If you’re in the market for a heavy-duty pickup truck, you’ve probably seen the 2024 Ram 2500 for sale at a dealer in your area. Ram is known for making trucks that have plenty of power paired with a smooth ride, with higher trims offering extras like comfort and convenience features and a well-appointed interior. Trims aren’t the only variable to consider if you’re shopping for this truck—there are also different available engines, cab styles, box sizes, and optional features. If you want to know what your options are, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll go over the major choices you have to make when customizing a 2024 Ram 2500 to suit your needs.
Engine Options
If you need a heavy-duty truck, then power is probably a top consideration, which means that picking your engine is likely the most important decision you’ll be making. The 2024 Ram 2500 comes standard with a 6.4L HEMI V8 gas-powered engine. With 410 hp, this one is the best choice for getting up to highway speeds and has solid driving dynamics. It also produces 429 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to tow up to 17,730 lbs. Finally, this engine unlocks the Ram 2500’s maximum payload rating of up to 4,000 lbs.
Most drivers will be just fine with the base engine, but not everyone can live with its towing capacity. Those who need more towing power can opt for the 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel I-6, which is an available option on most trims, all the way down to the base Tradesman. While this engine has a lower rating of 370 hp, its torque figure is nearly double that of the 6.4L V8, at 850 lb-ft. This high figure makes it capable of towing up to 19,990 lbs, though the diesel engine can only provide up to 3,150 lbs of maximum payload in the bed.
Body Configurations
There are three cab styles and two box sizes available on the 2024 Ram 2500, but not all of them can be had on every trim level. The regular cab, with two doors and one row of seating, is only available on the Tradesman. Add on an extra set of doors and a back row of seats, and you get the crew cab, which is an available option on every trim. The luxurious Laramie, Limited Longhorn, and Limited can also be had with the supersized mega cab, which provides generous space for backseat passengers.
Any trim can be had with the shorter 6.3-foot box, which pairs with the crew cab or the mega cab. A longer eight-foot box is available on the Tradesman, Big Horn, and Laramie trims. The eight-foot box pairs with either the regular cab or the crew cab but isn’t compatible with the mega cab. This gives you a total of four cab and bed configurations to choose from.
Trims
The 2024 Ram 2500 is available in seven different trim levels. As you climb the trim ladder, you get more included features and higher prices. For most, choosing a trim is just about striking the balance between budget and luxury. However, if off-road capability is a must-have, then you’ll want to look at either the Rebel or Power Wagon trim. Most trims come standard with 4×4 capability, but 4×2 is an option for the Tradesman and Laramie.
Tradesman
The most affordable option in the lineup is the base trim, the Tradesman. While you’ll get a choice between either of the capable powertrains, the interior is a bit bare-bones, with four-way, manually adjustable front seats, manual door locks, and manual windows. The infotainment system is also underwhelming, running on Ram’s Uconnect 3 platform and featuring a small five-inch touchscreen. While voice commands and AM/FM radio are standard, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not.
While many creature comforts don’t come standard, plenty of important heavy-duty truck features do. The Tradesman comes standard with a seven-pin wiring harness, a class V receiver hitch, a heavy-duty suspension system with a front stabilizer bar, heavy-duty shock absorbers in the front and rear, and telescopic trailer tow mirrors (manually adjustable, of course). There are also features like hill start assist, electronic stability control, traction control, and trailer sway damping working behind the scenes to keep the driver in control in a variety of situations.
Big Horn
The Big Horn adds a variety of standard features that improve the comfort of the cabin. An active noise-control system keeps unwanted racket out, and the sound system gets two extra speakers for improved sound quality (six throughout the cabin instead of four). Power locks and windows add convenience, as do power-adjustable, heated exterior mirrors with supplemental built-in signals.
Laramie
The Laramie trim adds even more comfort features to the interior, like standard heated seats for the driver and front passenger that have two-way power lumbar control. Dual-zone automatic climate control prevents those up front from fighting over the ideal temperature, while an auto-dimming rearview mirror adjusts automatically to fight glare. A remote start system, heated steering wheel, and universal garage door opener all come standard, as does an upgraded infotainment system.
The Laramie trim and up use the Uconnect 5 systems as standard, with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot that allows you to use features like Alexa Built-in. There’s also a full-color seven-inch digital cluster display that’s customizable so you can put the most important info front and center. The audio system even gets upgraded to nine Alpine speakers, including a subwoofer.
Rebel and Power Wagon
The Rebel and Power Wagon are both off-road focused trims, and as such, they come standard with performance-tuned shock absorbers, tow hooks, skid plates, and all-terrain tires. The Rebel features an exclusive off-road suspension system, while the Power Wagon uses the Ram Articulink suspension system, which incorporates high-movement joints and a sway-bar disconnect system to deliver a high level of flexibility on uneven terrain. These trims can also be had with an available front electric winch, which isn’t an option on other trims. These trims get most, but not all, of the interior upgrades you’ll find on the Laramie.
Limited Longhorn and Limited
At the top of the pack, you’ll find the luxurious Limited Longhorn and Limited trims, which have the cushiest interiors of all. Bucket seats come standard, with heated and ventilated seats up front and heated seats in the back. You can program your radio, driver seat, mirror, and pedal settings in the standard memory system, making it easier to seamlessly switch between drivers. There are also standard rain-sensing windshield wipers and second-row in-floor storage bins, plus a standard rear window defroster. A wireless charging pad doesn’t come standard, but it is only an option for these top two trims.
Differences between the two mostly have to do with style. Both have details like real wood trim in the cabin and body-color door handles, but the Limited has some special touches, like an exclusive grille design and seat appointments. The Limited also comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, which is only an available feature on the Limited Longhorn.
Available Driver Assist Features
With driver assistance features becoming more and more common, it’s worth pointing out that almost all of them are merely “available” on the 2024 Ram 2500. They are available across all trim levels, however, so they can be had on even the base Tradesman. If you consider any of these features a must-have, then make sure that the model you’re considering is equipped with them. Options include:
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop
- Full-Speed Forward-Collision Warning Plus
- Blind-Spot with Tag-Trailer & Cross-Path Detection
- Lane-Keep Assist
- Surround-View Camera System
- Trailer Reverse Guidance
- Trailer Reverse Steering Control
Mix and Match to Make Your Ideal Truck
Now that you know your options, it shouldn’t be hard to find a 2024 Ram 2500 that works for you. If you want to make sure you control every variable, you can factory order a truck that’s built to your specifications, but if you’re more flexible, you can always find the closest thing to your ideal at your local dealer. Just make sure you keep in mind which things are “wants” and which are “needs” so you don’t end up with a truck that doesn’t have enough towing capacity for your trailer or enough space in the bed for your lumber. If you take things one variable at a time, it should be simple enough to end up with a truck that’s right for you.
