The 2026 Ram 1500 Limited welcomes back the popular 5.7-liter HEMI V8 and combines old-fashioned American power with a cabin that is among the most luxurious in the full-size truck segment.
After spending the weekend in Japan, a rich but confusing and confusing experience, I needed some Americana back into my life after landing home in Miami. And – oh man! – has Ram delivered with its legendary HEMI V8 powertrain in its most loaded premium trucks?
My tester this week was the 2026 Ram 1500 Limited HEMI, a full-size truck finished in Granite Crystal Metallic and, I’m assured, the “classiest” vehicle Ram produces in this 1500 series. Now a little background: Ram has moved to turbocharged inline six-cylinder engines in 2025, and its customers… well, they’re all over it hated it.
“Everyone makes mistakes, but how you deal with them defines you,” said CEO Tim Kuniskis. “Ram made mistakes when we dropped the HEMI – it’s ours and we fixed it.”
Powertrain: Why the HEMI still matters
Not that the Hurricane Straight Six Turbo is a bad engine – it’s more efficient and far more powerful than the HEMI, thanks to its fast-spinning turbos. And you can still get that powertrain. But you won’t, because if you like driving Ram trucks, you’ll love the HEMI more. Because the HEMI sounds badass, especially when it echoes through the GT exhaust.
And it seems it’s not alone in reverse ferrets, as Ford has pivoted its electric truck program and recently stopped production of the F-150 Lightning. Ford’s move is the industry’s biggest about-face on electric vehicles since President Donald Trump’s auto policy changes that eliminated tax credits for all-electric vehicles, curbing already cooling demand for electric vehicles. Ram was also quick to jump on the “America First” bandwagon with patriotic television ads titled “Ram-Demption” featuring Kuniskis.
The 5.7-liter HEMI V8 produces 385 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. Torque in a smooth, broad power band, enhanced by fuel-saving technologies like variable camshaft timing and cylinder deactivation. Each HEMI-powered truck features a new “Symbol of Protest” emblem on the fender designed by the Ram design team, although this is offset somewhat by a “1500 eTorque” emblem on the hood – I personally would have preferred a mention of HEMI here too.
This eTorque system is a hybrid that supports the V8 engine. The system replaces the traditional engine-mounted generator with a belt-driven motor-generator unit. The MGU works with a 48-volt battery pack to provide quick and seamless engine start/stop, torque delivery to the engine crankshaft in certain driving situations and brake energy regeneration, improving response and efficiency.
The system allows up to 130 lb.-ft. Torque that must be available upon initial accelerator pedal application. And this truck certainly isn’t lacking in torque!
Driving impressions: HEMI V8 Muscle meets Miami
Driving such a huge truck through Miami’s streets should have felt awkward, especially with the HEMI grunt under the right foot, but with air suspension all around (plus 5-link coils at the rear), the Ram 1500 Limited offered a robust and responsive everyday driving experience.
The nearly 400 horsepower on demand was easily enough to light up the rear wheels when held away from stoplights, even outside of Sport mode (which lowers the ride height and engages all-wheel drive), and the Ram 1500 Limited HEMI really delivers the throaty exhaust note and traditional muscle truck feel that many buyers have been asking for. I briefly drove on some dirt in off-road mode, which raises the ride height even further, and it felt surprisingly nimble on gravel, too.
At least by truck standards, the Ram 1500 Limited looks great — especially from the front with the huge RAM grille — and my $88,480 tester drew some admiring glances, even among the supercar influencers who were out creating content on the gentrified streets of Key Biscayne, with the Miami skyline as a backdrop.
Interior design and technology: A luxury benchmark in trucking
But it’s inside that this truck really impresses: tons of leather with intricate stitching and even real wood panel accents on the doors. It also features a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a 14.5-inch portrait central touchscreen (with 360-degree camera system), and the driver gets a 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument cluster and head-up display.
The front passenger gets a 10.25-inch landscape interactive touchscreen separate from the driver’s main infotainment display, which works independently of the driver’s Uconnect system and has HDMI input and device mirroring functionality. The front seats are heated, ventilated and – particularly important on long journeys – equipped with a massage function.
There’s a two-panel panoramic sunroof and storage options are everywhere – pro tip: fold down the middle rear seat and you’ve got a truly luxurious four-seat cabin with armrests and power outlets for everyone. Another nice feature is the “Ram Box” positioned above the rear wheels on the passenger side, a waterproof lockable compartment that essentially functions like a car trunk, allowing you to keep your smaller travel luggage out of your payload.
Verdict: Who the Ram 1500 Limited is suitable for
In the 2026 full-size truck landscape, the HEMI-equipped Ram 1500 Limited is a luxury beacon that focuses on emotion and refinement rather than pure performance. It may not have the greatest towing capacity or the greatest payload capacity, but it is the most comfortable and luxurious pickup in its class that wouldn’t look out of place as a practical piece in the background of a car collection.
With a base price that starts at $75,405, it certainly feels more premium than comparable versions of the Ford F-150 Platinum, GMC Sierra 1500 Denali, or Chevy Silverado High Country, which typically focus more on craftsmanship than luxury, with harsher ride characteristics but better towing and payload ratings.
My advice is to purchase these optional extras. And when you start it up, the all-American V8 HEMI growl is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Images: Charles Bradley
