Skip to main content

Pickup truck buyers have never had more engine options. In 2022 you can choose from full-size, hybrid pickups, light-duty diesel trucks, and even electric trucks. But while many manufacturers are flooding the market with small, efficient engine options, Ram offers no engines smaller than 3 liters. What’s more, all of its gas engine options are traditional, naturally aspirated units.

Is the Ram 1500 V6 a good engine?

The 2022 Ram 1500’s base engine is the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Chrysler Corporation has been building some variation of this dependable V6 since 2011. The current version makes 305 horsepower/295 lb-ft of torque and gets 16 city/23 highway mpg.

Closeup of the rim of a Ram V8 pickup truck with a train track visible in the background.
2022 Ram 1500 Limited | Stellantis

The Pentastar V6 gets its name from the old five-sided Chrysler Corporation logo, called a Pentastar. It’s a modern, aluminum engine with multi-point fuel injection and 24 valves. It is also naturally aspirated, not turbocharged.

The Pentastar is the base engine in Dodge and Chrysler muscle cars and a common engine choice in Jeep SUVs. Chrysler Corporation has also built a 3.0-liter and 3.2-liter version of this V6, but the 3.6 is the most common.

The company has also explored a turbocharged version of its Pentastar V6. But this project will likely never see the light of day as Stellantis is forging ahead with its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged Hurricane I6.

Get the scoop on the Pentastar’s mild-hybrid eTorque system.

Does the Ram 1500 have a V8?

You can order any Ram truck with the legendary Dodge HEMI V8 engine. The Ram 1500 offers a 5.7-liter naturally-aspirated V8 rated for 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque.

Silver V8 Ram pickup truck towing a boat through the desert.
2022 Ram 1500 Limited | Stellantis

Ford offers a series of small, efficient turbocharged EcoBoost engines. Toyota tossed its V8 option altogether, in favor of a turbo V6. But Ram knows that many truck buyers want the rumble of an American V8. Therefore, the company doubled down on its HEMI engine offerings with the fifth generation of its 1500 pickup truck.

The 2022 Ram 1500 not only offers a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 but the entire truck is engineered to optimize this engine. Ram’s latest V8 trucks leverage a mild-hybrid start/stop system and ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic to improve fuel efficiency without sacrificing traditional power.

Read more about the 5.7-liter HEMI V8.

What pickup trucks offer turbocharged engines?

Ford offers two sizes of its turbocharged EcoBoost in its F-150, Chevrolet/GMC have pioneered a new turbocharged I4 for their full-size pickup trucks’ entry-level engine, and every 2022 Tundra comes with some version of the same 3.44-liter twin-turbocharged V6.

Red Ram pickup trucks parked in front of an old barn.
2022 Ram 1500 Rebel and Ram 1500 Limited | Stellantis

If you are interested in diesel, all three American manufacturers offer efficient turbodiesels in their light-duty pickup trucks. You can order a Ram 1500 with Stellantis’ 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoDiesel V6. Ford’s F-150 also comes with a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel. Chevrolet and GMC, on the other hand, opted for an inline six-cylinder turbodiesel, also 3.0 liters.

Here’s more information on the Ram 1500 diesel engine.

Related

Today’s Trucks Offer a Lot More Bang for Your Buck

Best in Trucks & SUVs
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.