2021 Ram 1500

The 5.7L HEMI V8 with eTorque mild-hybrid assist is the volume engine on Big Horn/Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab, the best-selling configuration. 2021 is the model year the EcoDiesel V6 returned to the lineup and the first year of the 702-hp supercharged TRX, giving Ram the widest horsepower spread in the class, but the mainstream V8 itself is mid-pack for a half-ton.

410 lb-ft from the volume HEMI eTorque is competitive but not class-leading; the real torque story in the 2021 lineup is the returning 3.0L EcoDiesel's 480 lb-ft, which Ram marketed as the most powerful light-duty diesel pickup torque figure at the time.

Instrumented and estimated testing of the DT-generation 5.7L HEMI eTorque 4x4 has consistently landed just over 6 seconds to 60 mph — competitive with the segment's other V8s and well behind the TRX's mid-4-second runs.

The 5.7L HEMI eTorque pairs a smooth, long-proven V8 with a 48-volt belt-starter system that makes stop-start restarts and light cruising assist nearly imperceptible; reviewers rated the 2021 EcoDiesel's return as refined for a diesel with minimal clatter. The base Pentastar V6 is adequate but noticeably coarser under load.

The ZF-derived 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic, standard across the 2021 lineup, was already well-regarded by this point in the DT generation's run — smooth, decisive, and free of the part-throttle hunting criticized on some rivals' transmissions.

Strong towing for the class in 2021, with Ram marketing the EcoDiesel's 12,560-lb rating as the most capable light-duty diesel pickup and the HEMI's 12,750-lb max competitive with the segment's half-ton leaders that year.

Mid-pack for the full-size class; as with most half-tons the headline payload figure belongs to a light V6 4x2 configuration rather than the heavier 4x4 V8 crew cab most buyers choose, which lands closer to 1,800 lbs.

2021 is the model year Ram introduced Trailer Reverse Steering Control, letting the driver back up a trailer with an in-cab knob while the truck controls its own steering — new on top of the existing integrated trailer brake controller, trailer-calibrated blind-spot monitoring, and trailer tire-pressure monitoring in the Trailer-Tow Group.

Four-wheel drive is optional across Tradesman through Limited and standard on Rebel and the new-for-2021 TRX, with a two-speed transfer case and available electronic-locking rear differential; TRX adds a dedicated high-speed off-road-tuned 4x4 system with multiple terrain modes.

2021 is the launch year of the Ram 1500 TRX — 11.8 in of ground clearance, 13/14 in front/rear wheel travel on Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shocks, 35-inch off-road tires, underbody skid plates and a desert-running suspension — genuine Raptor-class off-road credibility on top of the existing Rebel trim's lighter off-road package.

Four distinct engines for 2021 — base 3.6L V6, volume 5.7L HEMI V8, the returning 3.0L EcoDiesel V6, and the new 702-hp supercharged 6.2L HEMI in the TRX — is a wide spread for a conventional gas/diesel lineup, though it carries no hybrid, PHEV or EV option (those arrive later with the REV and Ramcharger).

EPA combined figure for the volume 5.7L HEMI eTorque 4x4 Crew Cab — the mainstream configuration most 2021 half-ton buyers chose. The returning EcoDiesel is the real efficiency standout in the 2021 lineup at up to 26 combined, well ahead of every gas engine offered.

The eTorque mild-hybrid system's smoother, more aggressive stop-start buys roughly 2 MPG over the non-eTorque HEMI in city driving, though the gap to the EcoDiesel's city figure remains wide.

Cylinder deactivation and the tall top gear of the 8-speed make highway cruising the HEMI eTorque's best case among the gas engines, though it still trails the diesel by a wide margin on the highway.

Range is a genuine strength for the 2021 Ram 1500: the 26-gallon standard tank on Crew Cab models already tops most gas rivals' standard tanks, and the optional 33-gallon tank pushes the volume HEMI past 600 miles.

At 19 MPG combined on recommended midgrade fuel, the volume HEMI eTorque configuration sits at the expensive end of the full-size truck band under current fuel-price assumptions — the eTorque system's roughly 2-MPG-combined advantage over the non-eTorque HEMI still saves about $450/yr.

The volume 5.7L HEMI eTorque recommends midgrade fuel for best performance though it runs on regular, the base 3.6L V6 and 3.0L EcoDiesel require only regular-grade gasoline or diesel, and the new-for-2021 TRX's supercharged 6.2L HEMI requires premium — a mixed picture across the trim range rather than a single clean answer.

