# There's Lots to Love with the 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 Truck *By Dave Taylor, menwhoblog.com — Updated February 2026* Written by: [Dave Taylor](https://menwhoblog.com/dave-taylor.html) Last Updated: 24 February 2026 New!Hits: 5Reading time: 07:51 You have to go back quite a few years to find the origin of the Ram 1500 pickup. It was back in 1981 that Dodge introduced the first D150 "Ram" half-ton pickup truck. This was later renamed the Dodge Ram 1500 as part of its 1994 redesign, and, after Chrysler spun out Ram as its own brand in 2009, the truck became the Ram 1500 pickup. Ford already had the F-150 and Dodge likely didn't want there to be too much customer confusion, which is why I suspect we didn't end up with a Ram 150, but a Ram 1500. The extra zero avoided confusion and had the nice side-effect of making it seem bigger and more rugged. Modern drivers wouldn't even recognize that original [D150](https://www.motoexotica.com/vehicles/4509/1981-dodge-d150-royal-half-ton) because it was incredibly utilitarian, with a body-on-frame design, targeting function and durability. Gen 2 was when the "Ram 1500" name appeared. The redesign added a more aerodynamic design and improved suspension, making it a bit more like a car. Gen 3 gave it more brawn and emphasized higher end trim levels like "Laramie" which offered leather seats and wood accents. 2026 continues the Gen 5 refinements of this popular pickup truck, with updated tech, connectivity, and new powertrain options. You can even get a mild hybrid or, soon, a fully electric version (announced, not shipping) of the [Ram](https://www.ramtrucks.com/) 1500 now! Most importantly, the interior keeps getting better year over year. A friend has a 2012 Ram 1500 and it's as utilitarian a farm truck as you can imagine, light years in design from the beautiful 2026 Ram 1500. When I was loaned a [**2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 Pickup Truck**](https://www.ramtrucks.com/ram-1500/specs.big-horn.html), I expected a reasonable level of luxury, but even I was surprised by the improvements... As you can see, it has lots of curb appeal. It weighs in at 5,400 pounds. This is Granite Crystal Metallic, with a Black Interior, powered by a peppy 3.0L inline-6 Hurricane SO Twin Turbo engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. The Crew Cab is roomy, even if it shrinks down the pickup bed to a relatively short 5-foot, 7-inch short bed. Enough to be useful, but the non-Crew Cab with a longer bed would be the best if you were involved in a lot of hauling. Speaking of which, the configuration that Ram dropped off lacked a truck bed liner, which seemed unusual: As you can see in this photo, it meant that there were a lot of bolt holes in the back. Disconcerting, but not inherently risky as the entire truck is designed to be protected from corrosion. Still, aesthetically, those spray-in liners are pretty darn nice and I missed having one. Back to the interior! It's hard to miss the 12-inch touch screen display at the center of the dashboard: With its vertical orientation, it's like having a full-size Apple iPad to manage all the typical infotainment tasks. It's a nice, functionally designed dash layout, with controls logically located. The gearshift, however, is a knob, by the driver's right knee, rather than an actual shifter. This frees up the center console to be just storage, which it does quite well. Adjacent to the shift knob are the drive mode options (remember, this is a 4x4): Simple and easy to use. Too many 4x4 and 4WD vehicles move those options to the driver's left knee area of the lower dash, making them hard to see and manage while in motion, so props to Ram for this layout. There are redundant climate controls both on the infotainment screen and with the buttons on the left and right edge of the display. I found it a bit tricky to get the interior temperature to my liking as we went through exceptionally warm days in the 60ºs and very cold mornings in the sub-freezing zone. One of the major views in the Uconnect infotainment screen is "Comfort", offering yet another view of these important controls. One of the big trends in the automotive industry is the move away from discrete, single function buttons and knobs, moving users to rely on the infotainment screen instead. Ram isn't following that trend, however, as is obvious by the many buttons on the steering wheel control area: Not many vehicles nowadays have "overflow" buttons along the edges of the main section in addition to the left and right control areas, but once you become familiar with the button layout, it's nice to know everything's easily accessible. However, the [Ram 1500](https://www.ramtrucks.com/ram-1500/specs.big-horn.html) also had the behind-the-steering wheel volume and track controls, which I'm not a fan of; the only way to tell which is which is through trial and error, which is clumsy. On the other hand, see that little "Gear Limit" button on the lower right? It and its adjacent "+" and "-" are an interesting way to manage your maximum allowed gear. Slippery conditions, a long downhill, even towing might offer situations where sticking to the lower six gears - or even fewer - can offer better traction and safety, and these allow that level of control. It is