The Power Wagon gets a doze of new style for 2017. It’s still a tough off-road truck that’s based on the Ram HD 3/4-ton platform. The 2017 model gets a new grille which draws an obvious family resemblance to the Ram 1500 Rebel, but it’s not an identical design. There are power-coated bumpers, new wheel design, and a new graphics package with large “RAM” and “Power Wagon” on the tailgate. The interior get an update as well with new leather seats, new gauge cluster, and trim pieces.
What makes the Power Wagon off-road worthy? The truck rides on solid front and rear axles with 4.10 gears and lockers. It has 14 inches of ground clearance, and the disconnectable front sway bar allows for greater wheel articulation. Naturally, it has a manually-selectable 4×4 transfer case with low range. It rides on 33-inch Goodyear Duratrac tires that offer very good comprise of off-road performance, highway ride, and weight-carrying capability. When all else fails, there is a specially-configured 12,000 lbs WARN winch up front that offers 90-feet of steel cable.
Are there any downsides to off-roading in the 2017 Power Wagon? It is still a very large and heavy crew cab truck with a tall hood. The Power Wagon will tackle difficult off-road trails that you may think it couldn’t. This is precisely what it did during this off-road adventure drive in the red rocks near Las Vegas, NV. This giant truck that weighs over 7,000 lbs tackled lose sand of the dunes and jagged rocks in the canyons. Yes, the trails were chosen by Ram, but deep sand and large boulder proved to be a real challenge for the Power Wagon. In the end, every Power Wagon made it back to Vegas in one piece.
Drivetrain carries over from the preview Power Wagon. The only option is the 6.4L HEMI V8 with 410 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque and a 6-speed automatic transmission (66RFE).
We will be publishing a full first-drive video review of the 2017 Ram Power Wagon soon. In the meantime, here is a Ram Power Wagon vs. Ram Rebel off-road adventure.
