Automakers continue to fine-tune their offerings to meet the specific needs of truck buyers. As a result, today’s off-road truck enthusiasts have more options with the addition of the Ram 1500 BackCountry Edition. This new edition builds on the Big Horn and Lone Star models in the Ram 1500 lineup and is aimed at buyers who want to spend more time off the pavement and in the backcountry.

About the Ram Trucks lineup

Ram Trucks launched as a standalone brand in 2009 and continues to gain market share on other longtime brand favorites. Ram Trucks offers a full line of pickups, including the half-ton Ram 1500, three-quarter-ton Ram 2500, and one-ton Ram 3500. The 3500 is the most powerful model, with an available Cummins Turbo Diesel engine harnessing up to 1,075 lb-ft of torque, up to 7,680 pounds of payload capacity, and 37,100 pounds of towing capacity.

The Ram 1500 is the most popular in lineup and the most awarded light-duty truck in the world, Stellantis North America claims. The Ram 1500 is available with a diesel engine producing 480 lb-ft of torque and getting 33 mpg on the highway, allowing up to 1,000 miles between fill-ups.

The 2022 Ram 1500 BackCountry: Built for off-road adventure

According to Stellantis, the all-new 2022 Ram 1500 BackCountry Edition, available beginning in the third quarter of 2021, comes in crew cab and quad cab configurations. In addition, an available 5.7-liter V8 with or without electric motor torque-assist delivers power to a standard four-wheel-drive system.

Notable features that make the BackCountry Edition stand out from its stablemates include 18-inch black wheels; black two-tone exterior paint; black fender and tailgate badging, exhaust tips, headlamp bezels, mirrors, running boards, and body-color grille surround; and a tonneau cover.

Ram’s 4×4 Off-Road Group is standard equipment. It includes tow hooks, skid plates to protect the front suspension, transfer case, power steering and fuel tank, an electronic locking rear differential, off-road shocks, hill-descent control, and all-terrain tires. Also included is Ram’s Bed Utility Group, which boasts adjustable tie-down points, a bed extender (if equipped with RamBox), a deployable bed step, LED bed lighting, and a spray-in bed liner.

Inside the cab, the BackCountry Edition offers a black cloth interior with bucket seats. In addition, a BackCountry badge on the instrument panel and all-weather Mopar slush mats create a unique and functional interior. Stellantis has set the 2022 Ram 1500 BackCountry’s starting MSRP at $40,085, just under the Laramie’s $42,080.

The Ram 1500 Big Horn and Lone Star models at a glance

According to Ram, the 1500 Big Horn is available with or without the Lone Star designation, depending upon which configuration is chosen. There are two V6 and two V8 engines to choose from, with one of each combining an electric drive motor creating a torque-enhanced hybrid version. The non-hybrid V6 is the sole diesel option. Each engine configuration is backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission providing power to either two-wheel or FWD systems.

Both the Big Horn and Lone Star models are available in crew cab or quad cab configurations in a variety of colors and choices of wheels to customize the appearance of the truck further. There’s also a list of standard and available safety features. The Big Horn and Lone Star are positioned just above the base-model Tradesman and below the slightly more luxurious Laramie, with a base MSRP of $37,390.