Pickup Review: 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT

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Northern Ontarians love their trucks, and given the number of Tremors, ZR2s, TRDs and TRX’s on our roads and trails, it seems like the segment’s increasing variety of specialty models are getting plenty of shoppers to dig deep into their wallets.

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How is the Ram 1500 Rebel different?

The Ram 1500 Rebel adds unique interior and exterior styling touches to the standard truck, packs a suspension lift, 5.7 litre HEMI V8 engine with 395 horsepower, and includes beefier Goodyear Wrangler rubber which give drivers less to worry about over rough, slippery or tire-threatening terrain. There’s also an electronic locking rear axle for added bite and traction when the going gets sloppy, and a more muscular and menacing appearance to tie it all together. 

So, compared to the standard Ram 1500, the Rebel is a sport truck; a visually and hardware-enhanced variant built to shine when used as a weekend plaything for bashing around in the bush. 

No wonder a third of Sudbury, Ontario drives these things. 

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Is the Ram Rebel GT Package Worth it?

For the enthusiast driver, almost definitely.

The $3,495 GT package builds on your Rebel with special decal graphics, a unique interior colour and trim scheme, a floor console, leather-wrapped shift knob for the console shifter (no dial-shift in this tester!), and racy aluminium shift paddles. Elsewhere, it’s got bright metal sports pedals, an upgraded interior ambient lighting package and a premium overhead console. 

Under the hood, the HEMI gets a stereo upgrade, courtesy of a Mopar cold-air intake kit and performance exhaust upgrade that make the throttle pedal a lot more musical, and make the HEMI’s signature growl a major part of the driving experience.

With the GT package, your Ram 1500 Rebel picks up where the standard Rebel leaves off, adding some serious athletic flair via hardware and visuals. Call up performance pages, and you’ve got access to the same electronic performance monitoring tool kit you’ll find in an SRT Charger.

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How much is a Ram Rebel GT?

The Ram Rebel opens the bidding at $65,995 for model-year 2022, with my tester’s GT package tacking another $3,495 onto the bill, for a total of $69,490.

From here, there’s still plenty of room for further customization and spending, with a Night Edition package ($795) adding luxury bucket seats, black wheels and badges, and the $3,195 Level 2 Equipment Group bringing additional multimedia capability and a built-in 4G wireless hotspot. There’s a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, remote start, security alarm, a household power outlet, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, parking assist, and rain sensing wipers, too. No automatic high-beams though.

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Additional feature content included a 124-litre fuel tank upgrade ($495), handy RamBox cargo management in the bedsides ($1,295), and a panoramic sunroof — bringing my unit’s total ask, as configured, to about $82,000.

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What is RAM 1500 eTorque?

My tester ran the eTorque system ($1,195), which enhances the HEMI V8 engine’s smoothness, low-rev torque output, and the performance of its auto start/stop system. eTorque is a recent technology added to the HEMI V8 and Pentastar V6 engines available in RAM 1500 models. Its job is to make the truck more responsive, and easier on gas.

eTorque consists of a Motor Generator Unit (MGU), which replaces the standard-issue alternator with this jacked-up motor generator that turns the HEMI into its own hydro station. The MGU is bolted to the top of the engine and belt-connected to the crankshaft just like an alternator or supercharger. 

As you drive, the MGU is driven by the belt action of the engine, and generates a very large amount of electricity that’s stored in a suitcase-sized 12-cell, lithium ion battery pack in the rear firewall. 

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Self-generated power stored in this 48-volt battery is used to boost the HEMI engine in certain situations, without burning extra fuel. For instance, when taking off from a stop, the MGU can apply up to 130 lb-ft of torque to the crankshaft for instant engine restarting, apply a 16 horsepower boost from the first half-rotation of the wheels, and then electrically ‘motor up’ the engine to a speed where it smoothly and seamlessly becomes the primary mover of the truck.

With its ability to instantly switch from motor to generator, the MGU powering the eTorque system gives drivers smoother and sharper throttle response in more situations with no fuel consumption penalty, reduced need to rev the engine to get up to speed quickly, a smoother overall drive, and some of the smoothest and quickest auto start/stop performance in the business.

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The MGU can also rapidly decelerate the engine in some situations to smooth out gear shifting, and that 48 volt battery pack can recharge the conventional 12-volt battery whether the MGU is creating or dispensing stored power.

Is eTorque worth it?

The eTorque system costs $1,195 but also saves fuel, so let’s do some math. 

According to NRCan’s Fuel Consumption Guide, eTorque equipped Ram 1500 4x4s use 2.7 litres less fuel for every 100 kilometres driven in the city, compared to non eTorque equipped models. If we use a fuel cost of $1.60 per litre, that’s a savings of $4.32 for every 100 kilometres driven in the city . On the highway, the eTorque system saves 1.5 L/100 km, a savings of about $2.40 every 100 kilometres. In combined driving, eTorque reduces fuel consumption by 1.7 L/100 km, meaning on average, you’ll see a savings of $2.72 for every 100 kilometres driven in combined city and highway driving. 

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If you drive 20,000 kilometers per year exclusively in the city, your annual fuel savings are about $864. If you drive 20,000 kilometers exclusively on the highway, your annual fuel savings are $480.

All said, expect a payback period of about 1.5 to three years on your investment in the eTorque system, noting that if you’ll drive often in stop and go traffic, the savings are considerably higher and the payback period is shortened.

Does the Ram Rebel GT have a good interior?

