There's considerable novelty in a pickup truck of the Ram 1500's size in a New Zealand context; but for all that, these machines really are here to do the big jobs: they tow up to 4.5 tonnes and are loaded with super-practical features.
Click here to read our full review of the Ram 1500 Limited Hurricane HO
Of the current 1500 lineup, the new Rebel is probably the first one you'd say is primarily a plaything. From its Ford Ranger Raptor-esque decals to its lifted suspension and chunky all-terrain tyres, it screams wild weekends off-tarmac. As well as showing off around town, which is still a key thing for cool utes, right?
We tackled the rough-stuff on the Rebel's Australia media launch back in September. The ideal time to go silly off-road with somebody else's very expensive 4x4 is when that-somebody-else is there encouraging you to do it.
Our review time here in NZ has been more of an opportunity to try the Rebel in the real world. The chance to look down upon a Raptor at the traffic lights should never be missed.
Of the current Ram 1500 lineup, the new Rebel is probably the first one you'd say is primarily a plaything.
While we're on the subject of Raptors, don't let the bright colours and big stickers fool you into thinking the Rebel is a new 1500 flagship model. It's actually now the cheapest Ram you can buy, albeit still just shy of $160k.
It's easy to see how you might be tempted to buy the Rebel as a "lifestyle" kinda thing, because it looks like fun and makes such a big impression compared to puny one-tonne utes.
The Rebel's Bilstein off-road shocks and floaty 18-inch A/T rubber not only lift its game in the rough, they also make it a more pleasureable machine on the tarmac.
But the sheer size of this thing means you'll probably still be considering it because you want/need the massive tray (more about that in a minute), plan to tow more than 3.5 tonnes or... live in the country. At nearly 6m long and 2.5m wide (including mirrors), it's still a heck of a thing to try and park in town. Even with the mirrors folded, it's still over 2m wide.
Taking all of the above on board, the good news is that the Rebel's Bilstein "off-road performance-tuned shocks" and floaty 18-inch A/T rubber not only lift its game in the rough, they also make it a more pleasureable machine on the tarmac. A pickup of this size is never designed to be to the sharpest tool in tricky corners, so the more compliance and chassis-telegraphing that goes on, the better. This is the best-riding Ram and a softy-softly approach to corners suits it nicely, even if it does miss out on the air suspension of the top Limited version.
Even in humble Standard Output (SO) spec, this 6-cylinder powerplant eats the old V8 for breakfast.
The Rebel also has the lower-powered version of the new Hurricane twin-turbo straight 6 engine (313kW/635Nm versus 403kW/707Nm in the Ram Limited), but you wouldn't accuse it of being slow. This powerplant eats the old V8 for breakfast; even in humble Standard Output (SO) spec it boasts 7.6% more power and 14.2% more torque than the previous Hemi 5.7-litre V8.
It's strong down low but still-lively up top. Put it this way: with the drivetrain in 2WD mode, it'll light up the rear tyres easily from a standstill, thanks partly to the grunty engine and partly to those chunky tyres. There's a 4WD Auto setting that makes much more sense for everyday driving; we're assuming 2WD is there just for skids, be they on-road or off.
It's a ludicrously spacious machine this, although all that red in the cabin does make things close in a bit. It's not what you'd call classy, but you might call it fun. You don't lose a lot of equipment compared to the Laramie Sport (the "other" 1500 with the SO engine), save a slightly less fancy centre console arrangement and less versatile rear seat. But treats like the 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio and dual wireless "holster" type phone charger are still standard.
What both the Rebel and Laramie Sport are missing is a 360-degree camera, which we'd argue is pretty near essential on a vehicle this size; they get get the ParkView backing display. At least the Laramie Sport gets parking radar front and rear; the Rebel gets neither, which can be a challenge in tight maneouvres.
The Rebel also comes shorn of the other models' side steps, which Ram reasons is for superior off-road performance, or giving owners the option to fit rock-sliders. Fair call, but they are noticeable by their absence when you're clambering up, especially with the 35mm increase in ride height (the Rebel cracks 2m, so watch your garage roof).
This is also the only Ram 1500 sans the Rambox storage system, which is cleared out to give more space for lifestyley stuff like motorcycles (that's what Ram says) and to reduce cost (that's what we say). But it's an undeniably capacious tray, 1700mm long and 1295mm between the arches (an extra 25mm over the Rambox versions).
We do like the power tailgate (both up and down), although a switch in the tray to activate it would be handy; when it's lowered, you have to reach down underneath to find the release on the outside of the door.
This is a somewhat different take on the 1500, but the Rebel is still uniquely Ram. Case in point: you can only have in red, white or blue.