The updated 2026 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty pickup truck lands in Australia with more luxury, more tech and a big lift in outputs from its overhauled 6.7‑litre Cummins turbo‑diesel. Using the same proven ladder‑frame platform as before, it introduces an eight‑speed automatic, an updated five‑seat cabin, and standard black pack styling.
For first-time buyers looking into this segment, the Ram 2500 competes with the likes of other extra-large American pickups such as the Ford F-250 Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, and the GMC Sierra 2500HD.
Unfortunately, for Aussies who love big things from the land of the free, the only right-hand drive converted competitor for the Ram 2500 officially available Down Under is the Silverado 2500 HD, which like the Ram 2500 is remanufactured locally by Walkinshaw Automotive.
The Americans are not willing to manufacture the likes of the Ram 2500 in right-hand drive from the factory (which is based in Mexico), resulting in a local operation to create the pickups we have here.
Essentially, these trucks are bought from the factory in North America and shipped to Australia by their respective distributor (Ateco Automotive in the case of the Ram 2500), and they are then given over to Walkinshaw to be developed, stripped down and then remanufactured by arguably the best engineering and assembly teams in the country.
It’s essential to understand this process because in the USA, the Ram 2500 Laramie 4×4 starts from about US$62,000, which is well under $100,000 in our money at today’s exchange rate. So make sure you are sitting down when you see the $173,000 price tag for the vehicle in local Ram dealerships.
Price and conversion process aside, Ram Trucks Australia says the new 2500 is designed to appeal to an ever-growing number of Australians who love the idea of taking long-distance drives around the country, while towing loads that regular utes and trucks simply can’t handle, including not only large caravans but also big boats, heavy horse floats and the like.
The company is also convinced that buyers looking for that experience – and willing to pay the best part of $200k for the privilege – also want to travel in the lap of luxury, and that is what the Ram 2500 is trying to be: a luxury heavy-duty towing truck that delivers more torque than some actual commercial trucks that cost more.
There has never been a more refined, more powerful or more capable Ram 2500 on sale in Australia, officially backed by the factory and its local distributor. But is it worth the money?
How much does the Ram 2500 cost?
Ram Trucks Australia says showroom deliveries have begun, and there is no change to list pricing despite the new engine, transmission and extra kit. The Ram 3500 asks $5000 more and brings heavier‑duty rear suspension and a higher payload/GVM for those who need it.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Laramie 4×4 | $172,950 |
| Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Laramie 4×4 | $177,950 |
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What is the Ram 2500 like on the inside?
This is the most premium heavy-duty Ram yet sold officially in Australia. The front row offers two big leather-trimmed bucket seats flanking a full-length multi-layer centre console, and featuring heating and ventilation, eight-way power adjustment, and driver’s memory.
Sitting inside, there is an incredible amount of space. The Ram 2500 feels roomier than a full-size Range Rover or pretty much any other upper-large SUV you can think of. There is ample storage and space, so you will never feel claustrophobic or lacking in personal space, which is particularly beneficial if you intend to travel for extended periods inside the cabin.
The commanding driving position is also excellent (and it needs to be, given how big the thing is) and there is automatically extendable mirrors so you can see around whatever it is you are towing with ease.
A 12.3-inch digital instrument display joins the 12-inch Uconnect infotainment touchscreen with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a nine-speaker Alpine auto system. Dual wireless phone chargers, four USB-A and four USB-C ports, a heated leather-clad steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and power-adjustable pedals round out the generous list of appointments up front.
One feature we do miss out on, however, is some of the new tech inside the latest Ram 2500. The local conversion operation didn’t take the new passenger-side multimedia touchscreen in the HD, and also decided to stick with the 12-inch central touchscreen – unlike the updated MY25 Ram 1500 range, which scores a bigger 14-inch infotainment screen and new passenger screen.
In the back, you get a 60/40-split folding stadium‑style rear bench with a fold‑down centre section, under‑seat storage, in‑floor bins, and a power-sliding rear window.
The exterior fit‑out includes the Black Pack as standard in Australia (black grille, mirrors, badging and side steps), and the Mopar Sport Performance Hood. There is a spray‑in bedliner, LED bed lighting, eight fixed tie‑down points, a damped and centrally locked tailgate with remote release, and a deployable rear bed step.
| Dimensions | Ram 2500 Laramie (4×4) |
|---|---|
| Length | 6066mm |
| Width | 2220mm (2630mm with mirrors extended) |
| Height | 2037mm |
| Wheelbase | 3785mm |
| Cargo capacity | Tub length 6’4″; tub volume 1.6m³ (SAE) |
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What’s under the bonnet?