The Rebel GT’s interior might be one of its very strongest assets. From a quick glance, the subdued colour and trim palette gives the cabin a focused, personal look that’s more formal than flashy, while strategic deployment of sculpting, layering and playful intersecting shapes dial up the visual flair and premium appearance upon closer inspection. The black and silver colour scheme in my tester worked nicely to set off a tidy, but detailed atmosphere that reminds me of some of my favourite sports coupes: it’s a serious and focused place that looks high-end without shouting for attention.

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Subtle red accents and stitching work to draw the driver’s attention to key elements of the cockpit, while the extended use of gloss finishes and a giant vertical touch-screen infotainment system let plenty of high-tech appeal shine through the mostly dark scenery, with those metal paddles and pedals always gleaming away in the background.

Road testing the 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT

From a cold start, this Mopar V8’s bark is loud and proud. This truck might wake neighbours and newborns, but it’s easy to confirm your truck’s fired up with the remote start. And they’ll definitely know when you return home from work. 

In motion, with the eTorque system boosting low-rev response, this engine configuration is happy to operate under 2,100 rpm in most driving. While it lacks the hard-hitting low-rev torque of similarly-powered turbo V6 engines (Toyota Tundra, Ford F-150), eTorque makes the HEMI a treat for light-footed drivers, who will enjoy more response with less revs and just a light press on the throttle.

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Add in the smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic and nearly invisible engine auto start/stop system, and you’ve got a big, powerful V8 that’s happy to handle smooth and laid-back driving. 

Dig deeper into the throttle to see the Rebel GT’s best work. Though the sports exhaust makes itself known even under light throttle, a heavier poke on the loud pedal sees an immediate and pleasing swelling of the growling soundtrack which follows the GT around. Moderate to heavy throttle floods the cabin — and your neighbourhood — with the signature soundtrack, it’s a much more powerful sound than a restrained one. There’s no sneaking in late when you drive a Ram Rebel GT.

Be careful: enjoying too much of these sound effects, too often, can have a big impact on your fuel bill.

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The news is mostly good during highway cruising. I noted no complaints with cabin noise levels, even on these tires. The ride is generally gentle and laid back, and the driving position is tall and commanding with plenty of glass for a great outward view. Though certain bumps and dips can cause an occasional abrupt whack from beneath the vehicle (or even send the rear end for a bit of a ride in extreme situations), the overall feeling beneath the driver is tough, solid, composed, and confidence inspiring. On smooth highways, ride quality seems nearly luxury SUV like.

Still, I did leave my tester wishing for a little more precision feel to the steering and brakes —  some drivers may find them to feel fairly lazy. Small steering and braking inputs get little response from the truck, making their use more labour intensive for the driver’s hands and feet. Though there’s no problem with response from the throttle pedal, the steering and brakes lack that sporty enthusiasm, making this a sport truck more in power and looks than feel at the controls. If you prefer a more direct and precise steering and brake pedal feel, a comparable Toyota Tundra might make a better choice.

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My favourite sport is using the secondary roads and backroad trails of Sudbury, Ontario as a shake-rattle-and roll test for pickup testing, where I learn which trucks do the best job of handling busted-up terrain without destroying ride comfort. Solid job from the Rebel GT; road and suspension noise are present, but nicely managed when the going gets rough, the steering transmits almost no negative feedback or pulling to my fingertips, and the suspension feels tough and durable while taking abuse from beneath. It’s solid but with a slight softness around the edges that keeps things more easygoing than I was expecting.

The same roads that had me wishing for a more comfortable and less jarring ride in the F-150 Tremor coaxed little drama from the Rebel GT. If you do a lot of driving on rough surfaces, I think you’ll find the Ram to deliver the more comfortable drive.

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How does the Ram Rebel GT Compare to the Ram TRX?

These are two different machines with two different intended shoppers. The RAM TRX is the brand’s ultimate off-road pickup, a highly-specialized model with a supercharged racing engine and extensive motorsports-derived upgrades. Designed to be the ultimate factory off-road pickup, it comes with extreme capability and bragging rights, as well as a price-tag and fuel bill to match.

Alternately, the Rebel GT is an off-road and sports-optimized version of the standard Ram 1500, giving shoppers a more modest option in a serious off-roader, without going full TRX.

If a RAM TRX’s purchase price, overkill power output and fuel bill aren’t in your budget, a Ram Rebel GT is intended to be the next best thing. By the way, the Ford F-150 Raptor and RAM TRX are key competitors, while the tamer Ram Rebel and F-150 Tremor do battle for the dollars of shoppers after something a little more reasonable, but still looking for a lot of fun.

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Is the Ram Rebel a reliable pickup?

The 5.7 litre HEMI V8 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission used to drive the Rebel are among the most proven and mass-produced powertrain components in the pickup industry today. Many shoppers prefer this drivetrain because Ram has built countless copies of it, improving and tweaking the proven components along the way.

Final thoughts about the 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT

The Ram Rebel GT is an in-your-face off-roader with a wide array of sport-truck add-ons that’ll quickly draw enthusiasts in for a closer look. Your fuel dollars are rewarded with perpetual access to a fantastic soundtrack and on-demand torque from a smooth and punchy driveline that’s always ready to play. Ditto the suspension: it’s consistently comfortable almost all of the time, and feels particularly encouraging and friendly when you’re covering rough ground at speed in the bush. A tough and solid feel nicely co-exists with ride comfort.

Still, though the soundtrack, style and cabin serve up a sporty recipe, enthusiast drivers will wish for a higher-precision feel of the brakes and steering. Though it’s not the sharpest where reflexes are concerned, the Rebel GT effectively uses its many other talents to put on a hell of a show.