2026 Ram 1500 Tradesman vs Big Horn

• 2026 Ram 1500 trims start at about $44,000 to $90,945 as of December 10, 2025.
• There are a number of major upgrades for the new model year.
• As of this late 2025 writing, the Ram 1500 has not made it onto our showroom floor, but stay tuned--it will be here shortly!

Ram is diving into 2026 with a mix of returning favorites and brand-new additions. The big headline is the comeback of the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, a move that longtime Ram owners will appreciate. It brings back its familiar 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, now paired with mild-hybrid assist to help with low-speed response and overall efficiency. Between the V-6, the Hurricane turbo-six, and the revived Hemi, the lineup gives shoppers plenty of ways to build a truck that fits the kind of work--or driving--they plan to do.

Prices for 2026 are:

• HFE: $44,000 (est)
• Tradesman: $44,170
• Express: $46,295
• Lone Star: $49,425
• Big Horn: $49,425
• Warlock: $55,010
• Laramie: $63,625
• Rebel: $67,195
• Limited: $78,550
• Longhorn: $79,045
• Tungsten: $90,945

The Tradesman is the foundational model of the Ram 1500 lineup (the HFE is a more fuel-efficient version of the Tradesman), and it stays focused on durability and capability over styling. It features the Pentastar V-6 paired with eTorque, but both the Hurricane turbo-six and the returning Hemi V-8 are available if you need more power.

The exterior leans into a simpler, work-ready look with steel wheels and black bumpers, and the cabin follows the same philosophy with tough vinyl upholstery, a bench-seat layout, and manually adjustable positions designed to survive years of use.

Even as the base trim, the Tradesman doesn't feel stripped down. Ram includes a long list of standard features that cover towing, connectivity, and safety. The truck comes wired with a Class IV hitch, wide-angle mirrors, trailer-sway control, ParkSense, and the full suite of Ram's driver-assistance technology. This includes: blind-spot monitoring, lane management, adaptive cruise control, and forward-collision warning. Inside, the Uconnect 5 system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen handles your apps and audio, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and Ram Connect services ready to go.

The Big Horn takes everything built into the Tradesman and dials the truck toward personal use rather than work duty. The mechanical equipment mostly carries over, but the Big Horn swaps in an upgraded rear-axle ratio, cast-aluminum wheels, bright exterior trim, body-color fender flares, and LED fog lamps that give it a more polished appearance. In the cabin, vinyl makes way for cloth upholstery, bucket seats replace the bench, and a full-length center console adds storage and a cleaner layout for daily driving.