There is no other engine we can think of in a car you can buy in Australia today (that you can drive on a standard licence) that has more torque than the Ram 2500. Correct us in the comments if we are wrong.
With an insane 1458Nm of torque, the 2500’s powerplant is not only overkill, but designed to do hundreds of thousnds of kilometres without stress. It’s essentially a refined and highly reliable truck engine adapted for this application.
Go and have a look at the Ram forums and see the super-high kilometres that owners have done in the previous iteration of this engine without any issues, and it will put your mind at ease about any ill-conceived notions of American reliability.
This updated Cummins engine is built in Indiana, and then shipped to the Saltillo Truck assembly plant in Mexico, where the truck is assembled in left-hand drive before it heads to Australia for RHD conversion.
From a technical perspective, this is a significant overhaul of what came before it. Cummins engineers have employed widespread hardware changes to increase the performance of the powertrain, while now pairing it to a new eight‑speed automatic transmission with a taller final drive.
The engine now sits at much lower RPMs on those long-distance drives at 100-110km/h, making it not only more fuel-efficient but also far less stressed.
Ram says unladen 0-100km/h performance improves to about 7.2 seconds, and the transmission defaults to second‑gear starts to trim fuel use, switching to first when it detects heavy loads. An exhaust brake is standard for long descents while towing.
| Specifications | Ram 2500 Laramie (4×4) |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6.7‑litre inline‑six Cummins turbo‑diesel |
| Power | 313kW @ 3200rpm |
| Torque | 1458Nm @ 1800rpm |
| Transmission | ZF TorqueFlite HD 8‑speed automatic (8AP1075) |
| Drive type | Part‑time 4×4 with 2WD, 4HI, Neutral, 4LO (2.64:1) |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | Not stated |
| Fuel economy (as tested) | TBC |
| CO2 emissions (claimed) | Not stated |
| Fuel capacity | 117L |
| Weight | 3710kg (kerb) |
| Payload | 785kg |
| Braked towing capacity | 3500kg (50mm towball) 4500kg (70mm genuine accessory) 8000kg (gooseneck with air brakes) |
| Gross vehicle mass (GVM) | 4495kg |
| Gross combination mass (GCM) | 12,750kg |
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How does the Ram 2500 drive?
It’s not often you get to drive a car with 1458Nm of torque, let alone one as imposing and grand as the Ram 2500. If you have never driven a big American truck, even a 1500 is an experience, let alone the 2500.
Nevertheless, if you are expecting a truck-like feel or a sense that you are in control of a vehicle that should behave vastly differently from a normal car, you would be incorrect.
Don’t get us wrong: the Ram 2500 is big, bulky and best driven sedately and with caution, but ultimately it’s not all that different to driving a big SUV.
The way it gets off the line with the updated Cummins engine, the smooth transmission and the general vehicle dynamics is not all that different to a smaller diesel ute.
We had the chance to drive it around Holden’s old proving ground at Lang Lang in Victoria, where we tested it on both bitumen and unsealed roads, conducted a 0-100km/h test, towed a massive campervan, and tried to upset its balance.
None of these things caused us to think the Ram 2500 would be a handful in the real world.
The Ram 2500 is one of the most comfortable cars we have ever experienced. The sense of roominess inside, mixed with its super-supple suspension and generally well honed driving dynamics, makes it the ideal vehicle for driving long distances.
During our tow test, we slowed down to a stop and then accelerated at full throttle multiple times, and were genuinely impressed by just how effortlessly the 2500 could bring itself, and the 3500kg campervan behind it, back up to 100km/h.
On the more technical side of things, we also found the braking performance to be better than expected, given the weight and size of the thing. The 360mm front and 358mm rear discs with twin‑piston calipers did a great job over and over again to maintain consistent performance.
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The steering is hydraulically assisted, and the 2500 rides on coil springs with heavy‑duty shocks. The primary difference between the Ram 2500 and 3500 is the switch from coil springs to leafs at the rear, which is designed to handle heavier loads.
