Ram is bouncing back from a tough sales year with a wave of new products, and leading the charge is a fresh trim for its full-size pickup. Meet the Ram 1500 Express—designed to bring much-needed energy and appeal to the lineup.
The Express name isn’t new; it dates back to a 1939 Dodge pickup. It returns with a modern edge, offering bold styling without pushing past budget limits.
This new trim delivers what the Ram 1500 has been missing: a sharp, compelling option that combines looks and value. It’s Ram’s way of proving that affordable doesn’t have to mean ordinary.
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Key Takeaways
- Ram just dropped a new 1500 trim—the 1500 Express—and it’s bringing serious attitude.
- Designed to look bold and a little bit mean, this one’s all about style with edge.
- It sits just above the entry-level Tradesman and kicks off at around $42,000.
- Expect to see it roll into dealerships in late 2025 as part of the 2026 lineup.
Sorry, No Hemi—the 1500 Express Skips the V8
There’s been plenty of buzz about Ram possibly bringing back the Hemi V8—but not this time. The new Ram 1500 Express skips the Hemi and instead starts with a 3.5-liter Pentastar V6 pushing out 305 horsepower.
For more muscle, buyers can step up to the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six, delivering a solid 420 horsepower. You can get it in either Crew Cab or Quad Cab, with the choice of 2WD or 4WD.
Even with its bold looks, the Express doesn’t skimp on safety—it comes standard with Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Pedestrian Emergency Braking. And if towing is a priority, the top-rated setup (2WD Quad Cab with the Hurricane engine) can haul up to 11,550 pounds.
Style Check: What the 2026 Ram 1500 Express Packs on the Outside
The Ram 1500 Express is all about bold, no-nonsense style. It ditches the badges and goes full monochrome for a clean, aggressive look.
Buyers can choose from colors like Diamond Black, Bright White, Granite Crystal, Forged Blue, and Hydro Blue. No matter the shade, it’s paired with gloss black grille surrounds and body-colored bumpers for a sleek finish.
You also get 20-inch wheels, black bezel LED headlights, and interior touches in Liquid Graphite and Gridiron tones. It’s not as luxurious as the high-end Tungsten trim, but it definitely brings more flair than the Lone Star.
Want to dial up the attitude even more? The Ram 1500 Black Express package lets you do just that for an extra $995.
It adds a sport hood, blacked-out badging, black 20-inch wheels, and side steps for a tougher stance. Inside, you get black cloth bucket seats and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, plus LED foglamps to finish the look.
How Much Will the 2026 Ram 1500 Express Set You Back?
The 2025 Ram 1500 Express kicks off at $42,000 MSRP for the Quad Cab 2WD model. With the $2,095 destination charge, that brings the base price to $44,495.
Here’s a quick look at the pricing for the 2026 Ram 1500 Express (including destination):
- Quad Cab 2WD: $44,495
- Crew Cab 2WD: $47,245
- Quad Cab 4WD: $48,345
- Crew Cab 4WD: $51,095
Ram’s already taking orders for the 2026 model, with trucks expected to hit dealerships in Q3 2025.
How-To Geek’s Take
The Ram lineup used to have a big gap between the base Tradesman and the $54,505 Warlock, with the Lone Star trying to fill that space. The new 1500 Express is here to offer something more youthful, aggressive, and still affordable by full-size pickup standards.
Back in the 2010s, the 1500 Express made up about 20% of the 1500’s sales, and Ram expects it to play a similar high-volume role this time around. It’s not part of Ram’s huge product push, though, with 25 launches planned in just 18 months, including electric and EREV versions of the 1500, plus a new midsize truck, starting June 8, 2025.
Source: Stellantis, TopSpeed
