2021 RAM 1500: All Trims Explained
Posted on March 11, 2021
A perennial favourite on the CarHub North York and CarHub Caledon lots is the 2021 RAM 1500. A classic combination of power and innovation, the Ram 1500 continues to impress year in and year out with its newest iterations. Customer reviews say the same: RAM 1500 drivers are fanatic about their 1500s.
As the winner of not one, but two Autotrader.ca Awards, for Best Overall Truck and Best Heavy Duty Truck for 2021, the critics feel the same. It also has the distinction of being named Motortrend’s Truck of the Year three years running, for 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.
How are those for credentials??
Whether you’re a RAM 1500 enthusiast or a newcomer to the glories of the RAM 1500, a refresher of the many offerings within the RAM 1500 trim levels is in order. Luckily for you, the CarHub team has compiled a handy list for you of all of the trim levels offered with the 1500 line and some explanation about what you can expect from each example of trim level. Every trim level within the RAM 1500 line brings its own unique set of incredible features to the table but it’s best to know what the options are so that you can accurately choose the RAM 1500 that’s perfect for you.
If you are not sure what exactly does car trim mean, then check out our blog on car trim explanation.
2021 RAM 1500 vs. 2021 RAM 1500 Classic
Are you more of an enthusiast? Or do you prefer to see some innovation in your vehicle choices? The RAM 1500 currently comes with two offerings, the RAM 1500 and the RAM 1500 Classic.
Fans of the tried and true versions of the RAM 1500 rejoice at the idea of being able to procure the truck that has served them so well for so long. Those amongst us who are drawn to the new-fangled will gravitate toward the RAM 1500 line.
The RAM 1500 Classic is reminiscent of the truck that RAM offered between 2009 and 2019. This is a fantastic, budget-friendly option of the RAM 1500 that is renowned for being excellent value for the cost.
The RAM 1500 is based on a redesign from 2019 until the present. Both offerings offer best-in-class design, the choice of one or the other comes down more to personal preference than anything else. And the price, of course. The RAM 1500 will set you back a bit more but depending on your taste it may be more than worth it. It’s worth noting that in previous years the RAM 1500 Classic was called the DS line and the RAM 1500 was called the DT line.
Now for the rundown. It’s best to remember that these vehicles can be customized in any number of fantastic ways depending on your preference. For the basics though, you’re looking at no less than eight trim levels in the 2021 RAM 1500, the Tradesman, Big Horn, Sport, Rebel, Laramie, Limited Longhorn, Limited and TRX.
So many options! Let’s dig into a little bit of what you’ll get from each, shall we?
Tradesman
The base level in the RAM 1500 is far from base in any normal respect, with offerings that would make the work trucks of yesterday seem like horse carriages in comparison. You’re going to get some standard offerings, such as a 40/20/20 split-bench and a vinyl floor covering for those muddy work boots.
You’ll also get some standard bells and whistles inside like a 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, a six-speaker car sound system, remote USB port, and rear back-up camera. The exterior of the RAM 1500 Tradesman will have you looking at 18-inch steel wheels. It’s rated for a towing capacity of 7,730 lbs and a max payload of 2100 lbs, so you’ve got the power under the hood to get almost every job done right.
The exterior of the Ram 1500 Tradesman is equipped with 18-inch steel wheels and all-season tires for maximum control. It also comes with a seven-pin wiring harness and an optional Class III receiver hitch. The Tradesman is rated for maximum towing of up to 7,730 pounds standard, while you can have a maximum payload of 2,100 pounds.
The Tradesman comes with three available engines, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 and the 5.7L HEMI V8, all of which make the Tradesman growl when you mash that gas pedal to the floor.
Highlights:
-easy to clean vinyl floor covering
- standard push-button start
-automatic quad-halogen headlamps
-18-inch steel wheels with 275/65R18 BSW All-Season Tires
-3.6 Pentastar VVT V6 engine with eTorque
-8-speed automatic transmission
Big Horn
Stepping up a notch to the Big Horn gets you the same solid build as the Tradesman with a few perks to sweeten the deal. You’re going to get chrome on the bumpers, grille, and door handles and the option to upgrade to an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with Uconnect. You’re also going to get fog lamps and turn signal lights on the heated side-view mirrors.