not, however, a faux manual transmission and the safety systems will still be ensuring you don't rev too high. Between the driver and front passenger is an enormous center console that's surprisingly flexible, with layers of storage and a handy Qi charging pad, along with lots of USB ports. I tried out a dashcam that required a 12V plug and, after a bit of hunting, found it located at the very top of the dashboard. Smart. The main gauge display made it very easy to focus on what was important, offering information like a tachometer as a linear display (along the bottom), but it was primarily focused on showing your current speed. I missed having a small speed limit indicator on this display - a common feature on other vehicles nowadays - but otherwise found it to again be simple and straightforward. Which brings us to fuel efficiency. With the inline-6 3.0L engine, the EPA estimates are 18/24 for an average of 20 mpg, but I averaged closer to 18 miles per gallon of gas. Not unusual for its class (the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and GMC Sierra 1500 are all in the same ballpark +/- 2 mpg) but if you're hauling gear all over the place, the appeal of the upcoming EV edition is clear. The Ram 1500 has decent, but not best in class towing capabilities: Up to 11,610 pounds towing, when properly equipped, and a max payload in the back bed of 1,930 pounds. Without anything in the bed or hooked to the hitch, the truck offered a pleasant, responsive drive experience, with good cornering and reasonable maneuverability. It is wonderfully comfortable inside and feels luxurious and quite roomy. [Pickup trucks](https://menwhoblog.com/blog/why-trucks-are-so-expensive.html) have come a long way from those 1980s workhorses, that's for sure. One of my favorite features was the rear fold-up 60/40 bench seat. In the above, the closer seat is folded up, while the further seat is down, showing good legroom. These might not be the most comfortable rear seats, but they're entirely functional and the ease of moving them out of the way is fantastic for many owners. This would, for example, be great for a big dog with the addition of a towel or even a dog bed. The truck included 2nd-row in-floor storage bins, but I didn't hunt for them; presumably they'd be under the mats. The rear truck bed isn't incredibly long, as mentioned earlier, but it's still a good size - and width - for basic hauling needs. The tailgate was a straightforward one with no secret compartments, built-in stereo system or anything else flashy. You can opt for a retractable step that hides under the bumper, if desired. The one feature that I found lacking wasn't related to the tailgate or the truck bed, actually, it was the door lock mechanism. More specifically, the Proximity Entry feature that adds touch sensors to the door handle so you can unlock or lock the vehicle while keeping the key fob in your purse or pocket. Without that, I was constantly pulling the key fob out and pushing buttons, which seemed quite clumsy. It is, however, a common omission with lower trim levels for this class of vehicle. My suggestion: pay the extra money for the Remote Start and Security Alarm option, which will add the Proximity Entry feature. I quite enjoyed my week with the Big Horn 1500 truck, and was surprised at the interest level other folk had. My 21 year old daughter loved it and kept going on about how she really wishes she could afford one because she sees herself as a "truck girl". It's a great mashup of tough, capable truck and comfortable, roomy interior, with a fun drive experience, even with the i6 engine. If you're thinking about a pickup truck, this one deserves to be on your list for a test drive. **[2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 Pickup Truck](https://www.ramtrucks.com/ram-1500/specs.big-horn.html), powered by a 3.0L i6 Hurricane SO with Twin Turbo and 8-speed automatic transmission. BASE PRICE: $52,430.00. Options Included: Towing Tech Group, Sport Appearance Package, Trailer-Tow Group, Big Horn Level 2 Equipment Group, Front and Rear Rubber Mats, 3.92 Rear Axle Ratio, 3.0L i6 Hurricane SO, Cluster with 12-inch TFT Color Display, Surround-View Camera System. AS DRIVEN: $64,385.00.** *Disclosure: Ram loaned me the 1500 pickup for a week in return for this candid write-up. This article was originally published on [PlanetDave.com](https://planetdave.com/) with the title [Lots to Love with the 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 Truck](https://planetdave.com/2026/02/lots-to-love-with-the-2026-ram-1500-big-horn-crew-cab-4x4-truck/) and is republished with permission of the author.* **Hey Dave Taylor wants you to share this!**   --- {"html":""} --- ---   Written by: [Dave Taylor](https://menwhoblog.com/dave-taylor.html) #MenWhoBlog MemberBlog MasterThought Leader Dave Taylor has been blogging and writing about cars for many years. He's a dad who survived raising three children and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, where he's surrounded by natural beauty and tons of electronic gear. You can find him at AskDaveTaylor.com or PlanetDave.com. ### Cruises and Resorts Thinking about a cruise or all-inclusive resort vacation? We can help you plan your dream getaway ... 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