2023 RAM 1500 TRX review

With a killer 532kW HEMI-powered supercharged V8, massive brakes and a class-leading damping system, the TRX has been built to hunt twisty trails and high-speed off-road tracks.

RAM’s flagship offering, the TRX is imported by the Ateco Group and converted to right-hand drive by the mob at Walkinshaw Performance.

At $210,000 a pop, only a select number of cashed-up tourers will opt to secure one of these burly pick-ups – fewer than 300 units have been sold in Australia to date, but demand is supposedly high.

UPDATE, May 2023: Ram 1500 TRX v Ranger Raptor

🤼‍♂️ Australia’s most outrageous utes face off in a rock-spraying, fuel gargling celebration of excess. Strap in, it’s about to get noisy!

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STORY CONTINUES: 1500 TRX review

Of all the vehicles I’ve driven, this is the most magnetic – it drew people to it, no matter where we went

Still, you’ll probably spot every one of those registered vehicles, as the TRX’s road presence is second-to-none. Gigantic 325/65/R18 35-inch tyres; a bonnet seemingly wider than a 747’s front-end; an equally massive hood scoop; pumped-up guards; and measurements of 5929mm long, 2480mm wide, 2055mm tall with a wheelbase of 3686mm, combine to make the TRX most definitely a conversation-starter.

Of all the vehicles I’ve driven, this one stacks up as the most magnetic – it drew people to it, no matter where we went. Case in point: My six-year-old nephew had never shown any interest in any cars I have tested before, until the “big red monster truck”, as he called it, showed up one day. Now it’s all he talks about.

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JUMP AHEAD

• Powertrain
• On-road performance
• Off-road performance
• Practicalities
• Interior
• Warranty and safety
• VERDICT
• Specs

Powertrain

Beneath the scooped hood of this massive vehicle is where its best and most potent weapon resides: that spine-tingling supercharged HEMI V8.

With a claimed 532kW and 882Nm, the RAM TRX is officially the most powerful factory pick-up in the world. Said engine was adapted from the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and retuned by RAM Truck’s boffins to give it more appetite for off-road performance.

Push the start button and the V8 snaps into life, waking you up as though you’ve just knocked back two double-shots in quick succession.

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The burble at idle provides a nice little preview about what’s about to come, but bury the right pedal into the footwell and that V8 bellow quickly reaches a crescendo and becomes both intoxicating and addictive, courtesy of the performance-tuned dual-exhaust system that features enormous five-inch matte-black exhaust tips. It’s a beautiful howl.

The V8 snaps into life, waking you up as though you’ve just knocked back two double-shots

The Hemi V8 is matched with a heavy duty Torqueflite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic transmission, which hunts its way through the gears ferociously at high speed – paddle shifters are available to change gears as the driver sees fit, though. The TRX utilises a BorgWarner 48-13 full-time active transfer case to send power to the front and rear axles.

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On-road performance

Flex your right foot and the entire 532kW/882Nm of force slams you back into the bolstered, leather-trimmed front pews as you cling on to the tiller.

Its claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds is even more commendable when you realise this behemoth weighs more than three tonnes. Its straight-line speed is bonkers – there’s even a launch-control function – and it’s made even more exhilarating thanks to that V8 bark.

The result of this is that the TRX ingests 98RON like there’s no tomorrow. After our full day of testing the TRX returned an almost-comical fuel consumption figure nearing 30L/100km. Clearly, more mundane day-to-day driving would see this figure drop, but even so RAM lists official fuel consumption at 19.6L/100km. Thankfully, the TRX has a decent 125L fuel tank capacity.

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The TRX’s size and 3033kg kerb weight (3057kg with the optional sunroof) paints a slightly different picture when you arrive at twists and turns on the bitumen.

Where something like a Ranger Raptor remains composed and surefooted on winding roads – the very best in the dual-cab segment, mind you – the TRX becomes a bit floaty and disconnected with terra-firma at higher speeds. It doesn’t instil the driver with confidence to punt it to its limit, unlike the Ranger Raptor.

The TRX features a total of eight drive modes, each pre-configured to modulate the vehicle’s four-wheel drive system, throttle response, transmission and suspension set-up for a variety of terrain types. On-road modes include Auto, Sport, Tow, Snow and Custom (personalised with a variety of combinations); Off-road modes include Mud/Sand, Rock, and Baja.

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So it’s a big tick for straight lines and high-speed dirt, and a slightly smaller tick for twisty trails, but what’s it like to live with day to day? Not great, is the short answer.

The longer answer is that it becomes truck-like and cumbersome to live with. It guzzles fuel, its turning circle nears 15 metres, and parking can become a nuisance due to its sheer size – most suburban Aussie car parks aren’t designed for vehicles that measure in at nearly six metres in length. Parking sensors can be turned off, but why would you?

