passenger display labored like a attraction, and whereas I’ll admit to being quick at 5’3″, the rear seats had been loads spacious. Ram’s hands-free driving help, a Level 2+ automated driving expertise labored like a attraction and even gave the impression to be designed to contravene all the simple hacks that particularly inventive drivers have present in different automobiles. (I used to be an particularly massive fan of the seat shakers that reminded you to concentrate to the rattling street.)
And, as expected, the Hurricane HO engine provides the kind of smooth and responsive power you’d want from the powerplant pushing your truck to its absolute limit. If you loved the noise of the Hemi, you’ll probably be disappointed to find the Hurricane is a little more subdued on the sonic front — but plant your foot on the accelerator, and I think your qualms will fall by the wayside.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten: The Bad
There’s little or no to critique concerning the Ram 1500 Tungsten. At $89,150 (together with vacation spot), it’s massively costly. Its fascia, which replaces metal bumpers, will seemingly hold it from any heavy off-roading. Its massive ol’ 22-inch tires supply a reasonably tough freeway experience in comparison with the smaller tires on decrease 2025 Ram trims.
But these are contextual concerns — or, issues that you’ll really only find when you start trying to compare the Tungsten to other truck trims. Is it more expensive than a Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country or a Ford F-150 Platinum Plus? Yep; and the Tungsten is also more powerful, and better equipped. Do the luxury features on the Tungsten make you a little more hesitant to get really wild on a trail? Sure; but you probably didn’t buy the Tungsten to satisfy your off-road bug. If that was your priority, you’d have opted for the Rebel.
At the top of the day, the Ram 1500 Tungsten is scratching an itch that some individuals didn’t even know that they had — an itch that loads of different individuals won’t ever really feel of their life. It’s reaching for a distinct segment no automaker has tried to accommodate, a minimum of to not this extent, and it does a rattling good job servicing it.
Can The Ram 1500 Tungsten Still Do Truck Stuff?
Any time an automaker releases a truck that includes a feature or two that might be deemed a convenience rather than a necessity, there’s a group of auto enthusiasts that immediately protest: Trucks are for doing truck stuff. Things like screens, power seats, and sunroofs are wholly unnecessary, because the whole point of a pickup is that it is a workhorse vehicle. If you want a luxury vehicle, go buy a swanky sedan or SUV.
I hate to break it to y’all, but trucks aren’t just workhorses anymore, and they haven’t been for a long time. The Ram 1500 Tungsten is a response to a market hungry for big, tough vehicles that can tow a boat as capably as it can comfortably deliver you to your destination. So what if that destination is the school drop-off line, the grocery store, or the commute to a desk job? The Tungsten exists because people will buy it — the same way the Ram 1500 Tradesman exists for the folks who still need to do work.
Can the Ram 1500 Tungsten still do all that “truck stuff?” Yes. It can tow 11,580 pounds. You can stow up to 2,300 pounds in the bed. You’ll be able to take it on your rutted rural dirt roads with ease, and even sneak off the trail once in a while. The Tungsten is going to treat you just fine if you need it to do a little work; it’s just also going to massage your butt and serenade with an impressive number of speakers you while you do it.
Source: jalopnik.com