For 2026, Ram listened to customers and is back with a V8 engine.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
The decision to purge the Hemi V8 from Stellantis’ shelves probably wasn’t the best idea, especially in core models such as the Ram pickup. It alienated a portion of the customer base who were accustomed to buying trucks with the famous Hemi, a cornerstone of Chrysler since the 1950s.
Now, the company has had to spend millions of dollars to reintegrate the V8 back into the Ram just a year after it was discontinued. That’s after spending millions, possibly billions, to design the more sophisticated turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine that replaced the V8 and makes more power and torque, has a higher payload capacity, tows more and is more efficient.
Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
It doesn’t have the familiar V8 rumble, but the turbine-like growl of the inline-six still sounds really good.
Specs for the V8 remain the same as the previous V8 from 2024, with 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, a deficit of 25 horsepower and 59 lb-ft of torque compared to the standard output inline-six. All of the Hemi-equipped trucks will come with the e-torque mild-hybrid system that adds a torque boost at low speeds and smoothens out gear changes, and the auto stop/start system.
You also have to pay extra for the V8 ($1,200 more in the U.S.), but for Ram customers who demanded the return of the Hemi, less performance and the higher price tag don’t matter. Not having the choice of eight cylinders was worse.
There certainly was pent-up demand. More than 10,000 pre-orders for Hemi-equipped Rams were filled in the first day after announcing its return on June 5. The car enthusiast part of my brain understands. The Hemi still uses old-school pushrods and overhead valves just like it did 60 years ago, and it has that almost soothing lumpy idle which turns into a guttural roar at full throttle.
It appeases the primal bits of our brain. Even just loafing around, you can hear that burble in the background. And for some, it provides a better driving experience at least from a sensory point of view. But that’s as far as it goes. There are no other benefits to the V8 over the six cylinder.
The company says it received the green light on the Hemi just six months ago, which means a team had to be put together to develop and test the V8 in the Ram platform, which was overhauled for the 2025 model year.
Order a Ram with the V8 and you get some included extras such as a standard performance exhaust that accentuates the roar of the engine.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
Dan Stagner, vehicle synthesis manager at Ram, was responsible for overseeing these efforts and says they had to work at a blistering pace to get the 2026 Ram ready for production. He says it wasn’t as simple as taking the existing Hemi off the shelf and dropping it in; it was a complex job, but he insists that it was done correctly and wasn’t rushed.
When the Ram was refreshed for 2025, most of the electrical architecture was overhauled, including 13 new computer modules designed to work with the inline-six.
“We had to make sure all the modules could speak to the powertrain controller,” says Stagner. “It’s a totally different way of communicating between the powertrain and the rest of the truck.”
An example of this was the move from a vacuum brake booster to an electric one on the 2025 truck, which had to be redone for the V8 from scratch, according to Stagner. “The engine hasn’t changed much, but all the wiring is new,” he says.
With the early popularity, Ram should have no problem moving V8-equipped trucks and is making it available on most trims, starting from the base Tradesman. There are two exceptions: the top-of-the-line Tungsten trim and the TRX-inspired Ram RHO, which both still get the high-output inline-six instead.
Order a Ram with the V8 and you get some included extras such as a standard performance exhaust that accentuates the roar of the engine and a larger 125-litre fuel tank, because you’re likely going to be burning more fuel. Fender badges called the “symbol of protest” get affixed to all Rams with the V8.
Fender badges called the “symbol of protest” get affixed to all Rams with the V8Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
I drove the Ram with the inline-six last year and found it to be a thoroughly competent truck with an excellent powertrain that made it feel fresh and new again. The high-output version was genuinely quick, imbuing the Ram 1500 with more power than it’s ever had.
The V8 is a return to familiarity. It’s an excellent powertrain and, understandably, customers are attached to it. The included sports exhaust is a smart move by the company to really drive home that they listened to their customers.
The second row is incredibly spacious on the Ram pickup.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
Also newly announced is the longest warranty for full-size trucks in the industry at 10 years or 160,000 kilometres, which covers the engine, transmission, transfer case, differentials and axles. All Ram models get the new warranty, including the high-performance RHO, 2500, 3500 and Promaster vans.
Chief executive officer Tim Kuniskis says that as vehicles get more expensive, customers are financing their purchases for longer, with more than 80 per cent of new truck loans exceeding five years.
Pricing for the re-refreshed 2026 Ram has not been announced for the Canadian market, but is expected closer to the end of the year. New models, including those equipped with the V8, will arrive in the first quarter of 2026.
The ports, vents and cupholders for rear seat passengers.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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