After about a year and 16,000 miles behind the wheel of my 2025 Ram 1500 RHO, it was time for the truck to head down the road and make room for something new. That’s part of running an automotive review business. But before I traded it in, I spent some time thinking about what stood out after living with it every day.
The RHO isn’t just another full-size pickup. It’s Ram’s high-performance off-road truck powered by the 540-horsepower High Output Hurricane inline-six, riding on 35-inch tires with Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shocks. On paper it sounds like it should feel big, ride rough and exhausting to drive.
The reality was much different.
What I Loved
The ride quality exceeded every expectation
This was easily the biggest surprise.
With 35-inch tires and long-travel suspension, I expected compromises on the highway. Instead, the RHO became one of the smoothest trucks I’ve owned. Whether I was driving interstate miles, rough county roads or dirt trails, the suspension soaked up imperfections better than nearly every full-size trucks I’ve tested.
My family noticed it too. Long road trips were comfortable, the rear seats recline, there’s plenty of legroom, and nobody complained about spending hours in the truck.
For an off-road truck, that’s saying something.
The Hurricane High Output engine is incredible
Ram absolutely nailed this powertrain.
The 3.0-liter High Output Hurricane inline-six delivers 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque, and it feels every bit as strong as those numbers suggest. Acceleration is effortless, passing slower traffic takes almost no planning, and the inline-six layout makes the engine remarkably smooth.
There’s almost no vibration, just effortless power whenever you ask for it.
The only catch is fuel. The truck really prefers premium gasoline, and you can absolutely tell the difference in performance. The downside is obvious. Filling the tank regularly means looking at a gas receipt that’s often around $100.
If you’re shopping for an RHO, that’s simply part of the ownership experience.
The interior is one of the best in the segment
Ram continues to build some of the nicest truck interiors available.
The Harman Kardon audio system sounds excellent, the leather held up extremely well after a year of constant use, and the seats remained comfortable on every road trip.
My favorite feature was easily the massaging seats.
I’ve dealt with back issues over the years, and having heated massage seats after a long day behind the wheel made a noticeable difference. After driving home through a snowstorm from Texas when I first bought the truck, I became a believer.
It’s one of those luxury features you don’t think you’ll use until you have it.
The accessories made ownership even better
Over the year I added several accessories that genuinely improved the truck.
The XPEL paint protection film and ceramic coating kept the white paint looking cleaner and made washing the truck much easier.
Mopar’s off-road running boards worked especially well during winter because snow and mud fell through the openings instead of getting tracked into the cab.
I also installed the Mopar Direct Connection exhaust. Besides sounding better than stock, I noticed something unexpected while towing my camper. The annoying exhaust drone nearly disappeared, making long towing trips much more enjoyable.
In the bed, I tried a BedRug instead of a spray-in liner for the first time. Since I primarily haul luggage, camping gear and camera equipment instead of gravel or construction materials, it turned out to be a great decision. It’s easier on your knees, removable if necessary, and fit my lifestyle perfectly.
Adding a retractable tonneau cover finished everything off by keeping gear secure and protected from weather.
What I Didn’t Love
The passenger screen wasn’t as useful as I expected
The optional passenger display sounded like one of the coolest features on the truck.
In reality, I rarely used it.
Its best feature was allowing a passenger to enter navigation destinations and send them to the main display without interrupting the driver. That worked well on family road trips.
Beyond that, though, most of the entertainment features felt limited. We experimented with streaming content and connecting devices, but it never became something my family regularly used.
Considering how often I simply plugged in Apple CarPlay and used Google Maps or Waze, the extra screen ended up being more of a novelty than a necessity.
Premium fuel isn’t optional and that’s a big deal.
I touched on this earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again.
If you’re buying an RHO, budget for premium fuel.
Yes, you can run lower octane if necessary, but the engine clearly performs best on premium, and that’s how I preferred to drive it. The performance is worth it, but so is acknowledging the added operating cost.
Would I Buy One Again?
Absolutely.
The 2025 Ram 1500 RHO surprised me in all the right ways. It delivered sports-car acceleration, exceptional ride quality, one of the nicest interiors in the segment, and enough everyday practicality to serve as both a family vehicle and a weekend adventure truck.
Sure, the passenger screen could use more functionality and premium fuel isn’t cheap.
But every time I hit the accelerator or spent hours cruising comfortably down the highway, those complaints quickly faded into the background.
After a year and 16,000 miles, I’d happily own another one.
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