The Ram 1500 truck lineup is going through a huge generational change. It’s not just about the refreshed 2025 Ram 1500 trucks, it’s also a shift from a traditional 5.7L V8 to a new and high-tech 3.0L twin-turbo I6. The HEMI V8 has ruled the Ram truck powertrain lineup for close to 22 years. Now that the new 3.0L Hurricane straight-six is here, how does it perform in the real world? Can it match or beat traditional V8-powered trucks on our ‘Denver 100’ mpg loop? Let’s dig in!
Did you know that the 5.7L HEMI V8 was first introduced in the 2003 Ram 1500 trucks? “That thing got a HEMI?” ad campaign was one the most memorable. The powerful HEMI has served the Ram 1500 and HD trucks well, but it’s time to switch to the new turbocharged technology. Ford showed that pickup truck customers are willing to accept high-torque small displacement turbocharged engines with the introduction of the 2011 F-150 and its 3.5L Ecoboost V6 engine.
We plan to test the new 3.0L Hurricane I6 in a variety of different ways. Straight-six gasoline engines used to rule the truck landscape in the 1950s-1970s. Turbocharged straight-six gas engines in high performance cars and SUVs gained tremendous praise in recent years. The prospect of this 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine is exciting.
Our first controlled efficiency test has us compare a refreshed 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor V8, a new GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X V8, and a 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel. They are all factory-spec off-road trucks that cost around $80,000 each. They all have 33-inch aggressive all-terrain tires and lifted suspensions. We run then on our 112 mile highway ring road around Denver Colorado on the same day and at the same time.
Here are the truck specs.
| Ram 1500 Rebel | Ford F-150 Tremor | GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X | |
| Engine | 3.0L TT I6 | 5.0L V8 | 6.2L V8 |
| Power | 420 hp @ 5,200 rpm | 400 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm |
| Torque | 469 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm | 410 lb-ft @ 4,250 rpm | 460 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed | 10-speed | 10-speed |
| Eco Mode? | no | yes | no |
| Rear Axle | 3.92-to-1 | 3.73-to-1 | 3.42-to-1 |
| Fuel Tank | 26 or 33 gal. | 36 gal. | 24 gal. |
We did not include an F-150 3.5L Ecoboost V6 in this test, but we will in the near future. Just for reference, Ford’s 3.5L TT V6 is rated at 400 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque @ 3,100 rpm.
We used premium 91-octane in each truck for this test because Ram and GM perform at their best with premium fuels. We could have used 87-octane “regular” fuel in the Ram and the Ford if we wanted to save some money at the pump.
Spoiler Alert:
The results were surprising!
1st) Ford F-150 Tremor V8: 19.1 MPG
2nd) GMC Sierra AT4X V8: 18.3 MPG
3rd) Ram 1500 Rebel I6: 17.2 MPG
We also did 0-60 MPH acceleration testing with these trucks (with and without a trailer). The new 3.0L Hurricane I6 is very quick!
