2026 Ram 1500 Hemi V8 First Drive: Return of the Prodigal Son

Ann Arbor, MI – Eighteen months ago, we were in Austin, Texas for the launch of the 2025 Ram 1500. It was refreshed for the occasion with a few stylistic changes and a new electrical architecture. It also underwent a major change under the hood: the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine was gone, sent into retirement.

Stellantis was thus the first of the three American automakers to offer a full-size truck lineup without an 8-cylinder engine. It was a bold move, and it was spearheaded by the auto giant’s boss at the time. But the early departure of Carlos Tavares in December 2024 quickly led to a reversal of course at Ram. Work on bringing back the Hemi engine began that month.

Ram surely heard what their customers were telling them: 40 percent of current Ram 1500 Hemi owners made it very clear that they were not interested in buying another model without a V8.

2026 Ram 1500: What's new?

Right, the Hemi engine, which now comes standard with the sport exhaust that was previously an option. Because in this segment, sound matters to buyers.

A new version called Express has been added, slotting in above the entry-level Tradesman trim. It offers a more uniform style with body-coloured accents, particularly around the grille.

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