Taking a Closer Look at the 2023 Ram HD Rebel: Does It Have Too Many Cameras for Its Own Good?

The 2023 Ram HD Rebel brings a few noteworthy upgrades to the party

Andre loves the mirrors and cameras on this 2023 Ram HD Rebel – and it shows. (Image: TFLtruck)

The 2023 Ram HD Rebel isn’t a lesser Power Wagon.

There’s a lot of technology crammed into the 2023 Ram HD Rebel, and that includes a ton of cameras. Andre was invited by the folks at Ram to get a hands-on look at this new heavy duty off-road trim. While we checked out the truck at the Texas State Fair, Andre’s able to take an even deeper vide here.

At first glance, this version looks a lot like the 1500 Rebel in terms of looks and some of the trim. Similarly, the HD shares a lot of interior elements with the 1500, making the cab a nice place to be. It is set up for off-road play, but there’s an interesting mix of substance and style. That substance comes from an optional 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel that makes 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque. Of course, you can still get the 6.4-liter gasoline Hemi V8, which puts out 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque.

2023 Ram HD Rebel
2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel

The big Ram HD Rebel can haul and play

Comparisons to the Power Wagon are inevitable, but the HD Rebel is more of a work truck than the Power Wagon. For one thing, it tows and hauls a lot more. It pulls up to 16,870 pounds and it can haul up to 3,140 pounds, which is a hell of a lot more than the Power Wagon. In exchange for the serious pulling numbers, the big Rebel does not have the heavy-duty off-road capability of the Power Wagon. There is no provision for a winch on the diesel, no disconnect-able front sway-bar, and no front locker. Still, it has Bilstein shocks, rear locker, underside armor and aggressive rubber among other upgrades.

The Power Wagon can be had as low as $60,360 on certain Tradesman trims in a $7,995 package, while the 2023 Ram HD Rebel starts at $68,940 (including Ram’s $1,895 destination fee). The big difference here is the sheer amount of tech and upgrades you get with the Rebel.

2023 Ram 2500 HD Rebel

The 2023 Ram HD Rebel’s mirrors are a big deal

Mirrors, and now cameras, are remarkably important for those who tow and haul. The integration of both, along with a low-drag design remains a difficult proposition. Over the past few years, Ram’s fallen a bit behind.

The previous mirrors, which are still used on some Ram models, have been around for years. They manually flipped up and were, at the time, a novel approach for aerodynamic towing mirrors. Most competitors have surpassed Ram’s old design and offer more features. Ram took notice and has responded.

There’s also a variety of lights built into the mirror that work as markers, and illuminate the sides. Finally, each mirror can house cameras for both 360-degree overhead views, and side views.

This is just a taste of all the new tech integrated into the new HD Rebel. Check out the video for more! Andre also directly compared the HD Rebel to the Power Wagon, and that’s in the next video down.