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Off-road performance

As this vehicle is purpose-built for high-speed, corrugated dirt tracks, this test didn’t include any technical 4x4 terrain.

That means there's no rock-crawling or mud-bashing – or the need to engage low range, unfortunately.

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We did punish the TRX on potholed back-country roads, though, with the vehicle’s state-of-the-art damping system – dubbed BlackHawk e2 – proving its worth.

These performance-tuned shocks, developed by RAM engineers with help from Bilstein’s racing division, allows the TRX to simply dance over potholes and corrugations at speed, aided by an exclusive five-link coil system in the rear. Your vertebrae will be thanking you on your next cross-country expedition.

This uprated suspension set-up provides more than 330mm of travel at all four corners, with the TRX also boasting 295mm of ground clearance, an 813mm wading depth, and approach, breakover, and departure angles of 30.2°, 21.9°, and 23.5° respectively.

A stronger frame composed of high-strength steel and five (yes, five) skid plates are employed to protect vital underbody components.

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Stay tuned for this story...

Practicalities

Thanks to its width, the TRX’s tray size is the best in the business, easily capable of swallowing loads up to 1687mm, with 1295mm between the wheelarches.

The tray’s length of 1711mm (with the tailgate closed) is class-leading and includes four tie-down points and a track system to easily tie down loads.

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Like other performance utes of this ilk, the TRX is hindered by a payload capacity of just 767kg (or 743kg with the optional sunroof fitted).

We didn’t get a chance to attach anything behind this vehicle, but the TRX is quoted to have a 3500kg towing capacity.

It’d be a proficient vehicle for a caravanning lap of the map, but you’d want to ensure you properly plan out fuel stops along the way. A Redarc brake controller is fitted as standard.

The TRX rides on 18-inch black-painted alloys inside 325/65R18 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler A/T tyres. It comes with a full-sized spare. Plus, it features a sliding rear-window port for increased airflow.

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Interior

Unlike the brash exterior of the TRX, the interior is a rather cushy place to spend your time.

The front bucket seats – with heated and ventilated premium Natura Plus leather and suede accents – are copious and comfortable, and there’s plenty of space in the rear bench for three large adults. Entry and exit is simple, but the extra height of the vehicle means it can be quite a big step for smaller folk and kids.

The vehicle’s large dimensions have allowed RAM designers to be more liberal with the size and number of storage bins, pockets and drink holders, with the layout user-friendly and well thought-out. The massive bin in the centre console is big enough to house a six-pack, or possibly even a small Esky.

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Connectivity is in abundance with a USB output above the centre storage console, two more in the central dash, as well as an AUX and two USB-Cs, with even more in the rear pews for a total of five USB and four USB-C ports. Six auxiliary slots for aftermarket accessories sit at the bottom of the central dash, with a 12-volt DC outlet residing on the top.

The TRX’s muscular exterior flows into the vehicle’s cabin, with plenty of aggressive design lines enhanced by carbon-fibre accents and suede trim. It seems RAM designers went into overdrive to ensure buttons, dials and information would cover every square inch of space on the dash and driver’s console, and while it may look somewhat cluttered and busy as a result, everything kinda works and is positioned within reach. Dials are chunky and easy to use and buttons are positioned where you’d expect them to be.

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The SRT-signature steering wheel feels meaty in your hands, which is exactly what you want in a vehicle of this calibre

A 12-inch portrait touchscreen takes pride of place in the centre console, with the homepage placing a frustrating emphasis on widgets. Hook up Android Auto or Apple CarPlay for instance, and the widget will prevent apps from utilising the entire screen. It seems like a terrible waste of space. The 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, on the other hand, is epic and perfectly suits a vehicle of this ilk.

The SRT-signature flat-bottomed, leather-wrapped steering wheel feels meaty in your hands, which is exactly what you want in a vehicle of this calibre. The inclusion of rubber mats makes it easier to wash it should it get dirty… and it should. And this vehicle was equipped with an optional $10,000 sunroof (not a typo).

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Warranty and safety

The TRX doesn’t qualify for ANCAP assessment, and as such it has not been assessed for a safety rating.

Another factor to consider is that the TRX only comes with a disappointing three-year/100,000km warranty.

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VERDICT

Adding up the sum of its parts, the RAM TRX is an exceptional vehicle that excels at what it has been designed to do: traverse uneven terrain with ease, courtesy of its state-of-the-art suspension.

But once the initial adoration of its thunderous V8 subsides and straight roads start to get a bit twisty, the TRX doesn’t quite maintain that extremely high standard.

That it costs more than $200K - you could get two Ranger Raptors for that coin - and only comes with a three-year warranty, are both things to seriously consider.

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Specifications

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