The Big Horn will give you an optional sunroof and blind-spot monitoring and storage in the doors and center cushion give you more space to stash your personal effects. Remote start is available in this trim level, so you can ensure that your cabin is toasty before you set foot in it. The Big Horn is available with a gas V6 engine or a gas HEMI V8 engine.
Highlights:
18-inch aluminum wheels with 275/65R18 BSW All-Season Tires
-Large tow hook openings for easier access
-Quad halogen headlamps
-three USB ports - two on the lower left and one in the upper lid of the bench seat
-3.6 Pentastar VVT V6 engine
-8-speed automatic transmission
-Optional led headlights
Sport
Exclusive to Canada, the Sport is consistently one of the most popular trims in the 1500 line. There’s no option for a V6 engine here, and no e-torque, just a good, old-fashioned Hemi V8, the type of girthy engine that’s sure to handle any job that you can throw at it.
The Sport trim allows for a multifunction tailgate (it’s optional on most trim levels) which allows for it to be opened laterally rather than just vertically. You’ll get twenty-inch, painted aluminum wheels on this trim model, as well as LED lights on the front and rear of the vehicle.
A minor upgrade will get you the twelve-inch infotainment unit loaded up with the Uconnect system. The amenities abound in the cabin of the Sport, including heated seats and a heated steering wheel. The bucket seats come available with cloth or leather coverings.
Highlights:
-20-inch black aluminum wheels with 275/55R20 OWL all-season tires
- heated front seats and steering wheel
-Uconnect 4 multimedia Centre
-Forward collision warning with active braking
-5.7 HEMI VVT V8 engine with fuelsaver MDS
-8-speed automatic transmission
Rebel
The Rebel trim brings all of the amenities of other trim models to the fore and adds some treats to kick up the already impressive durability of this example of the 1500. If you’re the type who likes to take your truck off of the beaten path to see how it handles some more rugged terrain, the RAM 1500 Rebel may be the model for you. It sees the introduction of hill descent control, electronic rear differential and skid plates on the undercarriage of the vehicle, so all of your bases are covered if you want to take your RAM 1500 Rebel out for some off-roading. The Rebel offers both Quad and Crew cab options and when you choose the Quad cab, you’ll have 4x4 as a standard feature in the Rebel. The sport performance hood ups the rugged appearance of the Rebel. If anyone questioned whether the RAM 1500 meant serious business before, the rugged appearance of the Rebel would put any notion of that question to rest.
A few more bells and whistles to sweeten the deal include LED headlamps, taillamps, and fog lights and driver’s seat eight-way power with four-way power lumbar adjustment.
Highlights:
-black interior trim with red accents and Rebel specific door trim panels and floor mats
-vented performance hood and black powdered bumpers
-electronic locking rear axle (ELocker)
-Bilstein off-road shocks
-5.7 HEMI VVT V8 engine with fuelsaver MDS or EcoDiesel
-8-speed automatic transmission
Laramie
With a price point similar to the Rebel, the Laramie ups the luxury while dialing back some of the emphasis on off-roading.
You’ll find a 115-volt auxiliary rear power outlet and heated and ventilated power seats with driver-side memory on the Laramie trim. You’ll also get a rear window defroster and standard leather bench seating, which kicks up the general aesthetic of the cabin. The 8.4-inch infotainment touch screen complete with Uconnect and an available upgrade to a twelve-inch version is standard in the Laramie. The Laramie sees the availability of running boards, a first for a trim level in the 1500.
The Laramie is the first trim in the line to offer real barn wood accents in the cab and premium, Italian, Nappa leather on the seats, dash and steering wheel. The genuine wood laid into the dashboard has the word ‘Laramie’ branded directly into it.
Features such as the barn wood accents and leather wrapping need to be experienced to be understood. Words on a page won’t do them justice. When people come into the CarHub showroom looking for their next RAM 1500, it often takes a test drive in a truck with luxury accents for them to fully get how these items enhance the driving experience.
The Laramie is also the first member of the 1500 group that sees an eTorque Hemi V8 as an option for under the hood, along with the standard V8 and the EcoDiesel options.
