Heavy-duty trucks have become daily drivers for many people, growing out of their humble work truck roots into comfortable, sometimes-luxurious vehicles with the latest tech and safety features. The Ram 2500 is no exception, and the automaker’s updates over the years have kept it competitive against a crop of surprisingly strong pickups.
2026 Ram 2500 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Ram 2500
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Ram 2500
Ram introduced two new trims for the 2026 model year. The Black Express package comes with a sport performance hood, black 20-inch wheels, parking sensors, cloth upholstery, and black side steps. The new Warlock model comes in crew cab/short bed format only, and offers black exterior trim, Warlock graphics, 20-inch diamond-cut wheels with all-terrain tires, Bilstein shocks, and more.
Design
The Ram HD trucks follow their light-duty 1500 counterparts’ styling, with a clean front-end design, a large grille, and prominent Ram badging. While they’re larger and more imposing than the more pedestrian 1500 models, Ram HD trucks retain the sporty, aggressive look of their smaller counterparts. Ram offers a range of wheel designs, and some variants are available with rock rails and other off-road goodies.
Powertrain
Ram offers two powertrain options for the 2026 2500 and 3500 HD trucks. The base engine is a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 405 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, while the available 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel makes 430 horsepower and a best-in-class 1,075 pound-feet of torque. Both engines come paired with a Torqueflite eight-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or four-wheel drive. Some configurations can tow more than 36,000 pounds, which is well beyond the legal limit for Class C driver’s licenses, but that capability is handy for the people who need it (and who have the proper license to do so).
Interior
Ram HD truck interiors range from super basic to luxurious. The base Tradesman trim comes standard with vinyl upholstery and flooring, but higher trims add cloth and genuine leather. Heated and ventilated front seats are available, along with heated rear outboard seats, a panoramic sunroof, and woodgrain interior accents. Ram offers bench and bucket front seats, but the two new packages come exclusively with a front bench.
Technology
A 12-inch touchscreen comes standard, running Ram’s excellent Uconnect 5 infotainment software. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, along with HD radio, SiriusXM, and more. A 14.5-inch touchscreen is available, along with a new optional 10.25-inch passenger display screen.
Safety
Heavy-duty trucks don’t receive the same level of crash-testing that more mainstream models do, but Ram introduced more standard features in 2025. The truck comes with forward collision warnings, front and rear parking assistance, drowsy driver detection, adaptive cruise control, and other features. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, traffic sign recognition, and an active driving assistance system are available.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, Ram hasn’t priced the full 2026 HD lineup. The new Ram 2500 Black Express model starts at $53,735 after destination, and the 2500 Warlock costs $57,165. Orders for both trucks are open now, and the 2026 Ram HD will begin hitting dealers’ lots in the third quarter of 2025.