Gross combination mass is no less than 12,750kg, although payload is just 785kg for the 2500, while the 3500 increases those figures to 14,433kg and 1652kg thanks to the leaf-sprung rear-end.
| Off-road dimensions | Ram 2500 Laramie 4×4 |
|---|---|
| Track front and rear | 1719mm front / 1704mm rear |
| Ground clearance | 237mm (front axle) |
| Approach angle | 22.9 degrees |
| Departure angle | 25.8 degrees |
| Ramp breakover angle | 22 degrees |
| Wading depth | Not stated |
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What do you get?
The standard kit list for the Ram 2500 is quite extensive, although missing out on the newer technology found in the North American model is somewhat disappointing given the price point.
2026 Ram 2500 equipment highlights:
Exterior
- Black Pack exterior styling (black grille, badging, mirrors and side steps)
- Mopar Sport Performance Hood
- 18-inch black alloy wheels
- Heated, power-folding tow mirrors with memory function
- Bi-LED projector headlights
- LED fog lights
- Automatic high-beam
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Tinted windshield and acoustic laminated front glass
- Rear privacy glass
- Spray-in bedliner
- LED bed lighting
- Eight fixed tie-down points
- Remote tailgate release
- Central locking tailgate
- Fully damped and assisted tailgate
- Fixed wheel-to-wheel painted side steps
- Deployable rear bed step
- Proximity entry
Towing
- Heavy-duty tow bar (up to 4.5t max braked towing)
- Integrated trailer brake controller
- 12-pin wiring harness
- Diesel exhaust brake with Smart function
- Trailer reverse guidance system
- Towing calculator access via Ram Trucks Australia website
Interior
- Leather-trimmed bucket seats with full-length centre console
- 8-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way power lumbar
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Power sunroof
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Power-adjustable pedals with memory
- Second-row in-floor storage bins with removable liners
- Rear flat load-floor storage
- Leather-trimmed 60/40-split folding rear bench with fold-down centre console and cupholders
- Push-button start
- 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system
- Satellite navigation
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Dual wireless smartphone charging pads
- 9-speaker Alpine premium sound system
- Four USB-A and four USB-C charging ports
- One-touch up/down power windows (front)
- Illuminated sun visors with vanity mirrors
- Power-sliding rear window
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Is the Ram 2500 safe?
The suite of active safety features now includes updated lane-keep assist, speed-sign recognition, driver fatigue monitoring, and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
A new side-view monitor automatically activates the relevant camera when indicating, and all four side mirror lenses are now electronically adjustable and extendable for towing.
As far as we can tell, the Ram 2500 has not been tested by any official safety authority globally. However, it would be fair to say that the concern is not with the safety of the Ram 2500 itself, but rather with the potential safety risks it may pose to those who happen to cross its path.
Six airbags are standard. The mirrors power‑fold, telescope and extend for towing, and a side‑view camera monitor activates with the indicators to assist during lane changes and turns.
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How much does the Ram 2500 cost to run?
One of the main things we would love to see Ram Trucks Australia update with its entire range is the warranty. Given the number of kilometres these trucks are expected to cover – and the purchase price – it would be a vote of confidence for the brand and its product to extend the warranty to at least five years and 200,000km.
Needless to say, Australian Consumer Law will cover most cases regardless of this warranty period limitation, but it would be something we would like to see Ram address in the near future.
| Servicing and Warranty | Ram 2500 Laramie 4×4 |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 3 years / 100,000km |
| Roadside assistance | 3 years / 100,000km |
| Service intervals | 6 months / 12,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | Not stated |
| Average annual service cost | Not stated |
| Total capped-price service cost | Not stated |
Ram also doesn’t offer capped-priced servicing in Australia, which we would like to see addressed too.
Warranty and roadside assistance apply to both the 2500 and 3500 variants. Ram does not publish fuel consumption or capped‑price service figures for the Heavy Duty range in Australia.
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CarExpert’s Take on the Ram 2500
The Ram 2500 update brings meaningful upgrades where it matters, including stronger powertrain outputs and therefore more effortless towing capabilities, a smarter transmission, and a cabin that is closer than ever to feeling as premium as the price would suggest.
The standard Black Pack and full suite of driver assistance functions make it easier to live with day to day, while its towing credentials mean it’s well suited to owners who push beyond what a mid-size dual‑cab ute can comfortably handle.
The 2026 Ram 2500 is arguably the best option for those seeking a reliable, capable and luxurious option for the big lap around Australia, or just towing extra-heavy loads with ease and comfort. It’s certainly not cheap, but it’s a case of getting what you pay for.
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