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Auto123 reviews the 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel G/T.
My last test drive of a Ram pickup dates back on Auto123 to sometime in late 2020. It was a 2020 Limited edition that was as luxurious as any premium sedan, with hardly any exaggeration. Despite the price - and the gas bills - my experience in this cruising pickup was positive.
Two years later, I had a new date with the Ram 1500 pickup, but this time in a slightly more "rugged" form. The Ram 1500 Rebel is the logical option for those whose budget doesn't allow for a TRX level of performance with its big supercharged V8 engine, special suspensions and wider tracks. Fact is, the Rebel variant can do just as well on a rough course as the TRX - as long as you don't drive as fast.
For 2022, Ram is offering a new optional G/T package that adds a bit of sportiness to the full-size pickup. Note that this new package can be paired with the Ram 1500 Laramie if the Rebel version doesn’T float your boat.
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What exactly is the G/T package?
Before I give you my impressions of this latest Ram pickup variant, it's important to list some of the features that come with this optional package.
Here we go: Interior luxuries include heated steering wheel, leather/vinyl seats, four-way adjustable front headrests, bucket seats, driver's seat memory function, ventilated front seats, heated front seats, four-way power lumbar support on both front seats, 60/40 split folding rear seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED dome light with manual override, LED legroom lighting and LED overhead lights.
Want more? There are also 8-way power front seats, power pedals with memory function, premium overhead console, memory function for the radio, driver's seat, mirrors and pedals, rear-door mood lighting and under-seat lighting. Oh, and there are also those G/T embroideries in the front seat backs and the decals on the rear fenders. So much for the toys!
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Now let's get down to the nitty gritty, or if you prefer, the components that make this Ram 1500 Rebel a true G/T. The chrome MOPAR pedals are a nice addition, as are those special paddle shifters - I'll come back to those - installed behind the steering wheel, the performance screens like in all the performance models in the range and even that traditional shifter placed on the driver's near side, within the centre console.
As for that MOPAR fresh air intake system and that passive cooled exhaust system, let's just say that these two components are the pieces de resistance of the G/T package. Let me explain.
Behind the wheel of a “muscle truck”
The first thing that catches your eye when you get behind the wheel of the Ram 1500 Rebel is just how tall it is. With no running boards and a ground clearance that's an inch higher than the 1500, the Rebel leaves you no choice but to use the inside handles to hoist yourself in. Fortunately, once you're in the driver's seat, the fun can begin, notably with the 5.7L HEMI V8 engine as it roars to life with the push of a button. Over the years, I've driven several vehicles equipped with this engine, but none of them have sounded so devilish, with the possible exception of the various Hellcat variants over at Dodge. OK, it's true that the sound fades once the engine warms up, but by then you’ve had your thrills, because the cold start with this G/T package is something else!
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Once that initial excitement wears off, the 2022 1500 Rebel G/T drives like any other full-size pickup with the Ram’s head on it. The steering is relatively heavy, the suspension is (slightly) stiffer than usual, courtesy of the Bilstein performance shocks at all four corners, acceleration is surprisingly good for such a bulky and heavy vehicle, and the fuel tank needle moves quickly downward - although in this case, the optional 124-litre tank will have the advantage of extending the rides somewhat.
Getting back to the haunting sound of the HEMI V8, highway passing is worthy of the best muscle cars in Detroit, and the 8-speed automatic transmission works very well with the V-twin. Remember that the HEMI block is rated at 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, more than enough to move this two-and-a-half ton mass. In this application, the V8 was backed up by the eTorque system, a mild hybrid system that improves powertrain response and extends stop/start times when the situation allows.
Alas, the eTorque didn't really reduce the thirst of the V8 engine, especially during a week when temperatures often dropped below -20°C, which forced me to use the remote starter a few minutes before the start, if only to warm up the cabin for my passengers. My overall average fuel consumption was 21.4L/100 km, a disappointing result, but understandable given how much of my time was spent in the city. Still, a two-hour highway trip wasn't enough to significantly lower my fuel consumption rating, which, according to Canada's EnerGuide, should be around 12L/100 km.
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The last word
The most special thing about this G/T variant is at the back end, where the raucous sound emanating from the two tailpipes is "nasty" enough to terrorize the residents of your neighborhood. Of course, you have to have a need for such a machine and you have to make some compromises in comfort - and in gas prices - but the pickup buyer probably knows what to expect.
We like
The raucous sound of the sport exhaust
Driving pleasure
Rich equipment
We like less
Fuel consumption
The body is high
Stiffer suspension (Rebel)
The competition
Chevrolet Silverado
Ford F-150
GMC Sierra
Toyota Tundra
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