NHTSA tested the 5th-generation (2019+) Ram 1500 by cab style; the Crew Cab — the volume configuration — earned 5 stars overall, with Quad Cab slightly lower at 4 stars overall due to rollover variance.

The 2021 Ram 1500 Crew Cab earned IIHS Top Safety Pick for the second consecutive year, with Good ratings across all six crashworthiness tests (small overlap front driver and passenger side, moderate overlap front, both side tests, roof strength, head restraints/seats). The award requires the optional front crash prevention package and specific headlights, so it does not apply to every build.

Blind-spot monitoring is standard fleet-wide, but the core AEB/forward-collision and adaptive-cruise systems are gated behind optional equipment groups on the volume Big Horn trim and are standard only on Sport and upper trims (Laramie, Rebel, Longhorn, Limited Longhorn, Limited). On the volume trim, the most safety-relevant feature (AEB) is an option, not standard equipment.

IIHS rated the optional Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus system Superior in vehicle-to-vehicle testing (avoided collision at both 12 and 25 mph) and Advanced in daytime pedestrian testing (avoided child-crossing and adult-crossing scenarios, missed the 37 mph parallel-adult case). No nighttime pedestrian data was published for this generation, keeping it just below the top band.

Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path is standard from the base Tradesman trim up and automatically extends its detection zone to cover an attached trailer — trailer-aware coverage standard fleet-wide is ahead of most full-size truck rivals.

Lane Keep Assist is available (optional on lower trims) and functions as a corrective, haptic-warning system rather than true lane centering. Owner and forum reports describe generally smooth operation but a firm corrective tug if a lane change is made without a turn signal — functional but unrefined by class standards.

Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go is optional and generally praised for comfort given the Ram's coil-spring ride, but owner reports note it needs a manual throttle nudge to resume from a stop held longer than about two seconds — a rough edge versus more refined full-speed-range systems.

Stellantis' hands-free Level 2 system (Hands-Free Active Driving Assist) was not introduced to the Ram 1500 lineup until the 2024-2025 model years; the 2021 model offers no hands-free highway driving option at any trim or price point.

IIHS rated headlight performance across the 2021 Ram 1500 trim walk as Good only on the LED projector headlights fitted to upper trims; the halogen reflector and LED reflector units found on lower and volume trims rated Marginal.

Full-size crew-cab trucks like the 1500 give a high, commanding seating position with a good forward view of the road, but thick C-pillars and the long bed create meaningful rear-quarter blind zones; a 360-degree surround camera is available but optional, not standard, on the volume trim, so camera compensation isn't guaranteed equipment.

IIHS rated the Ram 1500's LATCH ease-of-use Marginal overall, citing lower-anchor positioning that is hard to access and hardware placement that can be confusing — a step below the merely 'workable' band despite the Crew Cab's otherwise roomy rear seat.

Ram's own 2021 spec sheet lists seating capacity as 3/3 (front/rear) for both Quad Cab and Crew Cab, making the bench-equipped volume configuration a 6-passenger truck; buyers who option front buckets drop to 5.

Mid-pack front headroom for a full-size half-ton, identical across Quad and Crew Cab since both share the same cab structure in this DT generation.

Ram's published front legroom trails the full-size class by a wide margin on paper (roughly 3 in behind the F-150, 3.6 in behind Silverado/Sierra), which falls below the segment normalization floor even though the low, reclined driving position makes the deficit less noticeable in practice than the number implies.

Crew Cab rear headroom trails the F-150 and Silverado/Sierra by a fraction of an inch — a gap no rear passenger notices given the seat's generous recline.

Best-in-class second-row legroom among full-size half-tons in the Crew Cab, with an 8-degree reclining rear seatback adding to real-world comfort; the shorter Quad Cab is far tighter and not the volume configuration.

The volume Crew Cab pairs with the short 5'7" box, essentially matching the F-150 SuperCrew's 5.5-ft bed (67.1 in) and shorter than the Silverado/Sierra short box (69.9 in). Ram offers no 8-ft box on the 1500.

Short-box cargo volume is competitive with the F-150's 5.5-ft bed (52.8 cu ft) but behind the Silverado/Sierra Durabed short box (62.9 cu ft); the optional RamBox side bins add lockable volume outside this measurement.

