Pickup Review: 2022 Ram 1500 Sport G/T

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When the earliest firsthand reports of the Ram 1500 TRX started landing on the internet late in 2020, dramatic jumps and all , it was easy to lose count of the number of people breathlessly declaring it their “dream truck.” Not all of us have the budget (or the stomach) for a six-figure truck, though, particularly if we’ll rarely use its full capability.

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Ram thinks it’s got a solution: it’s offering a new G/T package on Ram 1500 Sport, Rebel, and Laramie grades in 2022, which equips a group of factory-installed features that were previously exclusive to the TRX and puts them at a more attainable price point.

That’s not to say a truck with this package will end up being cheap. Adding it requires some upgrades: the truck needs to be in crew cab configuration, and it needs to have the eTorque mild hybrid upgrade applied to the 5.7-litre Hemi V8. Once these are added, ring up another $3,495 to apply the G/T Package to the Sport and Rebel grades; or $2,995 on the Laramie grade where some of the features are already standard.

This took the starting price on the 2022 Ram 1500 Sport 4×4 Crew Cab we tested from $65,990 to $72,675 for the G/T version once all the necessary upgrades were applied, including the $1,995 destination charge. The Rebel G/T starts at $75,575, and the Laramie G/T starts at $79,850.

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Our test truck came with numerous other packages and options, including the RamBox cargo management system; the multi-function tailgate; a spray-in bed liner; a Class IV receiver hitch and towing package that gives this unit a 5,084-kilogram (11,210-pound) tow rating; an anti-spin differential rear axle; power running boards; a fabulous four-corner air suspension system with five ride-height settings that makes a big difference to the truck’s handling ability; a digital rear-view mirror; a head-up display; heated rear seats; and a whole swath of extra-cost safety and technology features. This brings our truck’s total price including destination to $89,870.

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We took a closer look at many of these features in our Ministry of Interior Affairs deep-dive feature on the 2021 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition .

This truck also has the $1,495 Night Edition package equipped, which adds black 22-inch wheels and a gloss black grille. It’s a great look in combination with the black interior, the sole colour option on the Sport grade. Black interiors can often be flat and uninteresting, but this one features layers of high-quality material that give it visual interest and feels appropriate for the price point.

On the one hand, it’s disappointing that features like blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian emergency braking cost extra when so many automakers are making them standard these days. On the other hand, it’s not necessary to get all the way to $90,000 to get a decently well-equipped truck that includes this package. Plus, it’s pretty remarkable just how much one can customize a Ram 1500, even at this relatively low trim level.

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Back to the G/T package, where the list of add-ons is long. On the mechanical side, it snaps on a cold-air intake and performance exhaust that combine to give the Hemi a brutish sound. It also equips a rear axle with a 3.92 ratio, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters mounted to it, metal pedals, and a console-mounted shifter (if you hate the dial shifters found on most Ram 1500s, take note: this is your way out). Performance pages are added to the infotainment system that display real-time vehicle performance information, including timers, g-force measurements, gauges, and engine performance.

The G/T-specific interior comes with high-bolstered front-row bucket seats that are heated and ventilated, 8-way power adjustable, and stitched with the G/T logo. A driver’s seat memory function is added that also includes the exterior mirrors and the power-adjustable pedals. Mopar all-weather floor mats round out the ability to hose everything out after having a bit of fun.

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We mentioned that Ram’s 5.7-litre Hemi V8 with the eTorque mild-hybrid system upgrade is a requirement for the G/T package. This system uses a belt-driven motor generator and a small battery to add up to 130 pound-feet of torque to the Hemi’s 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet.

While eTorque is not a full hybrid system, it does in theory have some impact on overall fuel efficiency: the Hemi paired with four-wheel-drive burns 13.8 litres per 100 kilometres combined without it according to Natural Resources Canada figures, while equipping eTorque drops that figure to 11.7 litres per 100 kilometres combined. Our average in a week comprised largely of city driving was closer to 18 L/100 km, which dings at the pumps, so we’re inclined not to factor this in when making a purchasing decision. However, eTorque’s primary intended benefit of smoothing out and improving low-speed acceleration is much more worthy of the extra coin.

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2022 Ram 1500s come equipped with Uconnect 5, the latest version of one of the best infotainment systems on the market. Its significant updates include an Alexa in-vehicle assistant, the ability to connect two smartphones at once, enhanced voice recognition that responds to more natural commands, over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, and a new CarPlay interface that allows the app to display on the full surface of the optional 12-inch portrait-oriented screen like the one equipped in our test truck.

This system is an improvement over the previous version in many ways with crisp new graphics to go with the same great usability Uconnect has become known for. The main downside is we found there are a lot of new alerts built into it, which causes it to do a lot of binging and bonging as you come across red light cameras. A couple of times, we weren’t even sure what the truck was dinging at us for. This is persistent enough that a lot of drivers will probably just opt to turn these functions off, and it’s always a shame to feel compelled to disable features that could otherwise be helpful.

The Ram 1500 remains an all-around excellent truck, and the new-for-2022 G/T Package achieves the goal of giving TRX enthusiasts access to specialized features at a more reasonable price point. It may not have the chops to handle jumps, but it’s more than ready to get down and dirty.