Highlights:
-Black leather-faced seats with perforated inserts and standard front bench seat
-18-inch aluminum wheels with 275/65R18 BSW All-Season Tires
-10 amplified speakers including a subwoofer
-chrome badging, front and rear bumpers, grille, door handles and headlamp bezels
-5.7 HEMI VVT V8 engine with fuelsaver MDS
-8-speed automatic transmission
Limited Longhorn
In the Longhorn, you’ll start to see a difference in the outer appearance of the truck. The fascia gets an update from the other trims in the line due largely to a reshaping of the headlamps to thin, LEDs. The Longhorn also sees a smattering of chrome added to the truck, with chrome tow hooks, side steps and grille. You’ll also get rain-sensing wipers on the Longhorn, which is a handy little amenity that works to keep your windshield clean and clear for maximum safety.
The twelve-inch infotainment display is also evident in this trim and heated second-row seats appear for the first time in the RAM 1500 trim line. Twenty-inch aluminum wheels are the standard on the Longhorn.
Highlights:
-Limited Longhorn Badge
-Available 22-inch polished aluminum wheels
-premium full-leather seats and reconfigurable center console
-rubber slush mats with removable carpet inserts
-5.7 HEMI VVT V8 engine with fuelsaver MDS
-8-speed automatic transmission
Limited
The Limited kicks up the 1500 line with even more luxury. For a truck that any working person would be happy with on a job site, the Limited is as kitted out with comforts as any luxury car worth it's salt. It comes with standard four-corner air suspension, chrome mouldings and twenty-inch polished aluminum wheels, for starters.
On the interior, heated and ventilated seats in the front and rear are standard fare. An option to add an indigo blue element to the cabin is unique to this trim and it adds a splash of fun to the regular staid appearance of pickup truck interiors. You’ll find the twelve-inch infotainment touch screen standard and an option for a nineteen-speaker Harman Kardon sound system so that you can ride in style with your volume on high if that’s the type of thing that you’d like to do in your work truck.
The Limited comes standard with a Hemi V8 or an EcoDiesel engine, as well as a bundle package of advanced brake assist, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning. Towing capacity is the highest of the trims in the RAM 1500 line at 8,420 pounds. In other words, it’s got the muscle to haul a heavy load.
Highlights
-12-way power seats with four-way lumbar adjustment
-twelve-inch touchscreen
-5.7 HEMI VVT V8 engine with fuelsaver MDS
-8-speed automatic transmission
TRX
The RAM 1500 TRX isn’t technically a trim line but it is a performance-based model of the RAM 1500 line. It was teased as a concept model back in 2016 to get the fans excited and now that it’s finally available, it hasn’t disappointed. Its body is eight inches wider than the normal 1500 and under the hood, it has a Hellcat 6.2L Supercharged Hemi V89 SRT engine which is capable of a whopping 702 horsepower and 650 pounds per foot of torque.
The TRX comes with eight intuitive driving modes (Auto, Tow, Sport, Snow, Mud/Sand, Custom, Rock and Baja) as well as a fortified frame and sophisticated suspension for increased off-roading capabilities.
The TRX is the truck-lovers dream. It melds style and performance in an unrivaled way. It is truly the pinnacle of a long line of excellent pickup trucks in the RAM 1500 line.
Highlights
-6.2L Supercharged HEMI V8
-35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires
-Uconnect 4C Multimedia Centre with 12-inch touchscreen and navigation
-TRX performance hood with functional air scoop and heat extractors
- 6.2L SRT HEMI V8 supercharged engine
-8-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission
Wrap Up
The 2021 RAM 1500 is an incredible amalgamation of ruggedness and refinement. With a trim line that offers innovation and durability throughout and whose top echelon offers features reminiscent of luxury vehicles, the RAM 1500 offers something for the pickup lover of any sort.
Whether you’re using your 1500 as a rough and tumble work wagon or you’re the type who wants value, comfort and class in your pickup truck, the RAM 1500 line will have something that’s right up your alley. It’s no accident that the 2021 RAM 1500 won Autotrader.ca Awards, for Best Overall Truck and Best Heavy Duty Truck, Motortrend’s Truck of the Year and Car and Driver’s 2021 Best List and Editor’s Choice awards.
Interested in test driving one of the fantastic 2021 RAM 1500s that we currently have on the CarHub North York and CarHub Caledon lots? Make an appointment to speak with one of our friendly Product Advisors today.