Boaties who want a serious towing rig with a dose of luxury will want to check out the 2025 RAM 1500 Rebel Hurricane.
The big news is under the bonnet. The legendary Hemi V8 has been retired, replaced by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six. It’s a bold move – and a smart one. The new engine produces 313kW and 635Nm, comfortably surpassing the old V8 for both power and torque. A high-output Limited version pushes that to a hefty 403kW and 707Nm. The 2025 technology promises to be lighter, stronger, and more economical on petrol.
Smooth, strong, and surprisingly refined
Each of the Hurricane’s two small turbos feeds three cylinders, delivering torque across a broader rev range. The result is effortless pulling power and near-seamless acceleration.
We took the Rebel on a run from Auckland to the Coromandel to pick up and tow an XO DFNDR 9 – a serious load at around 3.5 tonnes plus fuel and crew. It was an excellent real-world test, and the RAM passed with flying colours.
On the open road, it’s composed and quiet, with the kind of stability that inspires confidence when you’ve got a heavy trailer behind. For a near six-metre-long, two-metre-tall truck tipping the scales at 2,548kg, it’s impressively civilised.
Active lane management was a welcome feature in the big RAM, so subtle you barely notice it, and not overtly aggressive when it kicks in. Safety tech includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross path and trailer detection, and forward collision warning with active braking.
Towing credentials
The Rebel’s numbers stack up for serious boat owners: Gross Combined Mass 7,711kg, Gross Vehicle Mass of 3,220kg, including a 672kg payload. You’ll need to account for your boat’s fuel and gear in the maximum braked tow capacity of 4,500kg, but there’s plenty of headroom for most trailerable powerboats.
The reversing camera is first-rate – crisp, wide-angle, and a real help when lining up the towball. Extended wing mirrors provide excellent rearward vision, and the electric tailgate and spray-lined tray add genuine day-to-day practicality. A fold-out metal step makes it easy to climb aboard and access the load space.
“The reversing camera and mirrors make hooking up the trailer almost effortless.”
Cabin comfort
Inside, the Rebel Hurricane feels more ‘premium SUV’ than ‘workhorse’. There’s contrasting burgundy-and-black leather,
a panoramic sunroof, and a Harman Kardon 19-speaker system that does justice to your boating playlist.
The driver gets a 14-inch digital display, the passenger a 10” screen, with wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto. Storage space is abundant – including hidden compartments beneath the rear seats. The cabin is quiet, solidly built, and beautifully finished. Only the thick A-pillars slightly affect driver vision, but the cameras and mirrors compensate nicely. Driver amenities include a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel and a power-adjustable pedal box.
Driver and passenger both enjoy eight-way power adjustable seats; these and the folding bench seat in the second row are heated. There’s a power sliding rear window too and masses of room to spread out.
Off-road ability
True to the Rebel name, this model gets the tough gear: Bilstein shocks, a one-inch lift kit, and 4×4 centre transfer case and electronic rear diff locker. There are no side steps to snag off-road, and the setup handles gravel tracks and beach approaches with ease – ideal for reaching those tucked-away boat launch sites. The 18-inch gloss black alloys are shod in 275/65 Falken Wildpeak all-terrain rubber, which proved to be pleasantly quiet on the highway.
Verdict
The new RAM 1500 Rebel Hurricane proves that fewer cylinders don’t mean less muscle. The twin-turbo inline-six delivers more power, better torque, and improved refinement, all wrapped in a seriously capable towing package.
Specs at a glance
: Ram 1500 Rebel Hurricane
Engine 3.0-litre petrol turbo inline six cylinder
Power 313kw
torque 635nm
transmission 8-speed automatic
gvm 3,220kg
gcm 7,711kg
