Do You Really Need the Ram 1500’s V8 Engine? We Test It Against the I6 to Find Out

At the end, the truck was pushing 5,200 rpm — just 600 revolutions from the redline — at 58 mph, and it was a relief to reach the top and get that upshift, taking some strain off the engine and noise out of the cabin. The high-output engine needed one downshift and used the turbos to accelerate without putting the truck into mega-high rpm. It doesn’t hurt that the turbocharged mill pushes the redline up to 6,100. I was even able to pass a slower-moving truck without any strain or worry.

Going downhill was a different story. The Ram has a gear limiter, but I initially let each truck do its own thing. I had to get on the brakes a bit in the six-cylinder, so I set the truck to stay in fourth gear at about 4,500 rpm. Even then, I had to brake a bit to keep it between 55 mph and 60 mph. I wasn’t on the brakes the whole time, and I felt safe and secure descending the hill, but the V8 provided a better experience. Here, the truck downshifted on its own and used engine braking only to descend the steep grade. I did not have to touch the brake pedal once, nor did I use the gear limiter button. Cool!

The price of the V8 can get a little complicated, so stay with me. On higher trims like our Limited where the 3.0-liter high-output engine is standard, the 5.7-liter is a no-cost option. So if you need that extra towing capacity over the high-output and love that V8 rumble, go for it. However, on the lower trims where the high-output isn’t available, you’ll pay $2,895 over the base 3.6-liter engine and $1,200 over the standard-output six-cylinder for the privilege of getting less power and worse fuel economy.