The full-size storage benchmark for 2021: the class-exclusive RamBox Cargo Management System puts lockable, drainable bins in the bedsides, the Crew Cab's flat-folding rear seats reveal integrated RamBins and expandable under-seat storage, and the center console is oversized with a fold-flat work surface.

Widely praised for 2021 — Car and Driver singled out the Ram's soft-touch materials and seat comfort as ahead of its full-size rivals, and upper trims add heated/ventilated front seats with heated/cooled second-row seats, a feature set unusual for the class.

The coil-spring rear suspension (air suspension optional with load-leveling and ride-height adjustment) gave the 2021 Ram 1500 one of the smoothest rides in the full-size class, a point reviewers consistently credited as its biggest dynamic advantage over leaf-sprung rivals.

Reviewers described the 2021 cabin as notably smooth and quiet, with cylinder-deactivation vibration well isolated on the eTorque engines and active noise cancellation aiding the HEMI's refinement.

Heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, heated/cooled second-row seats, remote start, and a panoramic sunroof were all available for 2021, a rich comfort-feature set though concentrated on Laramie and above rather than standard fleet-wide.

The DT-generation 1500 has no regular-cab body style, so the range opens with the Tradesman Quad Cab 4x2 — a modest entry price for a half-ton, undercutting most full-size rivals' loaded trims while sitting mid-pack against their own base Quad/Double Cab entries.

Big Horn (badged Lone Star in Texas) is the 1500's volume trim, and the Crew Cab 4x4 with the common Level 1 equipment group lands in the high-$40,000s — Edmunds' August 2021 average Ram 1500 MSRP of roughly $53,755 reflects a mix skewed higher by Laramie/Limited and chip-shortage-era demand, so the typically-equipped Big Horn sits below that fleet average.

Running costs for the gas-engine 1500 (3.6L Pentastar V6 eTorque or 5.7L HEMI V8 eTorque) sit in the middle of the full-size class — commodity service intervals and parts pricing, with RepairPal citing a relatively low 26% chance of a major repair in the first five years.

The Ram 1500's residuals trail the domestic full-size norm — heavier factory incentives (see 10.2.3) and below-class-average predicted reliability depress used values relative to the F-150 and Silverado, which both retain noticeably more of their MSRP over the same window.

Ram's basic limited warranty for 2021 is 3 years/36,000 miles — the industry floor, matching Ford and GM's full-size trucks and well short of Hyundai/Kia-style coverage.

Powertrain coverage is 5 years/60,000 miles on the gas-engine 1500 for 2021, matching Ford and GM and well short of the 10-year outliers that anchor the top of the normalization band.

Ram includes no nationwide complimentary scheduled maintenance for 2021 — the Ram Care program bundling free oil changes and tire rotations was a Texas-only pilot, not a standard national perk. Owners elsewhere get only the standard 5 yr/60,000 mi roadside assistance that rides along with the powertrain warranty, no free service visits.

$48,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (51% retained, or about $24,735) leaves about $23,765 in depreciation. Add the projected $7,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $30,765 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2021 Ram 1500 as less reliable than the average new vehicle of its model year, flagging exhaust manifold bolt/stud failures on the 5.7L V8, electrical accessory faults (battery drain, keyless entry, power step), engine and transmission complaints, and rear-window water leaks causing electrical corrosion. This is partly offset by J.D. Power's generic predicted-reliability figure sitting near average, but the CR subscriber-survey signal — the more granular source for a 1-year-old truck — is clearly below-average.

Ram topped J.D. Power's 2021 Initial Quality Study (90-day problems), but IQS measures out-of-box defects, not multi-year dependability — Ram's J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study standing over the same period sits mid-pack among mainstream brands, not top-tier, and Consumer Reports' brand rankings place Stellantis-family brands including Ram in the bottom half. The two study types point in different directions, landing the brand in the mid-pack band.

The 2021 model year carries roughly 14-15 recalls logged against it, including a powertrain-safety campaign for engine stalling on 5.7L eTorque trucks (131,700 units, incorrect air/fuel mixture) and a later electronic stability control disablement campaign spanning over 1 million units across model years including 2021. A stalling recall and an ESC-disablement recall are both squarely in the 'major, powertrain/safety-system' category the scoring guidance calls out, not routine TSB-level activity.

