2017 Ram Power Wagon Review: The Off-Road Ready Vehicle That Can Tow More Than 10,000 Pounds

Mar 02, 2017 06:00 AM EST | Andrew Davis

The Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4X4 grew up to be the 2017 Ram Power Wagon, but with the looks of the Rebel. Although it has the same powertrain and running gear of the 2017 Ram Power Wagon, it is more than meets the eye. Let's dissect this monstrous truck.

The 2017 Ram Power Wagon is the only off-road performance model that was based on a heavy-duty truck as other off-road pickups were based on smaller half-ton or midsize models. Thus, Ram believes that the 2017 Power Wagon can out do competition when it comes to off-roading.

Engine. Underneath the hood of what looks like Darth Vader's helmet of a grille is a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine, which was also in the 2016 Power Wagon. It puts out 410 hp at 5,600 rpm and 429 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.

And it is hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission. But obviously, it is 4WD. In fact, its stout rear axle ratio is a 4.10, which assists the V8 engine in making most of the torque.

This means that the Power Wagon has a recognizable surge of acceleration under heavy throttle from low speeds. However, there is a major downfall with the truck's transmission as it has a slow response to manual inputs for gear changes.

Hill Descent Control, on the other hand, does an amazing job, without you even touching the brakes. In fact, you can control the speed of the Hill Descent using the up and down button in the transmission, because sometimes, you just simply need to go a bit faster.

But it's towing capacity makes up for this. Not only is this vehicle off-road ready, it can tow 10,030 pounds. 

Exterior.

Digital Trends pointed out that since the 2017 Ram Power Wagon has taken the styling of the Rebel, it now looks as if it is wearing pieces of Darth Vader's mask. The changes in styling include powered-coated bumpers, black wheels, nostril-style grille, smoked headlights, and a showy badging.

Basically, it has now a loud styling that is the trend in most trucks in the market. Also, a two-tone graphics package is available which includes a black lower-body striping and vertical "Power Wagon" lettering just behind the cab.

Interior.

Ram has taken the interior of the Rebel into the Power Wagon, including anodized aluminum accents around the dashboard. According to TopSpeed, the 2017 Ram Power Wagon is only available in the Crew Cab, Short Bed configuration with the 40/20/40 split front bench seat.

Verdict. Overall, the 2017 Ram Power Wagon is a truck that is for heavy hauling. It can carry 1,510 lbs worth of payload in its bed or tow a 10,030-pound trailer and is completely capable of going off the totally beaten path. Check out the video below to see how the Power Wagon performs in a Nevada climb and descent. And it's base price is $51,695.

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