Cargazing
By Derek Price
Just sitting in a parking lot, there’s an easy way to get a taste of what the Ram 1500 Rebel can do. Two buttons on the center console let you raise and lower its ride height on command.
Push it all the way down, and you’re all set to easily load cargo into the back of the bed or visit a drive-through window without craning your neck. Raise it all the way up, and you feel like King of the Forest, ready to tromp through the wilderness with nary a care.
The Rebel’s height-adjustable air suspension is just one feature that shows it’s more than a gaudy sticker package for the Ram 1500, but you’ve got to take it off-roading to get the full picture. This truck really starts to come alive when you leave the pavement.
The Ram 1500 Rebel shows its aggressive side with a blacked-out grille with silver “RAM.”
The Rebel comes standard with grippy, 33-inch Toyo tires that expertly claw their way through mud and rocks. A tough skidplate protects the underside from boulders, and tow hooks are ready and waiting for when you — or more likely, your friends — get stuck and need some help in a pinch.
As capable as it is, though, the Rebel is equally adept at looking the part.
It’s not a truck for introverts, seeing how it’s got a blacked-out grille with silver billet “RAM” lettering. In a world where all full-size trucks are styled to look like they want to eat you, the Rebel is among the most ravenous. It’s going to snarf you down and enjoy every last crumb.
Inside, red and black seats are finished off with the same aggressive tread pattern seen in its Toyo tires. The seats are designed to be tough and durable, not just pretty, although the Radar Red trim sprinkled throughout the cabin gives it the air of a show truck in places. It’s a look that’s both flashy and legit, a challenging mix to get right.
Of course, you can’t mention off-road trucks without discussing the angry elephant in the room, the Ford F-150 Raptor. I’ve ridden in, but not driven, the new-for-2017 Raptor, and even as a passenger I can tell you it’s an absolute beast for high-speed blasts though cow pastures. Where the Rebel impresses, the Raptor blows your mind.
Why would anyone choose the Rebel over the wild competition at Ford? I can think of three reasons: the look, the price and the gas mileage.
The Rebel has such unique styling that, at least for the people who want this kind of outgoing, attention-getting scheme, there’s no comparison. It looks like nothing else.
Eye-catching Radar Red trim gives the Rebel a show-truck look inside, with cloth and vinyl seats designed to be as durable as they are stylish.
Then there’s the price. While the Rebel is available starting at $43,270, the Raptor will cost you at least $5,000 more. In real-world transaction prices, with through-the-roof demand built up for the new Ford, that gap is likely even wider. Yes, you do get more off-road capability in the Ford, but I think it’s overkill for buyers who don’t plan to race in Baja or cross the Rubicon.
And then the Raptor will keep costing you more every time you fill it up, with an EPA highway rating of 18 mpg, compared with the 21 mpg rating in my 2016 Rebel 4×4 tester. Interestingly, both trucks get the same unappealing city rating of 15 mpg, which is no surprise since they’re both designed for the exact opposite of city driving.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2016 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4×4 ($45,200). Options: Luxury group ($695), protection group ($195), remote start ($395), rear camera and park assist ($595), eight-speed automatic transmission ($500), anti-spin differential ($395), HEMI V8 engine ($1,150), rear window defroster ($195), automatic temperature control ($100), 7-inch instrument cluster ($195), 32-gallon fuel tank ($145), Connect 8.4 ($505), Alpine speakers ($345), Ram Box ($1,295), spray-in bedliner ($495). Price as tested (including $1,195 destination charge): $53,895
Wheelbase: 140.5 in.
Length: 229 in.
Width: 79.4 in.
Height: 77.5 in.
Engine: 5.7-liter HEMI V8 (395 hp, 410 ft. lbs.)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel Economy: 15 city, 21 highway
RATINGS
Style: 8
Performance: 9
Price: 7
Handling: 6
Ride: 6
Comfort: 6
Quality: 7
Overall: 8
Video Review:
2016 Ram 1500 Rebel
bit.ly/16rebel
Why buy it?
It’s a highly capable off-road truck with attention-grabbing style. Its air suspension lets you adjust the truck’s height at the press of a button.