The base 5.7L HEMI V8 is a proven, high-mileage-capable family dating to 2003, and the ZF 8HP75 8-speed automatic has a strong reputation for durability (owner reports of 200,000-500,000+ miles) when fluid/filter service is kept on ZF's recommended 60-75k mile interval. But the 48V eTorque mild-hybrid system layered on for this generation is newer technology with real reported failures — Motor Generator Unit replacements, battery drain, and parts-delay sidelining — and the 5.7L is separately dogged by chronic exhaust-manifold-stud breakage ('HEMI tick') from thermal cycling. Proven base components plus a newer bolt-on system with documented issues nets to the middle band rather than top-tier.

This generation's cabin is consistently singled out by reviewers as class-leading for the segment — soft-touch surfaces and switchgear that reviewers compare favorably to luxury vehicles on upper trims, with multiple outlets explicitly ranking it ahead of the Silverado and other full-size rivals on perceived quality for the price.

Ram was the #1-ranked brand overall in J.D. Power's 2021 Initial Quality Study (90-day problems-per-100), a strong, data-backed signal for assembly consistency and initial-quality defects specifically, ahead of every other brand including Lexus.

Ram shares the large nationwide Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealer footprint, giving broad geographic coverage, but 2021 was a rough year for the sales/service experience specifically: J.D. Power's 2021 Sales Satisfaction Index noted severe inventory shortages caused more shoppers to reject the Ram brand than any other domestic truck make, and contemporaneous dealer-service coverage placed Ram behind Ford and Toyota in service satisfaction. Adequate coverage with a mixed-to-below-average service reputation in this period lands it mid-pack.

RepairPal rates the Ram 1500 3.5/5 for reliability, ranking it 1st of 17 full-size trucks, with an average annual repair cost of $691 versus a $936 full-size-truck-segment average and low frequency of major repairs. A high-volume Chrysler/Mopar platform also carries a large aftermarket parts base, keeping routine parts normal-to-cheap relative to segment peers.

The volume Big Horn/Laramie Crew Cab comes standard with the 8.4-inch Uconnect 4 screen; the 12-inch Uconnect 4C NAV — a genuine segment leader at the time — is an option on Big Horn and standard from Limited/Longhorn up.

Uconnect 4C was widely regarded as the best system in the full-size truck class in 2021 — fast, logically laid out, with split-screen capability on the 12-inch unit and physical climate/volume controls retained beneath the screen.

Every 2021 Uconnect screen (5-, 8.4- and 12-inch) supported wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but Ram did not offer wireless phone projection as factory equipment on any 2021 trim — a genuine gap versus the redesigned 2021 F-150's available wireless SYNC 4 setup.

The 12-inch Uconnect 4C NAV includes built-in TomTom-based navigation and a capable voice-command system, but it's bundled with the optional/upper-trim screen rather than standard, and most owners still default to phone-projection navigation.

A 19-speaker, 900-watt Harman Kardon system (7 Unity speakers, 4 6x9 woofers, a 10-inch subwoofer) was available on Laramie, Rebel, Longhorn and Limited for 2021 — among the best audio packages in any truck of the period — with a 9-speaker Alpine system as the mid-tier step-up and an adequate base system on lower trims.

A 7-inch configurable TFT display sits between analog gauges on Laramie and up; lower volume trims (Big Horn) get a smaller monochrome display, so a meaningfully digital cluster is effectively an upper-trim feature in 2021 — well short of the full 12.3-inch digital cluster that arrived with the later refresh.

2021-model-year Uconnect systems receive infotainment and map software updates over a connected Wi-Fi network, but whole-vehicle module updates still typically required a dealer visit at this point in the Uconnect 4 era.

The SiriusXM Guardian app (1-year trial, then subscription) and Uconnect app cover remote start, lock/unlock, vehicle locate and health reports — solid core functionality, but it's subscription-gated after the trial and there's no phone-as-digital-key, which arrived only with the later Uconnect 5 generation.

USB-A ports are spread across the console, armrest and rear seat area, and a single Qi wireless charging pad is available on Laramie/Rebel/Limited trims — competent for the era, but all-USB-A (no USB-C) and a single charging pad versus the dual pads and abundant USB-C the later refresh added.

Keyless Enter 'n Go proximity entry and remote start are available from Big Horn up, with the base Tradesman retaining a traditional key — solid but not class-leading, and there is no phone-as-key for 2021.

A ParkView rear camera is standard across the lineup, and a 360-degree Surround View camera plus front/rear ParkSense sensors and Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist are available from Rebel/Laramie up — a strong parking-aid suite for the class, just not standard on the volume Big Horn.

