When a lot of people think about power, sophistication, and robust off-road capabilities all available in a single light-duty pickup, they invariably picture the Ram 1500. As your Ram dealer near Ogallala, our team certainly does, although we’ll admit that we’re a bit biased when it comes to how much we appreciate this remarkable truck. That being said, when you start shopping for a 2026 Ram 1500, you’ll quickly realize that you have a lot of big decisions to make, which can be stressful for some folks. This is why our friendly team is always ready to help you find what you’ve been looking for, but it’s also why we’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide for you today. Let’s take a look at the major decisions you should consider as you shop for this truck and get something you’ll love.
Start With the Engine: Four Powerful Options
Although different people like to start looking at vehicles from various perspectives, we find that starting with the engine is typically a great approach—this is even truer with a powerful pickup. The 2026 Ram 1500 has four options for the powertrain: three different engines, one of which has two output levels. To start, there’s a standard 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine with a mild-hybrid powertrain designed to boost performance, which provides 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. That’s a great place to begin and shows how well Ram understands what truck fans want.
Speaking of understanding truck fans: this year, Ram has recognized the mistake they made by dropping the legendary HEMI V8 engine, and it’s back with 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. This thing is a beast and makes for a great choice when you want something you’ll enjoy driving around Ogallala each day. If you’re looking for greater power, then there’s a 3.0L Hurricane turbocharged I-6 engine that delivers 420 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque. This is our favorite choice overall, but there’s even a High Output version of the Hurricane that takes things to the next level with an incredible 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. Take some time to decide on the kind of performance you want from your pickup, and then choose accordingly.
Don’t Forget Your Payload and Towing Requirements
As you consider which engine is right for you, it’s important to also keep in mind the capabilities of each one in terms of payload and towing. Big horsepower and torque are fun to brag about, and they can make a big difference in your driving experience as you get around Ogallala each day, but payload and towing directly impact the kind of work you can get done with your truck. To make things simple, here are the maximum payload and tow ratings for each of the engines we looked at a moment ago:
3.6L Pentastar V6
- Max Payload: 2,360 lbs
- Max Towing: 8,130 lbs
5.7L HEMI V8
- Max Payload: 1,750 lbs
- Max Towing: 11,330 lbs
3.0L Hurricane
- Max Payload: 1,930 lbs
- Max Towing: 11,610 lbs
High-Output Hurricane
- Max Payload: 1,390 lbs
- Max Towing: 9,990 lbs
You can see that your choice of engine has a big impact on the kind of work your truck can do, especially as you jump from the starting powertrain to the HEMI V8 or the Hurricane engine. We should note that more than just the engine impacts how much weight your truck can handle. Other factors, such as whether you choose two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, can also affect the towing potential of your truck. So figure out how much weight your pickup needs to handle, then make sure you choose a powertrain and configuration that delivers what you need.
Consider Which Cab and Bed Is Right for You
When shopping for a great truck, it’s easy to focus on things like horsepower and towing, but there are plenty of other factors that greatly affect your drive. The configuration you choose is incredibly important as you shop for a truck, since this dictates how many people can ride along with you and how much room you get for your cargo. Ram offers two different cab sizes and two bed lengths to choose from, so you can get a configuration that works well for you. Keep in mind that your choice of trim affects which options are available, so it’s a good idea to know what you need before looking at trim levels, so you get something that works for you.
No matter which cab you choose, you get two rows of seating for up to six passengers inside; the Quad Cab has 117 cu.ft. of passenger volume, while the larger Crew Cab gives you 132 cu.ft. of room for your passengers. There’s a five-foot-seven-inch bed available that provides 53.9 cu.ft. of cargo volume, along with a six-foot-four-inch bed that provides 61.5 cu.ft. of total cargo space. That’s not quite a foot longer, but the extra cargo space can certainly make a difference, so take your time to figure out which option will best meet your needs.
Explore the Ram Trim Levels
Once you know what you need elsewhere, then it’s time to figure out which trim level is right for you. Since trim can affect engines, configurations, and other options, we like to start with those other things so we can eliminate trims that simply won’t meet your needs. That’s because Ram offers 10 trim levels for you to choose from, which can be overwhelming at first glance, so it helps to narrow things down. Here’s a quick overview of each one:
- Tradesman—This truck has the standard 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine, although the HEMI V8 and Hurricane are both available. LED headlamps and Adaptive Cruise Control are standard, plus you get a 3.5-inch Digital Cluster Display and an 8.4-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system.
- Express—You get many of the same features as the Tradesman, but this has 20-inch wheels, body-color front and rear bumpers, and fantastic available options like larger displays.
- Warlock—This is a solid choice for light off-roading, with standard four-wheel drive, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a one-inch raised ride height for greater clearance.
- Big Horn—A wide range of available options lets the Big Horn be an incredibly luxurious truck, including a 12-inch Uconnect 5 NAV infotainment system, a 12-inch Digital Cluster Display, and a nine-speaker sound system.
- Laramie—The Laramie trim comes with the 3.0L Hurricane engine for incredible power and great capabilities. Available 22-inch all-terrain tires, an Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension, and great interior features make this a fantastic overall choice.
- Rebel—A rugged and incredibly capable pick, the Rebel has the Hurricane engine along with Bilstein front and rear shocks, a coil suspension with a one-inch lift, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac OWL tires.
- RHO—Here’s where you get the High Output Hurricane engine included, along with Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shocks, a full-time active transfer case, and Dana 60 rear axle for incredible off-road potential and amazing power.
- Limited—One of the most sophisticated trucks out there, the Limited comes with the Active-Level Four Corner Air Suspension, power deployable running boards, and a 12-inch programmable Digital Cluster Display—plus heated, ventilated, massaging leather front seats.
- Limited Longhorn—The Limited Longhorn has class-exclusive 22-inch all-terrain tires, over 50 inches of combined available displays inside, and genuine wood, metal, and leather details.
- Tungsten—Finally, the Tungsten is an incredibly luxurious truck with 24-way power premium leather seating, a 14.4-inch Uconnect 5 NAV infotainment system, a 10.25-inch front-passenger display, dual wireless charging pads, and a 23-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere sound system for an incredible driving experience.
You can see there are some major differences between many of these trims. It might take a while to fully consider which one will work best for you, but the right truck can really help you make the most of your time on the road as you drive around Ogallala.
The Perfect Truck to Get You Around Ogallala
As we’ve seen, there are some big decisions to make as you shop for the perfect Ram 1500 to help you make the most of your time on the road. All of these options can be a bit overwhelming, but they ensure you can get the power, capabilities, and features that you’ve been looking for in your next truck. You can see why it’s so important to shop at a dealership with helpful people ready to assist you in finding everything you want, to ensure you don’t overlook or miss a thing. So once you know what you need from your next truck, our team can help you find it and see you drive away in the pickup that’s perfect for you.
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