2026 Ram 2500 TradesmanAndi Hedrick - Car and DriverFrom the July/August 2026 issue of Car and Driver.Ram's high-riding, heavy-duty Power Wagon has an undeniable cool factor that's eclipsed only by its off-road capability. It's also undeniably expensive, with a starting price a hair north of $76,000, and that's before you add modern trimmings by way of pricey options packages. But if all you're after is the off-road hardware, there's a lesser-known configuration that can deliver the goods while making the trip to the finance department less painful.To paraphrase Drake, getting here requires starting from the bottom. In this case, that means selecting the bargain-basement Tradesman trim, the most basic model in the Ram 2500 lineup. You'll need a specific configuration—namely, a crew cab with the short bed and four-wheel drive—but the $56,300 base price is far easier on the wallet.Andi Hedrick - Car and DriverA 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 with 405 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque is standard, so no upgrades required there. Check the box for the $7995 Power Wagon package, an option that provides all the meat and potatoes with none of the sauce. You get all the Power Wagon hardware to deliver the model's additional off-road capability. That includes front and rear electronically locking differentials, a 4.10:1 axle ratio, the high-articulation front suspension, four corners' worth of upgraded dampers, an electronically disconnecting front anti-roll bar, skid plates for the transfer case and fuel tank, and the all-important Warn winch. The exterior picks up a few adornments, including fender flares, powder-coated bumpers, and black 17-inch wheels wrapped in 285/70R-17 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tires.Andi Hedrick - Car and DriverThe math is certainly appealing, but Ram pulls a sneaky move here. Adding the Power Wagon package also mandates the $2295 Tradesman Level 1 Equipment Group package, which means the eight-grand spend is more like 10 and change. There are some worthwhile upgrades in this package, and they make what is essentially a work truck more comfortable, with dual-zone climate control, acoustic glass, and carpet in place of the stock Tradesman's vinyl floor covering. You also get a power-sliding back window, parking sensors, and a 12.0-inch portrait-style infotainment screen. With a couple of other minor options, our test truck came in at $67,665, which is still $8480 below the cost of a genuine Power Wagon.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe option-package upgrades, however, won't bring you up to Power Wagon levels of equipment, and there's a prominent reminder of that parked front and center. Instead of digital gauges, the Tradesman's old-school cluster remains, replete with dials and needles and a tiny but archaic digital display tucked in the middle. (If you want your value-menu Power Wagon any more kitted out than this, prepare for disappointment. Check out "Off the Table," below, to see what remains off-limits.)Andi Hedrick - Car and DriverRam tells us the Tradesman with the Power Wagon package is often purchased by government agencies and commercial customers looking for more ability in the dirt while trying not to burn through every last dollar in their fleet budgets. After spending some time behind the wheel, we think this is one of those rare instances of sensible government spending.This truck's dampers and springs are a bit softer than the average Ram HD's, which means the on-road ride has above-average composure for something with an 8565-pound gross vehicle weight rating. Even empty, the Power Wagon feels loaded to the max when you step on the brake pedal, which is squishy on engagement and has such a long travel that you feel like your foot could end up in the engine bay. But panic stops are indeed tidy; this Ram halted from 70 mph in 216 feet, which is a 22-foot-shorter result than that of the last gas-fed Ford F-350 Tremor we tested.Andi Hedrick - Car and DriverFor something with the power of a mid-level sports sedan and the mass of a single-family home, the 7103-pound Tradesman still hustled through our test-track evaluations. We broke the 60-mph barrier in 6.9 seconds, and the 5-to-60 sprint took only 0.4 second more thanks to the responsive V-8. The quarter-mile disappeared in a quick-enough 15.4 seconds at 90 mph.AdvertisementAdvertisementOn our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test loop, we averaged 14 mpg. Considering that this Brobdingnagian ballista has a 31-gallon fuel tank, that means it should need to hit the pump only every 430 miles or so.Less time at the gas station means more time in the dirt. Once you venture off the beaten path, which is where this truck should be the majority of the time, the Bilstein dampers keep the ride smooth and civilized. Traversing the trickier trails in Moab is probably not an ideal use case, since this Ram's physical dimensions could feasibly be measured in furlongs, but you'll have no issue pounding rocky dirt roads into submission, tearing through some muddy ruts, or washing the truck's lower half by wading in up to 30 inches of water. If you do bite off more than you can chew (which is possible, given the unshakable confidence this truck instills in its pilot), the 12,000-pound winch on the front bumper is there to pull you out of trouble.One of the real Power Wagon's biggest detriments is its reduced towing capability; such is the trade-off for that extra off-road proficiency. Whereas the standard Tradesman Crew Cab four-by-four with the six-foot-four bed and 4.10:1 axles can tow just north of 17,000 pounds, the low-budget Power Wagon drops that figure to 10,530 pounds—still a boatload, maybe just not a yachtload. The payload rating takes a hit too, dropping from up to 3320 pounds to 1570.Life is full of give and take, but the Ram Tradesman's Power Wagon package really hits a sweet spot, especially for the fleet buyers or budget-conscious overlanders scooping up these trucks. The vehicle offers a better on-road ride and a higher off-road aptitude than a standard Ram 2500, yet it costs a lot less than the real-deal Power Wagon, which comes with amenities some buyers don't want or need. At the minimum, the savings can cover the cost of a few fill-ups.Andi Hedrick - Car and DriverOff the TableThe Tradesman with the Power Wagon package adds a few niceties, but it's still more of a stripped-down model than the regular Power Wagon. In the pursuit of saving a few thousand bucks, here are some notable options and packages you can't have when you buy out of the bargain bin.AdvertisementAdvertisementTwo-tone paint ($0–$295, depending on primary color)RamBox fender storage ($1295)Power sunroof ($1195)Power Wagon Level 1 package ($4495): Alpine speakers, keyless entry, leather-trimmed front bucket seats, heated power-folding side mirrors, power-adjustable pedalsPower Wagon Level 2 package ($8545): Level 1 package content plus 14.4-inch touchscreen, 17 Harman/Kardon speakers, front passenger's touchscreen, leather-wrapped grab handles and shifter, Mopar spray-in bedliner, LED bed lighting➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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