Description
Call it outdated. Call it offensive. Call it a dinosaur (tee-rex, get it?). The Truck of the Year-winning Ram TRX and its 702-hp supercharged V-8 represent what could be the final outcry of the old-school take on a supertruck. Its performance has been surpassed by electric competitors like the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV, but there’s something special about supercharger whine and V-8 rumble hurtling you along the trail.
What’s New
- The Ram 1500’s new digital instrument cluster
- Rear-seat reminder and an LED hitch lamp are now standard
- Glove box now features a sanitizing UV light
- Lunar Edition model with Ceramic Gray paint
What We Think
As soon as we first drove the TRX, we knew it was a winner. This is no value play, no world-saving EV work truck, but a versatile do-it-all sport truck as comfortable on trails or dunes as it is driving a long-haul road trip. It’ll tow and haul pretty well, too, and we found it plenty durable as a support vehicle for our 7,700-mile off-road journey in the Rivian R1T.
The top-dog Ram’s on-road capability is perhaps most surprising; its trick Bilstein shocks keep body roll to a minimum without sacrificing ride quality. Road imperfections rarely infiltrate the cabin, and the transmission tuning means the supercharged V-8 is always ready to show off.
Although the 2023 TRX looks outstanding, we’ve called out the styling as a bit too similar to Ram’s less powerful Rebel, which could be disappointing for a buyer who swallowed the flagship truck’s mighty price tag. Although not the most well-rounded performance pickup (that title goes to our 2022 Truck of the Year), the TRX is an appropriate swan song for the internal combustion era of the sport truck.
Performance, Efficiency, and Towing
The TRX only has one engine, a version of the same 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that can be found under the hood of Dodge’s Hellcat models. In the TRX that monster makes 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, which makes it the most powerful gas pickup on the market. Four-wheel drive is standard, and the engine is paired with a paddle-shiftable eight-speed automatic. Testing the TRX, we recorded 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, which positions Ram’s big-shouldered muscle truck as one of the quickest pickups we’ve ever tested.
Fuel economy is predictably horrid. The EPA rates the TRX at just 10/14 mpg city/highway, and we can attest those numbers can be difficult to achieve if you want to feel all 702 horses once in a while. It’s also still something of a workhorse, capable of towing up to 8,100 pounds and hauling as much as 1,310 in the bed.
2023 Ram 1500 TRX Lunar Edition: To the Moon!
The latest special edition of Ram’s super truck has arrived in the form of the 2023 TRX Lunar Edition. The most notable difference from the standard model range is the Ceramic Gray paint that’s exclusive to this special variant. Other touches specific to the Lunar Edition include Surf Blue accent stitching and a center console badge. Other features include the Level 2 Equipment Group, Bed Utility Group, Advanced Safety Group, TRX Carbon-Fiber Package, TRX hood and bed graphics, dual pane panoramic sunroof, and the optional 18-inch black beadlock-capable wheels. Pricing starts at $108,340 and we estimate that fewer than 1,000 examples will be produced.
Safety Ratings and Features
The Ram 1500 on which the TRX is based is exceptionally safe for a full-size truck, earning both a 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick and a NHTSA five-star overall safety rating. Ram includes driver assist tech, too; adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking are all standard.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
The TRX is only offered in a single configuration: crew cab, short bed, 4WD. Cargo space in the bed measures 53.9 cubic feet (compared to the Ford Raptor’s 52.8 cubes), and rear-seat space reaches limo levels of luxury at 45.2 inches while the Raptor only offers 43.6 inches.
Technology
The Stellantis UConnect 5 infotainment software and 12.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display are standard on the Ram TRX. Ram also introduced a newly available 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster this year on higher trims of the Ram 1500, and it’s standard on the 2023 TRX. A color head-up display is also standard, as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
TRX vs. Raptor R
Ram left the F-150 Raptor and its 450-hp twin-turbo V-6 in its tire spray with the reveal of the TRX, but Ford finally has an answer this year with the Raptor R. Ford’s new supertruck is powered by a version of the Mustang GT500’s 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 making 700 hp and 640 lb-ft, numbers that are just shy of the TRX’s output. That said, the Ford is around 700 pounds lighter, meaning its weight-to-power ratio beats the Ram’s. The Raptor can also tow and haul more than the Ram. Check out our comparison to read about the two supertrucks going head to head.
