The Ram Rampage debuted earlier this month, but now we have more details.
Thanks to the Ford Maverick, the small truck segment has actually proven tremendously popular here in the U.S., to the point where we continue to wonder when (or if) General Motors or Stellantis will get in on the action. The latter even has a pickup ready to go with the Ram Rampage…but there’s a catch. The automaker has not committed to bringing it here…but should they?
Well, as of Wednesday we have more information to go on. Not only do we get fresh photos so we can see the truck from pretty much every angle, but we also have the trim walk and technical specs. The styling cues draw a direct line to the larger, body-on-frame Ram 1500, right down to the headlines and the prominent “RAM” grille. Unlike the ubiquitous body-on-frame trucks covering American roads, the Rampage leans more toward the Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz in that there’s no line between the cab and the bed.
The new Ram Rampage measures out to 198 inches in length, 70 inches in height and is 72 inches wide. Those dimensions put it right in the same ballpark as the Maverick (Ford’s mini-truck is 200 inches long, but only 68 inches tall).
Trim walk and powertrains
Before getting inside the Ram Rampage, you’re probably curious what’s going on underneath. As far as we’re aware — Stellantis did not include this in the official specs — the Rampage rides on Stellantis’ “Small Wide 4×4 LWB” platform, similar to the Jeep Compass, Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale.
Two engines are available under the hood. Brazilian customers get the default option of a 2.0-liter turbodiesel, putting out 168 horsespower and 279 lb-ft of torque. That’s the more efficient option managing around 25-26 mpg combined, but the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time is a leisurely 10.9 seconds. For more oomph, there’s also the 2.0-liter turbocharged gasser (called the Global Medium Engine or the “Hurricane” four-cylinder), which ups the output to 268 horsepower and 294 lb-ft of torque. The gas engine also shaves the 0-62 time by four full seconds, though fuel economy drops to about 21 mpg.
The 2023 Ram Rampage launches in Brazil with a trim walk that’s all too familiar to Ram 1500 and heavy-duty buyers. The trim walk actually starts off with the Rebel, then above that is the Laramie and the R/T at the top end.
As far as capability, the automaker says the diesel Rampage has a payload capacity of 2,237 pounds (1,015 kg). The gas models come in substantially lower, 1,653 pounds (750 kg). Ram did not mention towing capacity, though it may come in at a similar 2,000-pound rating to its crossover platform mates, or perhaps a bit higher to compete with the Maverick. All Rampages come standard with all-wheel drive and a 9-speed automatic transmission.
2023 Ram Rampage interior features
As you’d expect, the 2023 Ram Rampage brings a smaller interior to what you’d find in the 1500, though most of the familiar controls are there. You get a rotary dial for the transmission on the center console, as well as buttons for the hill descent control, brake hold, traction control and low-range. It doesn’t appear that the Rampage gets any sort of differential lock buttons (even to split torque front-to-rear), though the Rebel does get a Sport mode and the R/T gets its own special mode switch below the climate controls.
The new Rampage is expectedly crossover-like in its layout, though you do get a fair amount of standard equipment. A 12.3-inch Uconnect infotainment system comes standard across the range, while there are also leather-appointed seats on the upper trims. LED ambient lighting is also part of the Laramie and R/T, as is a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Six USB ports are available throughout the cabin (3 USB-A and 3 USB-C), as well as wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All Rampage models also get a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster as standard equipment.
(Brazilian) pricing
When it launches in Brazil in the coming months, the 2023 Ram Rampage Rebel will kick off the range with a starting price around 239,990 reais (or about $50,000, at current exchange rates). The Laramie comes in around 249,990 reais (or $52,000), and the top-spec R/T costs 269,990 reais ($56,000).
Before you do a spit take at that price, it’s almost certain Ram would bring it in at a lower price if they bring it to North America at all. Right now, both the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz start at roughly half the Ram Rampage’s price in Brazil. For some more perspective, the Maverick actually starts at 244,890 reais in Brazil (or about $51,350) in Brazil, so Ram is pricing this truck competitively in that market. We would expect them to do the same here.
There’s no confirmed reports the truck is coming to America at all, let alone in the near future. However, recent rumblings suggest Ram may indeed build a North American model in Mexico. If that is the case, the company would most likely assemble the Rampage at the Toluca plant outside Mexico City, where it currently builds the Jeep Compass.
While it may be reasonable to get your hopes up for the Ram Rampage to make it here either this year or next, don’t expect it to go on sale in the U.S. with that turbodiesel powertrain. The 2.0-liter Hurricane-4 will almost certainly be the sole powertrain option, though Ram may tweak it to outperform its rivals.
As always, time will tell. We’ll publish more updates when we have more information, but let us know what you think of the new Rampage in the meantime.
