2025 Ram 1500 Rebel Review Australia: The Hurricane That Stunned the Outback
The 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel arrives in Australia with Hurricane power, off-road brawn, luxury SUV refinement, and 4,500kg tow capacity. A daring review with price, specifications, and verdict.
A Rebel in the Land of Utes
In Australia, we don’t merely drive utes — we build our identities around them. The ute isn’t a vehicle — it’s culture. A Hilux outside a farm is as Australian as a meat pie. A Ranger with a bullbar signifies seriousness. But what happens when something bigger, bolder, and unashamedly American drives into town?
That’s the tale of the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel. You don’t really purchase one as much as you make a point with it. It’s more than 5.9 metres long, almost 2.2 metres wide, and higher than most fences. Leave it outside a servo in Dubbo and passersby will pull over, gawk, and perhaps grumble: “Bloody hell, look at the size of that thing.”
But here’s the surprise — for 2025, the Rebel is not merely a familiar Hemi V8 housed in chrome and intimidation. It’s turned up modern. Turned up turbo. Turned up… smart.
Under the hood now resides the 3.0-litre twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six, the engine that signals the passing of the V8 era for Ram. For purists, that’s a stomach punch. For everyone else, it’s an invitation to experience a truck that’s transcended brute force into something quicker, faster, and smarter.
The Rebel’s Roots: From America to the Outback
The Ram 1500 was a legend in America for decades. But here, it was always a rare sighting — a grey import, usually left-hand-drive, driven by the sort of bloke who wanted something different. That changed when Ram Trucks Australia joined forces with Walk inshaw to right-hand drive Rams in Melbourne. Suddenly, a full-size American pickup truck was no longer a fantasy; it was sitting in the local Bunnings.
The Rebel sits on top of that base. It’s the off-road fighter of the Ram clan — the one created for mud, rock, and dust, but still clothed in leather, screens, and tech. Here in the States, it competes against Ford Raptors and Chevy ZR2s. Down under in Australia, it’s creating its own niche, a gap between the Silverado and Ranger Raptor.
It’s not just “a big ute.” It’s a rethink of what an Aussie ute can be.
Inside the Beast: Tough Meets Plush
Step into the Rebel and you’ll find a cabin that feels equal parts farm ute and luxury penthouse.
Size matters: The back seats aren’t just roomy — they’re palatial. Adults can stretch out like they’re in a limo. Kids will think you’ve bought them their own lounge room.
Tech everywhere: The centerpiece is a ginormous 14.4-inch touchscreen that makes the screen of a Ranger look like a 2010 smartphone. Throw in a 12-inch digital cluster and even a passenger display, and the dashboard suddenly feels like mission control.
Creature comforts: Leather seats that are heated and ventilated, a panoramic sunroof, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system that could turn a paddock party into a music festival.
Rebel feels: Red accents, hardy textures, and a design that tells “off-road” with a flash still saying “premium.”
It's a cabin that wipes mud off your boots but still has you riding in the luxury SUV.
The Hurricane Arrives: A New Kind of Muscle
The Rebel’s strongest talking point is its heart. Gone is the Hemi V8 and in comes the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six. It’s a brave call, but see why it’s a good one:
Power: 313 kW.
Torque: 635 Nm.
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in around 6 seconds.
Economy: Officially 10.7 L/100 km — lighter than the previous V8.
On the road, it’s quiet and smooth. Put the throttle down, and the turbos spin with howl. Off-road, the torque is seemingly plentiful, allowing you to crawl without theater. Less “beer and barbie brawler” than the Hemi, it’s a “gym-trained athlete.”
A few will lament the loss of the V8 soundtrack, but the Hurricane compensates in ways that feel modern, effortless, and poised for the next decade.
Safety: Big Truck, Big Brain
Driving something this big through the city might be scary. Ram solves that with safety features that make the Rebel feel so much more manageable:
Autonomous emergency breaking with cyclist and pedestrian detection
Adaptive cruise control making the Hume Highway a doddle
Blind-spot monitoring broad enough to encompass a caravan
Lane-keep assist and driver fatigue detection
Rear cross-traffic alerts that save you in Coles car parks
This isn’t about keeping you safe — it’s about making the Rebel a smart, not frightening, part of daily Aussie life.
Capability: For the Bush
All the screens and comforts are useless if the Rebel can’t support them with substance. Thankfully, it can.
Towing: An enormous 4,500 kg braked (with 70mm tow ball). That’s larger boats, heavier horse floats, serious caravans.
Payload: 893 kg — sufficient for tools, camping equipment, or the loot of a Bunnings shopping spree.
Ground clearance: 240 mm with correct off-road geometry.
Hardware: Bilstein shocks, locking rear diff, skid plates, 32-inch all-terrain tyres.
Think towing a van from Adelaide to Perth, and then taking a trip into the Flinders Ranges for some off-road fun. That’s where the Rebel comes into its own. It’s not a poser — it’s a doer.
Price and Positioning
The 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel begins from $141,950 before roads. That’s real cash. But it’s not competing with Rangers or Hiluxes. Rather, it’s matched against:
Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 — same size, same off-road power, but more expensive.
Ford F-150 Lariat/XLT — recently landed, with comparable towing and luxury.
Ranger Raptor — less expensive, but far less capable at towing or space.
For people who demand the biggest, baddest, and most comfortable ute, the Rebel deserves its price tag.
Pros and Cons
The Good:
Hurricane engine: contemporary, strong, economical.
Cabin: a balance of luxury and toughness.
Off-road kit: Bilstein shocks, locking diffs, tyres designed to take off-road.
Towing king: 4,500 kg towing capacity.
Brimming with safety features.
The Not-So-Good:
Costly — far beyond mainstream utes.
Spectacular size makes it difficult in congested urban streets.
Fuel economy improved, but still not inexpensive to run.
Some fans will never get on without the Hemi V8.
Verdict: Who Should Buy the Rebel?
The 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel is not a ute for everyone — and that’s the whole idea. It’s too big, more pricey, and too bold for the masses. But for people who need a truck to tow anything, travel anywhere, and spoil its occupants in the process, there’s little else in Australia that really stacks up.
This is more than a vehicle. It’s a lifestyle machine. It tells the world you’ve arrived — in every sense. Whether you’re towing a van across the country, conquering bush trails, or just rocking up to Bunnings for a snag, the Rebel does it all with swagger.
It’s not just a truck. It’s a Rebel.
FAQs
Q: How much is the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel in Australia?
A: $141,950 before on-road costs.
Q: What motor is it?
A: A 3.0-litre twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six.
Q: Can it actually tow 4,500 kg?
A: Yes, on a 70mm ball. With a 50mm ball, it’s restricted to 3,500 kg.
Q: Is it capable off-road?
A: Yes — shocks, tyres, locking diffs, and ground clearance equip it appropriately.
Q: When is it on sale in Australia?
A: Deliveries will commence from late 2025
