Get ready ... when the light turns green, just stomp the go-pedal and hang on.
When it comes to high-performance, trophy truck-inspired pickups, the 2021 Ram TRX is the behemoth at the top of the food chain. That's largely thanks to the 6.2L supercharged Hemi hellcat heart that produces 702-horsepower, 650-lb-ft of torque, and a soul-soothing concert of blower-wined grunt. However, there's so much more engineering going on here, it wouldn't be right not to notice.
Let's get some of the seemingly obvious out of the way. The TRX is blistering from a dig regardless if you use "launch mode" or not. When the light turns green, just stomp the go-pedal and hang on. The truck will squat, growl, grapple, and slingshot you to arrest-worthy speeds in a matter of seconds. It's theatrical, it's forceful, and for many—it'll be the fastest vehicle they've ever been in.
Then you begin to realize, a vehicle this large is intimidating, and this off-road capable shouldn't be able to do that—but it does. Off the tarmac, things get even better. The TRX's 13-inches of suspension travel, 35-inch all-terrain tires, and Bilstein remote-reservoir dampers make traveling down dirt roads at a respectable clip an effortless endeavor. When the trail gets rocky, the TRX and its heavily protected undercarriage can crawl well enough to conquer most trails—but at 8-inches wider than a normal 1500, I'd be hesitant to take it on some of Colorado's narrow-ledge trails. That being said, just do your research beforehand.
When it's time to behave, the TRX is a perfectly docile, well-trained pit bull with all of the creature comforts of a normal high-end Ram. For what it is, the ride is impressive, the cabin is comfortable and quiet when you're not on the throttle, and the tech—like the top-down 360-view camera, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring—is right up there with the best. Ram even gets extra points for including six surplus auxiliary buttons for off-road accessories. Commuting on curvy sections of mountain roads doesn't seem to upset it either. That's why the TRX is so much more than just a big heart.
If there are any drawbacks, it's these: there's no 2-wheel drive option, which could've made things even more interesting, if not, downright dangerous. The heads-up display can be difficult to read with sunglasses on, albeit that's a very paltry criticism. The TRX's proportions mean it might not fit in your average garage. And you'll often hear very left-brain dominant people offer their criticisms on the TRX's lack of practicality, especially when it comes to fuel economy.
But you don't purchase a TRX for that. You purchase a TRX because it gives you license to unapologetically act the same age as your MPG. In my case, that was about 10. The "Fountain of Youth" is still lore, but until it's found the TRX is the next best thing.
Starting at $70k MSRP the TRX is far from rational, but for the level of performance, refinement, and personality—it's a fantastic value that blends sheer old-school supercharged grunt with class-leading refinement and off-road prowess. Now, let's see if the others can keep up.
*All photos courtesy of Jeff Erbert
Have you taken the TRX for a test drive or better yet, do you own one? Let us know what you think in the comments.
