There's a sneaky way to equip a Ram 2500 Tradesman with Power Wagon–level capability without the full price tag. From the July/August 2026 issue of Car and Driver. Ram's high-riding, heavy-duty Power Wagon has an undeniable cool factor that's eclipsed only by its off-road capability. It's also undeniably expensive, with a starting price a hair north of $76,000, and that's before you add modern trimmings by way of pricey options packages.
But if all you're after is the off-road hardware, there's a lesser-known configuration that can deliver the goods while making the trip to the finance department less painful. To paraphrase Drake, getting here requires starting from the bottom. In this case, that means selecting the bargain-basement Tradesman trim, the most basic model in the Ram 2500 lineup. You'll need a specific configuration—namely, a crew cab with the short bed and four-wheel drive—but the $56,300 base price is far easier on the wallet.
View Price on AmazonA 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 with 405 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque is standard, so no upgrades required there. Check the box for the $7995 Power Wagon package, an option that provides all the meat and potatoes with none of the sauce. You get all the Power Wagon hardware to deliver the model's additional off-road capability. That includes front and rear electronically locking differentials, a 4.10:1 axle ratio, the high-articulation front suspension, four corners' worth of upgraded dampers, an electronically disconnecting front anti-roll bar, skid plates for the transfer case and fuel tank, and the all-important Warn winch.
The exterior picks up a few adornments, including fender flares, powder-coated bumpers, and black 17-inch wheels wrapped in 285/70R-17 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tires. The math is certainly appealing, but Ram pulls a sneaky move here. Adding the Power Wagon package also mandates the $2295 Tradesman Level 1 Equipment Group package, which means the eight-grand spend is more like 10 and change.
There are some worthwhile upgrades in this package, and they make what is essentially a work truck more comfortable, with dual-zone climate control, acoustic glass, and carpet in place of the stock Tradesman's vinyl floor covering. You also get a power-sliding back window, parking sensors, and a 12.0-inch portrait-style infotainment screen. With a couple of other minor options, our test truck came in at $67,665, which is still $8480 below the cost of a genuine Power Wagon.
Source: caranddriver.com
