2015 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: The Only Real Off-Road Truck On The Market

Nowadays, there are a lot of vehicles trying to portray themselves as off-roaders: from the Jeep Renegade to the Volvo XC70, the Beetle Dune and a large throng of pseudo-SUVs, it seems like every single crossover wants to offer the image of freedom and adventure that comes with some real off-road capabilities.

However, while those poseurs can give you an idea of what it would LOOK like if you drove a real 4x4, only two vehicles on the market will give you the full experience: the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, and the Ram 2500 Power Wagon.

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Like the trucks of yore

Today's off-road SUVs pamper you: you get automatic ride control, electronic transfer cases, terrain selectors that change the traction control's settings... You don't get any of those in the Ram Power Wagon. Based on the Ram HD 2500, this truck is fitted with a wide array of goodies designed to go anywhere WITHOUT doing the job for you: a pair of beefy differentials (with a 4.10 ratio in the rear), a larger alternator, a set of Bilstein monotube shocks, a manual transfer case that you can shift on the fly to engage four-wheel drive, tow hooks, disconnecting stabilizer bars, skid plates, flared wheel arches and a set of knobby BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires. It's also the only vehicle to come standard with a Warn winch. Oh, and the easiest way to spot a Power Wagon (apart from the crazy ride height) is the stickers plastered on the sides of the truck.

Another important point is that the Power Wagon is not a cozy, crazily well-appointed vehicle. While it sits between the Outdoorsman and the Laramie price-wise, it doesn't have a lot of luxury amenities: the Power Wagon has a bench seat, an interior covered in cloth and a very basic sound system. It does however feature a five-inch Uconnect infotainment system, as well as a pair of projector headlamps with LED accents; this last item may seem like a luxury, but trust me: when you find yourself lost in the middle of the forest and the sun is going down quickly, you'll be happy to have all the light you can get.

Always off-roading... even on the road

Driving the Power Wagon is a throwback to the era of mechanical 4x4s. The ride is super harsh – even for an HD pickup truck – thanks to those BFGoodrich tires that are designed to survive sharp rocks. The truck is huge and not suited to being driven in traffic and the fuel consumption is absolutely horrendous: even in 2WD mode, driving conservatively, I had trouble eking out anything under 20 litres per 100 km (and around 28 litres/100 km during an off-road expedition). This can be attributed not only to the 4.10 ratio of the rear differential, but also to the tires.

However, the main culprit is the 6.4-litre Hemi V8 under the hood and the six-speed automatic transmission it’s fitted to. In my opinion, the Cummins diesel engine would have been a much better fit here, but there are a few very good reasons this did not happen: not only would the added weight on the front axle make for a very front-heavy off-roader, but the powerplant would have come at a hefty price – figure around $11,500 extra.

But driving on the road isn't what the Power Wagon was built for; it was designed to conquer every single obstacle you could throw at it. During my week with the truck, I went out of my way to find the harshest trails, the deepest mud pits and the steepest mountains; none of these could so much as slow the Ram, let alone stump it. However, this is not an off-roader that does the job for you; you have to be aware of your surroundings at all times, plan your path and manage your speed. The low range in the transfer case is geared so low that the truck can crawl at 1-2 km/h, and the disconnecting front stabilizer bar gives you enough articulation to get over anything.

I have but one complaint about the Power Wagon's off-road capabilities: the lower part of the shiny front bumper is a flimsy little plastic lip designed to improve fuel economy (either it is failing miserably at its job, or this truck would be even thirstier without it... which is a scary thought). This lip is the first thing that will get battered if you hit something, and since it is held on by push-pins, expect it to fall off. I would recommend removing it if you plan on taking the truck off the beaten path.

The perfect truck... but for who?

The biggest gripe I have about the Power Wagon isn't its ridiculous fuel economy or its antisocial behaviour on the road... It's its target audience. Even though it isn't the most expensive truck in the line-up – starting at $56,395 – its running costs are enough to prevent weekend warriors from using it as a daily driver. Successful business owners might be interested, but it lacks the luxury equipment of other trucks.

In the end though, I'm glad the Power Wagon exists; in our world of fake off-roaders and SUVs designed to go to the mall, this no-compromise exploration machine stands out in the best of ways.

And it has a winch!