This morning, all of the information on the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO was released and while we will take a look at the specifics, here are the key points. The new Ram RHO is not a replacement for the Ram 1500 TRX but rather, a direct competitor to the V6-powered Ford F150 Raptor. When compared to the Raptor, the Ram 1500 RHO offers more horsepower, more torque, more towing capability, more payload capability, more interior space, more interior technology and more off-road abilities – all for a much smaller price than the Raptor. Many people will focus on the fact that the Ram RHO has less power than the Ram TRX, but this new truck isn’t competing with the TRX, it is competing with the Raptor and this new half-ton Ram is better than the Raptor in every way.
Yes, the Raptor R still has the V8 option, but production of that engine ended when the Romeo Niche Engine Line was closed, so like the TRX, the Raptor will be a six-cylinder-only model in the near future. That being said, the Raptor R still has the overall edge for the 2025 model year, and a price starting just north of $110,000, putting it in an entirely different price class than the RHO. Today, we take a look at the key features of the RHO, how it beats the standard Raptor in pretty much every category and how it compares to the TRX (just because that will be a key talking point in the community).
RHO Versus Raptor
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO is powered by the twin turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane High Output, delivering 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and a BorgWarner 48-13 full-time active transfer case that offers varying front-rear power distribution. This drivetrain engine yields a maximum towing capacity of 8,380 pounds and a maximum payload capacity of 1,520 pounds. According to Ram, the RHO will sprint from a stop to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds, covering the quarter mile in 13.1 seconds.
The Ford F150 Raptor, powered by a twin turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, offers 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, with a towing capacity of 8,200 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,410 pounds. Ford does not state official acceleration times for the Raptor, but in looking at third party testing, it looks like a 0-60 time in the low-to-mid-5-second range and a quarter mile time in the low-14-second is common.
So the Ram 1500 RHO has more horsepower, more torque, more towing and payload capacity and is quicker from a stop, but its biggest advantage over the cross-town rival might be pricing. The F150 Raptor starts at $78,330 while the Ram 1500 RHO starts at just $69,995, but to get some of the key performance features of the RHO on the Raptor – such as high performance dual valve shocks – Ford buyers have to opt for the Raptor 802A Equipment Group, which adds $11,470 to the bottom line.
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO also has larger screens and more interior technology, but based on the hard numbers above – the new RHO beats the Ford F150 Raptor in all of the key metrics that matter to a high performance truck buyer. Anyone who is cross-shopping the new RHO and the Raptor will see that the Ram is the better choice in terms of power, capabilities and interior comforts.
What is the Ram 1500 RHO?
Many people have been calling the Ram 1500 RHO the replacement for the previous Ram 1500 TRX, which we all know was powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8. At the media introduction for the RHO earlier this month, Ram Global Operations Officer Bob Broderdorf was clear that the RHO is not a replacement for the TRX, and that it is just the latest in the modern Ram 1500 “sport” lineup. When the new Ram was introduced last year, the half-ton sport lineup consisted of the Warlock and the Rebel, but now the RHO joins that sub-segment of the brand as the highest performance truck available for now. Comments made by Broderdorf at the media event suggested that there may be a higher performance Ram that will wear the TRX name in the future, but for now, the RHO is the leader of the brand’s sport truck lineup.
That being said, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO is remarkably similar to the previous Ram 1500 TRX. It has a similar widebody design – from the grille and hood to the flared fender and bedsides – so it looks a great deal like the TRX on the outside, but with different badging. The Ram 1500 RHO comes with similar Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive performance shocks and a similar Ram Active Terrain Dynamics suspension management system, but the suspension system has been retuned for the lighter engine. The RHO also features a similar Dana 60 rear axle, similar 35-inch all-terrain tires and similar (optional) beadlock wheels, so all-in-all, the new Ram 1500 RHO offers many of the same off-road attributes as the TRX, just with less power and weight.
“The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO is the latest result of a relentless pursuit to engineer, design and deliver a truck that charges into the segment head down and horn up,” said Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO – Stellantis. “All that we’ve learned from developing every truck in Ram’s legendary lineup has led us to the most capable light-duty pick-up truck offering the best value with more horsepower per dollar than any other off-road truck.”
In addition to the high performance Bilstein shocks, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO showcases a unique long-travel suspension featuring high-strength forged aluminum front upper and lower control arms, allowing this truck a ton of wheel travel when it is rocketing through a section of uneven footing.
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO offers the following off-road specifications:
Approach Angle – 31 degrees
Departure Angle – 25.2 degrees
Breakover Angle – 21.8 degrees
Ground Clearance – 11.8 inches
The 2024 Ford F150 Raptor offers these specs:
Approach Angle – 31 degrees
Departure Angle – 23.9 degrees
Breakover Angle – 22.7 degrees
Ground Clearance – 12 inches
So the two off-road performance competitors each have their own advantages in terms of off-road capabilities in tight spots. The RHO can come down off of a steeper hill without the rear bumper scraping and the Raptor can crest a slightly pointier peak, but approach angle and ground clearance will be functionally the same out on the trails.
For comparison, these are the same measurements for the TRX:
Approach Angle – 30.2 degrees
Departure Angle – 23.5 degrees
Breakover Angle – 21.9 degrees
Ground Clearance – 11.8 inches
Based on these measurements, the Ram RHO will have an advantage in tighter off-road situations over the TRX, albeit a small one. When coupled with the reduced weight over the front end and the greater front-rear weight balance, the RHO should outshine the TRX in technical off-roading situations where the power of the supercharged V8 doesn’t really come into play. The RHO will also offer better fuel economy than the TRX, but realistically, almost no one with a TRX cares about that, so it is barely worth mentioning. Finally, the RHO has an advantage in max towing (8,350 to 8,100) and max payload (1,520 to 1,357) over the TRX, so this new truck will actually do a little more work, too.
RHO-Diculously Plush Interior
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO will be the most capable off-road truck in the brand’s sport lineup while also being the most capable compared to the best from Ford, Chevy and Toyota, but the latest premium Ram sport truck will also offer the most interior technology in the competitive set.
Offered strictly in the Crew Cab configuration with a 5’7” bed, standard interior features of the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO begin with the 12-way power adjustable, front bucket seats, wrapped in Natura Plus leather and suede, with a rear bench seat that showcases the same materials. A 12-inch infotainment screen running the latest version of UConnect 5 and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster are all standard, but for those buyers who opt for the RHO Level 1 Equipment Group get a 14.5-inch infotainment screen, as well as a 10.25-inch passenger screen, heated and cooled front and rear seats, a 10-inch full color Head Up display, a digital rearview mirror, a 360-degree camera system, carbon fiber trim, a dual wireless charging pad and a long list of safety systems – in addition to a ton of other upgrades around the vehicle.
Really, I imagine that many RHO buyers will opt for the Level 1 Equipment Group so that they can get the full luxury feel from their new off-road truck. A “premium 10-speaker system” is standard, but the optional “Premium Plus” 19-speaker Harman Kardon system should be another popular upgrade for many buyers.
One of the most intriguing new features of the RHO is the Hands-Free Driving Assist system, which is the name of Ram’s Level 2 autonomous driving system, so the new performance truck will drive itself in certain situations.
We don’t have all of the option pricing for the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO, but we know that it starts at just $69,995, which does not include the $1,995 destination fee. For comparison, the 2024 Ram 1500 TRX starts at $96,340 (plus destination), so while the RHO packs less power, it also costs about $26,000 less. Dealerships can place orders for the new RHO starting today and the company plans to begin delivering the new sport truck in the third quarter of 2024.
