If you're simply looking to get from point A to point B, there are plenty of new vehicles from which to choose. However, there are only a handful of options if you need to tow heavy equipment or haul a few thousand pounds of cargo. With significant updates in style, power, and capability since we drove the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel, the 2025 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty brings an impressive skill set to handle all your heavy-duty truck needs with comfort and ease.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Ram 2500 Heavy Duty (HD) comes into the 2025 model year with a range of changes and feature updates that include:
The 2025 Ram 2500 HD is available in dozens of configurations. There are three body styles (Regular Cab, Crew Cab, and Mega Cab), a choice between rear-wheel drive (2WD) and four-wheel drive (4WD), and seven trim levels: Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, Rebel, Power Wagon, Limited Longhorn, and Limited. Base prices range from $47,660 for the Tradesman Regular Cab 2WD to $92,595 for the Limited Mega Cab 4WD. Prices include the destination charge.
For this review of the 2025 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty, Ram brought me to Laughlin, Nevada, where I tested multiple configurations of the new truck. I spent most of my time in a Laramie Crew Cab 4WD with the following options:
The Laramie 1 Plus Equipment Group includes leather-trimmed seats, dual wireless charging pads, additional advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), LED bed lighting, and second-row in-floor storage bins.
The test vehicle’s manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was $82,150, including the $2,095 destination charge to ship the truck to your local dealership from the Saltillo, Mexico, assembly plant. Ram provided the vehicles for this Ram 2500 review and covered my airfare, lodging, and meals.
Photo: Perry Stern
For most heavy-duty truck buyers, capability is more important than style, but the two need not be mutually exclusive. The Ram 2500 enters the 2025 model year with a modern take on its hallmark bold styling, which has been in place since Ram dropped the Dodge moniker in 2010.
The big truck features new LED headlights, running lights, and an updated grille design that helps differentiate each trim level. There's also a new look in the back, featuring restyled LED taillights on upper-level trims, and the ram's head logo has been replaced by “RAM” in large font across the tailgate.
Climbing inside the Ram HD is easy enough with the optional running boards; otherwise, it's a literal climb to get in this heavy-duty truck. The available 12-inch vertical touchscreen display, which carries over from the previous model, features clearer graphics and quicker response thanks to an upgraded electrical architecture.
A new 14.5-inch display is also available, as is a 10.25-inch passenger screen that allows the front passenger to set the navigation, change the entertainment selections, or view exterior cameras. Enhancing the high-tech appearance is a new 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with multiple configurations and display options.
The gear selector is now on the steering column for all versions and powertrains, replacing the dial selector on the dashboard for better ease of use. The center console remains spacious, with plenty of storage, and the new dual-phone wireless charger, featuring ventilation to keep the phones cool, is a nice addition.
The Ram 2500 HD continues to offer comfortable accommodations for both front- and rear-seat passengers, featuring stylish, supportive seats and ample legroom and headroom. For those items that need to ride in the cabin, the rear seat bottom folds up, and a shelf unfolds to create an excellent interior cargo space.
Photo: Perry Stern
The heart of the Ram 2500 is its powertrain. For 2025, the three-quarter-ton pickup (the company also sells the one-ton Ram 3500 Heavy Duty) is available with the brand's most potent offering—the 6.7-liter Cummins H.O. turbodiesel. Refined for more efficient and quieter performance, as well as improved durability, the diesel engine produces 430 horsepower and a massive 1,075 pound-feet of torque.
Except for the Power Wagon, which comes exclusively with the 405-hp, 6.4-liter Hemi V8, every 2025 Ram 2500 HD trim is available with the H.O. diesel powertrain, now paired with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission that allows for lower cruise rpm and improved climbing performance. According to the automaker, with the diesel engine under the hood, the Ram 2500 can tow up to 20,000 pounds or haul 2,750 pounds of cargo.
Strong towing capability is essential to most Ram 2500 buyers. To that end, the company introduces a range of new tech features that enables customers to utilize the truck's towing capabilities while minimizing the stress often associated with this task. A new trailer-towing page displays pertinent information on the center display, including trailer tire pressure, trailer brake gain, transmission temperature, and miles on the specific trailer being towed.
The Ram 2500 features several cameras positioned around the vehicle, providing multiple views that are incredibly useful when maneuvering or parking a truck of this size, and they are even more helpful when a trailer is attached.
One of the most useful views when parking a trailer is the one that pulls a feed from cameras mounted on each rearview mirror, allowing the driver to see both sides of the trailer simultaneously. Going one step further, the available tow-mode rearview camera mirror can display those views merged with the available trailer-mounted camera, effectively making the trailer “disappear.”
While the added views certainly help when maneuvering with a long trailer hooked up, the Ram 2500 has a new trailer reverse steering control that makes backing up with a trailer much more effortless. With the truck in reverse, I activated the trailer steering feature from the touchscreen display. From that point, I could direct the trailer using the steering knob below the display.