New for 2021, Ram's full-color head-up display can show up to five content areas (lane departure, adaptive cruise, navigation, speed/gear, speed limit) and is configurable through the 12-inch screen — available from Big Horn up, not limited only to the top trim, though still an option rather than standard on the volume configuration.

Class-leading 45.2-inch rear legroom and tall, square Crew Cab doors make loading kids and gear easy day to day, but IIHS rated the LATCH anchor ease-of-use Marginal for 2021 due to lower-anchor accessibility and confusing hardware placement, and the open bed is no substitute for an enclosed cargo area for gear.

Strong crash credentials — 5-star NHTSA overall and an IIHS Top Safety Pick (with the optional front crash prevention required) — but the standard ADAS suite is thin on the family-friendly trims: Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus was standard only on Sport/Laramie/Rebel/Longhorn/Limited, not the base Tradesman or volume Big Horn.

One of the strongest family cabins in the 2021 half-ton class: a coil-sprung ride rated among the smoothest in the segment, a notably quiet cabin, class-leading rear legroom with a reclining rear bench, and available heated/cooled second-row seats. It lacks rear-seat entertainment and the bed isn't weatherproof without a tonneau cover.

The eTorque mild-hybrid system makes stop-start restarts nearly imperceptible and the light, accurate steering and smooth 8-speed automatic ease low-speed driving, but a 228.9-inch-long, 82.1-inch-wide crew cab is still a handful in tight daily traffic and parking structures.

The volume 5.7L HEMI eTorque 4x4 returns only 19 MPG combined with an estimated $4,000/year fuel cost — among the most expensive vehicles in the catalog to commute in, even if the lighter 3.6L V6 or diesel improve on that figure somewhat.

A full-size Crew Cab's footprint and a 46.2-ft curb-to-curb turning diameter make it genuinely oversized for city parking; a standard ParkView rear camera helps, and available ParkSense sensors, Park Assist and a 360-degree camera on upper trims narrow the gap, but the base Big Horn volume trim doesn't get the surround-view system.

12,750 lbs max towing and up to 2,300 lbs payload (in lighter configurations) are solid for a half-ton, backed by a genuine Trailer-Tow technology group and the class-exclusive RamBox for job-site cargo security — serious capability, though a 1500 still trails HD trucks for the heaviest work.

Ram topped J.D. Power's 2021 Initial Quality Study across all brands, a strong build-quality signal, but Consumer Reports rated predicted reliability below average and a later NHTSA campaign (23V-265) flagged 5.7L eTorque engine-stall risk affecting 2021 trucks — a real durability concern for hard-use buyers, not just an initial-quality one.

The class-exclusive RamBox lockable/drainable bedside bins, integrated bed tie-downs and RamBins, and the available 60/40 split-swing Multifunction Tailgate (trailer-friendly, 2,000-lb load rating, no need to unhitch) give 2021 buyers a rich set of job-site features; Ram's long-standing Mopar accessory and upfit ecosystem rounds it out.

A smooth, quiet highway ride and a 494-mile estimated driving range on the volume HEMI eTorque make this a capable mile-eater, aided by available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go; seat endurance is good but not segment-best, and range trails the EcoDiesel's much longer legs.

4x4 is available across Tradesman–Limited and standard on Rebel, with a two-speed transfer case, locking rear differential, and genuine off-road hardware on Rebel; 2021 is also the launch year of the 702-hp TRX, giving the lineup a true desert-running halo model on top of strong tow ratings for hauling toys.

An open bed with up to 61.5 cu ft of volume, RamBox lockable side storage, available bed-mounted tie-downs, and the Multifunction Tailgate for easier loading make this exceptionally flexible for bulky gear, though an open bed still can't match an SUV's weatherproof cargo hold for sensitive equipment.

The standard coil-spring rear suspension (air suspension optional) gives the 2021 Ram 1500 the best body control and bump composure in the half-ton class — a genuine advantage over leaf-sprung rivals — but it remains a tall, heavy pickup rather than an engaging one to corner.

The electric power steering is accurate, stable on-center, and light for easy maneuvering, but it's well isolated and conveys little genuine road feedback — precise enough for daily use, but numb.

Braking is stable and straight-line confident with no reported fade issues, typical of the class; no 2021-specific instrumented stopping-distance test was found, so this carries over the DT generation's established mid-pack reputation for stopping power and pedal feel.

