Does It Live Up to the Hype? A Closer Look at the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX

In the truck world, no one will ever say no to more power, and that’s exactly what Ram is counting on with the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX. Marketed as the “quickest, fastest, and most powerful mass-produced truck in the world,” the TRX raises the bar of capability courtesy of a supercharged HEMI engine that roars to life and can reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds without breaking a sweat. But does the TRX truly live up to the hype? As your Cincinnati Ram dealer, we’re here to show you why the TRX leads the pack.

Leaving the Competition in the Dust: Hell on Wheels

If you’re an adrenaline junkie with a competitive side and a need for speed, then you know the thrill of a revving engine on the starting line that practically purrs and pleads with you to take your foot off the brake and slam on the gas. You can practically smell the burning rubber just reading this, can’t you? While that roar is one you might expect from a sports car, you might have to look twice to appreciate the fact that it’s coming from an oversized truck designed for speed. Enter the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX – a brutal road warrior that leaves its competition in the dust.

Dubbed the “apex predator of the truck world,” the TRX is designed to deliver a new level of performance in a truck, and it certainly does that with its 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 engine. The half-ton truck cashes in on the engine’s power and delivers a jaw-dropping 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 118 mph. With the TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission, the TRX roars to life without leaving you grasping for control thanks to its high-torque capacity that delivers quick and clean gear changes that offer peak performance at high speeds.

As the engine roars to life, you’ll not only hear it, but you’ll see and feel it thanks to advanced tools like Launch Control and the TRX’s customizable dashboard. The TRX is the first Ram in the truck lineup to feature Launch Control with Launch Assist, which works together to deliver a smooth and quick acceleration from idle by regulating the engine’s RPMs and monitoring wheel slippage. Once you launch the TRX, you’ll have all the data you need through the customizable dashboard that shows insights like reaction time, horsepower, personal records, steering angle measurements, and more. You can also use the dashboard to access the Vehicle Dynamics tool, which allows you to customize the steering angle and lock the axles to deliver better off-road performance.

No Limits: On and Off-Road Capability

While the TRX is designed for speed, you could say it lives a double life because it’s also meant to play in the mud. Sitting on large 35-inch all-terrain tires to deliver 11.8 inches of ground clearance, the TRX can easily handle its own whether it’s navigating water crossings, crawling over rocks, or traveling down a muddy trail. This capability comes from the TRX’s exceptional construction and off-road components that include multiple underbody skid plates, an electronic-locking rear differential, and TRX-exclusive Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shocks that continuously adapt the steering, throttle position, and braking torque to match the demands of the terrain.

When you’re navigating bumpy terrain or driving the TRX out of a mud pit, you can do so with confidence, thanks to the flat-bottom steering wheel and integrated shift paddles. This marks the first-ever performance-focused steering wheel in Ram’s truck lineup, and it doesn’t disappoint by making the steering wheel easier to grip. Of course, the TRX’s steering is enhanced by the technology working behind the scenes, and that includes the TRX’s adaptive drive modes.

For top speeds on the pavement, you’ll want to switch over to Sport Mode. This tightens the suspension and splits the torque 30/70 while delivering quicker shift times for optimal performance. If you find yourself in a winter snowstorm, there’s no need to worry with Snow Mode at your fingertips. This mode uses a 45/55 torque split and improves acceleration by managing the engine’s power. Mud and Sand Mode offers the same torque split but calibrates the throttle and manages the distribution of the torque to ensure the TRX’s tires maintain traction and don’t slip on the terrain. Other modes include Rock, Baja, Custom, and Valet.

Rugged and Refined: The TRX Has It All

Aside from its jaw-dropping power, one of the biggest selling points of the TRX is that it’s both rugged and refined. Ram doesn’t require you to sacrifice luxury for capability or performance. Instead, you can have it all in the TRX, and that makes for some pretty happy drivers.

You’ll feel completely in control and on your throne the moment you get behind the wheel. Ram set out to make the TRX the most technologically advanced pickup truck ever made, and we can proudly report, they certainly outdid themselves. The TRX’s intuitive and customizable technology puts all the information and tools you need within eyesight or at your fingertips.

The TRX offers a customizable Head-Up Display that puts important data like speed, navigation cues, and mileage within eyesight on the windshield. A quick glance down, and you’ll find a 7-inch cluster display with reconfigurable gauges that report everything from RPM and speed to fuel levels. From there, you can make your way over to the center dashboard, where a 12-inch fully configurable touchscreen display sits.

The oversized display houses the Uconnect 4C infotainment system and gives you access to your smartphone through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. For the first time ever, Ram also offers two unique displays – Performance Pages and Off-Road Pages – that give you detailed information on the TRX’s performance and handling. The Performance Pages show data like timers, engine performance, and gauge readings, all of which can be downloaded to a USB memory stick. The Off-Road Pages show information like ride height and the truck’s pitch and roll.

The TRX’s technology extends even further to its safety and security suite, which is vital in a powerhouse like the TRX. Ram goes above and beyond to give drivers confidence when they’re behind the wheel by offering over 100 advanced safety and security features. These active and passive features range from the ParkView rear backup camera that features dynamic gridlines to available upgrades like Adaptive Cruise Control and Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus.

Ready for Adventure

The TRX is built for adventure. Whether that adventure leads you down a dirt road, across a flowing stream, through a mudhole, or down the highway is entirely up to you. Its jaw-dropping HEMI engine and its rugged off-road components are more than capable of navigating any terrain you choose. Fortunately, you can navigate that terrain in style and be the king or queen of every adventure with the TRX’s refined interior that boasts the latest connectivity, safety, and driver-assist features in the industry.

With complete confidence from the cockpit, there’s nothing that can stop you in the TRX. Are you ready for adventure? The TRX certainly is. The next step is deciding where that adventure will take you because you already know how you’ll get there.