Turn the knob to the left, and the steering wheel moved on its own to direct the trailer to the left. After some practice, I could make slight corrections and easily park the trailer without having to remember which way to turn the steering wheel. Whether you have extensive experience or are towing for the first time, this feature alleviates the stress from one of the most challenging aspects of towing. Its only drawback is that it won't work with a fifth wheel; for now, it only works with conventional trailers.
Photo: Perry Stern
I drove several variations of the 2025 Ram 2500 HD during my trip to Nevada, most powered by the revised 6.7-liter H.O. Cummins turbodiesel six-cylinder engine. With its 430 hp and 1,075 pound-feet of torque, it is one of the most powerful pickup truck engines available. But this power does not come cheap; opting for the diesel over the standard 405-hp Hemi V8 adds $12,595 to the bottom line.
Shortly after arriving in Las Vegas, I hopped into a 2025 Ram 2500 Laramie with the aforementioned diesel powertrain and began the 100-mile drive to Laughlin. With a tonneau cover over the truck bed, I had no idea that my Ram 2500 carried a load of 1,200 pounds of Cock-a-Doodle-Chew dog food.
Even with this hefty batch of canine treats in the truck bed, the ride was stable and smooth, with power to spare. I was surprised at the lack of noise from the diesel engine, even when accelerating onto the highway. And it does accelerate quickly. According to the automaker, the diesel-powered Ram 2500 will reach 60 mph in 6.9 seconds—more than a second quicker than the previous version.
Once at highway speed, I activated the adaptive cruise control, which worked well to maintain a steady speed and a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. While the updated 2025 Ram 1500 has a new hands-free driving system, it isn't currently available on the Ram Heavy Duty trucks. Cruising at 70 mph in the Ram, the cabin remained quiet and comfortable. When I reached Laughlin, the trip computer showed a respectable 18.3 mpg. Note: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not provide fuel-economy estimates for heavy-duty trucks.
Although the Ram 2500 excels at hauling heavy loads over long distances, the primary reason for purchasing one of these heavy-duty trucks is for towing. With a Ram 2500 Laramie hooked up to a trailer loaded with a backhoe and weighing around 13,000 pounds, I drove through Laughlin to Davis Dam. The route to Davis Dam is a steady climb up Arizona SR 68 and is an instrumental part of determining the maximum towing capacity for all trucks by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
The powerful Cummins diesel engine makes towing such a heavy load seem effortless. As I drove through traffic in Laughlin, the Ram 2500 was easy to manage, and I didn't hold anyone up when accelerating from a stop light. I also discovered an additional camera aid: the turn signal activates a camera view down the side of the vehicle or trailer to help avoid cutting a corner too tightly.
As I climbed up the Davis Dam Grade, pulling 13,000 pounds, it felt like I was barely tapping the Ram 2500's capabilities. Not only did the Ram have no problem maintaining 65 mph as it ascended toward Davis Dam—even accelerating around a slower vehicle—it also delivered the stability and confidence to make this a calm, stress-free experience. I could monitor the truck and trailer's vitals with the trailer-towing page on the display screen, and the multiple camera views helped me stay aware of surrounding traffic.
In addition to its hauling and towing capabilities, the new Ram 2500 is capable of adventuring off the beaten path, with two variants built explicitly for off-road duty: the Rebel and Power Wagon. Now available with the high-output diesel, the Ram 2500 Rebel boasts more than 12 inches of ground clearance, an electronic-locking rear differential, all-terrain tires, and standard 4WD. I ventured off-pavement with the Rebel, which easily tackled steep trails on loose dirt with the occasional large rock to climb over.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Ram 2500 Heavy Duty enters the 2025 model year with enhanced performance and capability, boasting a modern new look and upgraded technology features. Rivals such as the Ford F-250 Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, and GMC Sierra 2500HD are also quite capable. Still, with its comfortable, spacious cabin and excellent driving dynamics when hauling or towing, the Ram 2500 stands out as a fantastic option among heavy-duty trucks.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JDPower.com. Recently relocated to southeast Michigan, Perry remains passionate about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
The Ford Transit is the automaker’s full-size cargo and passenger van offering, designed to serve a wide range of commercial and lifestyle applications. With 37 available configurations, the platform ...See More
Read the Full Article
The Chevrolet Tahoe is a full-size, three-row SUV with a standard V8 engine and available diesel power. Built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup, the Tahoe benefits from its ...See More
Read the Full Article
It is the end of the line for the Ford Escape. After 25 years as a fixture of Ford’s lineup, 2026 will be the compact SUV’s last model year.
Read the Full Article
The Colorado is Chevrolet’s midsize pickup. It ranks among the segment’s most capable trucks for payload and towing, and can be configured for both work and off-road adventures. For 2026, the ...See More
Read the Full Article