The 5.7L HEMI eTorque's 48-volt belt-starter system makes engine stop-start restarts and light cruising assist nearly imperceptible, and the smooth 8-speed automatic pairs well with it; the returning EcoDiesel was also praised as refined for a diesel, while the base Pentastar V6 is coarser under load.

The 5.7L HEMI V8 offers a pleasant, characterful exhaust note under load that reviewers have since preferred to the turbocharged six that replaced it in later model years, and cylinder-deactivation vibration is well isolated by active noise cancellation.

The volume Crew Cab short-box configuration turns about as tightly as rival full-size half-tons with a similar wheelbase.

A class-benchmark cabin for 2021: wide front-seat travel (8.7 in) and a 71-degree total recliner range, a commanding view over traffic, and physical climate and volume controls kept separate from the touchscreen. A high step-in and thick pillars are the main demerits.

The volume HEMI eTorque 4x4 is brisk for a full-size truck (roughly 6.1 s to 60) with genuine V8 character and sound, making it more engaging than most rivals' base engines, even though the comfort-first chassis tuning keeps it well short of outright fun; the new-for-2021 702-hp TRX is the halo model that delivers real excitement.

The 2021 Tradesman work truck is genuinely basic — vinyl flooring, a small touchscreen, manual seats — but the volume Big Horn/Lone Star steps up with an 8.4-inch Uconnect 4 touchscreen, remote start, proximity entry, LED running lights and the core active-safety suite as standard or low-cost options, which is competitive for the segment without being class-leading. Ford's XLT SuperCrew and Chevrolet's LT Crew offer similar content at similar price points for 2021, so Ram neither undercuts nor beats rivals meaningfully here.

At the Big Horn/Laramie price point where most 1500s actually sell, reviewers in 2021 consistently called the Ram the best interior and smoothest ride for the money in the class — the coil-sprung (optionally air-sprung) rear suspension and upscale cabin materials outclass what the F-150 and Silverado offer at comparable money. It lands in the upper-middle band rather than the top because the segment-worst resale (5.1.4) and above-average running costs (5.1.3) claw back some of that up-front value over an ownership cycle.

2021 fields nine trims — Tradesman, HFE, Big Horn, Lone Star, Laramie, Rebel, Longhorn, Limited, and the all-new TRX — spanning a low-$30,000s work truck to a 702-hp off-road halo near $90,000, plus four distinct powertrains (Pentastar V6, HEMI V8, the returning EcoDiesel, and the TRX's supercharged HEMI). Body configuration is the one limitation: no regular cab and no 8-foot bed, since the DT generation offers only Quad Cab and Crew Cab.

Ram sold 569,388 1500 pickups in calendar 2021, the second-best-selling individual full-size truck nameplate — behind the Ford F-Series (726,004) but ahead of the Chevrolet Silverado counted on its own (529,765), and Ram won the individual-nameplate sales race outright in Q2 2021. That is a strong, acceptance-confirming result even though GM's Silverado+Sierra combined volume still edges Ram when counted together.

By 2021 Ram had built genuine aspirational equity since splitting from Dodge in 2010, reinforced by three straight MotorTrend 'of the Year' truck wins (1500 in 2019, Heavy Duty in 2020, TRX in 2021) — an unprecedented streak that gave the brand real halo value heading into the model year. That is tempered by Ram/FCA sitting in the lower half of brand reliability perception studies of the era, which caps it below the strongest truck brands.

Real incentives were available on 2021 Big Horn models — stacked retail cash, trim-specific bonus cash and Chrysler Capital financing offers totaling up to several thousand dollars — and Edmunds measured an average $3,456 (about 7%) dealer discount off MSRP in August 2021. That is meaningfully buyer-friendly, though 2021's chip-shortage inventory crunch kept discounting well below Ram's more aggressive incentive years before and after.

The DT-generation 1500 launched for MY2019, so 2021 is only its third model year — current platform tech throughout, plus the return of the EcoDiesel and the debut of the 702-hp TRX keep the lineup feeling actively expanded rather than merely carried over. It isn't in the top band because 2021 itself is a largely carry-over year for the mainstream trims with no major redesign.

2021 capped an unprecedented run for Ram: the 1500 TRX was named MotorTrend's 2021 Truck of the Year, following the standard 1500's win in 2019 and the Heavy Duty's win in 2020 — three consecutive 'of the Year' wins for one truck brand, a first in the award's history. The lineup was also a frequent comparison-test pick for ride and interior quality through the model year.