Ram 1500: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?

Most significant changes: Uconnect 5 standard on Big Horn and higher; New Limited 10th Anniversary Edition; Longhorn SouthFork edition replaces Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary; multiple new appearance packages and paint colors; new standard cabin air filtration system

Price change: Destination fee increases $100 to $1,795; standard-equipped models increase anywhere from $960 to $4,520 (before the extra $100) depending on trim

On sale: Now

Which should you buy, 2022 or 2021? Uconnect 5, which can now display Apple CarPlay on a larger portion of the vertical display, is probably worth the price of admission for most of the non-work-truck variants (except maybe the Laramie’s extra $4,520 price tag), but for the Tradesman and Tradesman HFE models, stick to the 2021.

Ram’s signature 1500 full-size pickup truck enters the 2022 model year with one significant tech update, some new special editions and options packages, as well as fairly significant price increases across the board.

Related: J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study: Ram on Top, Wireless Phone Connectivity Spells Trouble

New Tech

Most important, the 1500 Big Horn and higher trim levels will use the latest Uconnect 5 operating system on screens varying from 8.4 inches to a large 12-inch portrait-oriented display. On the larger screen, Apple CarPlay (but not Android Auto) will now use more screen real estate, which should improve the user experience.

New Packages

Luxury truck buyers can now opt for the Limited 10th Anniversary Edition, which adds features like a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, quilted blue leather seats with contrast white stitching, a suede headliner and a jeweled gear selector. On the outside, the 10th Anniversary Edition comes in an exclusive Blue Shade exterior paint color and rides on 22-inch wheels.

New packages include the Longhorn SouthFork, which replaces the Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary. It gets an exclusive Mountain Brown interior paint color and Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires; inside, it gets standard bucket seats and special interior details. A multifunction tailgate, spray-in bedliner and the optional Bed Utility Group Package are also included.

Sport truck enthusiasts can add the G/T package to the Laramie and Rebel, adding a sport performance hood and black grille along with a factory cold air intake. Inside, the sporty theme continues with a flat-bottom steering wheel with aluminum paddle shifters, a floor-mounted gear selector, metal pedals and bolstered sport seats.

The last new package is the BackCountry, available on Big Horn and Texas-specific Lone Star models powered by either of the 5.7-liter V-8 engines. It adds off-road flair by including both the Bed Utility Group and Off Road Group packages, and adds a body-color grille surround, black exterior accents and black two-tone exterior paint.

Powertrain Choices

Power for the 2022 1500 still comes from a choice of five engines:

• 3.6-liter V-6 with eTorque (Ram’s mild-hybrid system): 305 horsepower and 269 pounds-feet of torque; standard on Tradesman, Tradesman HFE, Big Horn, Lone Star and Rebel
• 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6: 260 hp and 480 pounds-feet of torque; optional on every model but Tradesman HFE and TRX, where it’s unavailable
• 5.7-liter V-8: 395 hp and 410 pounds-feet of torque; standard on Laramie, Laramie Longhorn, Limited and Limited 10th Anniversary Edition; optional on Tradesman, Big Horn, Lone Star and Rebel
• 5.7-liter V-8 with eTorque: 395 hp and 410 pounds-feet of torque; optional on every model but Tradesman HFE and TRX, and included as part of certain packages on Laramie, Laramie Longhorn, Limited and Limited 10th Anniversary Edition
• 6.2-liter supercharged V-8: 702 hp and 650 pounds-feet of torque; standard on TRX

All five engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission; the 3.6-liter eTorque V-6 and supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 each get their own unique transmission, while the EcoDiesel and the two 5.7-liter V-8s share a third eight-speed automatic.

Most Ram 1500 models are available in either 4×2 (rear-wheel drive) or 4×4 configurations, but the Tradesman HFE is exclusively 4×2 and the TRX is exclusively 4×4.

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Pricing and Release Date

The 2022 Ram 1500 is on sale now. All pricing below includes a $1,795 destination fee, a $100 increase over 2021. Pricing below is for the standard model for each trim (i.e., no changes to cab or bed configuration and as a 4×2, except for the 4×4-only TRX). Pricing and price differences could change depending on configuration.

• Tradesman: $35,770 ($1,280 increase)
• Tradesman HFE: $37,400 ($1,060 increase)
• Big Horn: $40,595 ($1,510 increase)
• Lone Star: $43,195 ($1,535 increase)
• Laramie: $48,395 ($4,620 increase)
• Rebel: $49,645 ($1,830 increase)
• Limited Longhorn: $56,225 ($1,750 increase)
• Limited: $60,955 ($2,110 increase)
• TRX: $74,285 ($2,165 increase)

Which Should You Buy?

Uconnect 5 and its improvements — including the potential for future over-the-air updates — probably makes the price increases for most models worth it, with the possible exception of the Laramie, which has a hefty price increase for 2022. Since Uconnect 5 is not available on either the Tradesman or Tradesman HFE, it makes more sense to go for a model-year 2021 if possible.

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