2017 RAM Rebel Road Test and Review

2017 Ram Rebel front profile hero ・ Photo by Nicole Wakelin

The 2017 Ram 1500 Rebel is a truck that demands attention. You don’t have to know a thing about trucks for a single glance to tell you this one is special. Its design makes it a standout within the Ram 1500 lineup, and it backs up those bold good looks with plenty of capability. Whether you plan on playing off-road warrior on the weekend or just want to look like you do, the Rebel is ready.

The Ram Rebel has all the capability you’d expect from a full-size truck along with an exceptional interior. Inside, it's rugged and attractive with lots of standard features and a surprising level of comfort. When you’re done playing around off the beaten track, dust off the Rebel, and it easily transitions to highway driving with a smooth, compliant ride. Read on to find out more of what makes the Ram 1500 Rebel a great truck.

Powertrains

There are two powertrain choices for the Rebel, starting with a 3.6-liter V6 with 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional 5.7-liter V8 with 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, which includes a beefier eight-speed automatic to handle that additional torque. This is your only engine choice on 4x2 models.

Whether to opt for the more powerful engine depends on what you plan to do with your Rebel. If you are doing lots of towing, then you’ll find the larger engine with its additional torque is worth the price. Similarly, if you’re planning on having some off-road fun on the weekends or simply like the more responsive drive provided by the V8, then go ahead and upgrade. It adds $1,950 to the bottom line, but it won’t disappoint.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Ride and Handling

Looking at those big tires and the Rebel’s strong, rough-and-tumble appearance, you’d expect something of a stiff ride. Particularly on the highway, a truck with off-road chops can be rough on its passengers. They tend to announce every bump and dip in the pavement with a nice jolt to your spine. The Rebel suffers none of those faults; its ride is smooth, and road noise is impressively muted. This is a truck you can drive for your morning commute without feeling like you’ve been through the wringer when you get to the office. Whether you sit in the front or rear seats, it’s a comfortable ride.

Take the Rebel off the road and it changes personalities, quickly adapting to rugged terrain without demanding too much of the driver. Go ahead and climb up that gravel hill in the middle of nowhere. The Rebel has you covered.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy with the base V6 engine is an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. Equipped with the V8 engine those numbers fall to 15 and 22. If you’re comparing these figures to what you’ll get in the average sedan or even the average crossover, then they’re disappointing. But this is a truck, and it’s a big one, so you’re not going to get impressive fuel economy numbers. More fairly, compare the Rebel to other trucks, and you’ll find it does quite well.

Move to either the Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado, and the numbers shift by only a digit or two in either direction depending on the engine you choose. Meanwhile, if fuel economy is a priority, then the Rebel isn’t the best Ram. Instead, pick a trim offering the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine. It gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

Photo by Ram Trucks

Exterior

Possibly the most distinguishing feature of the Ram Rebel is its striking exterior design. There are standard 17-inch aluminum wheels with matte black accents and rugged all-terrain tires. The Rebel has black wheel flares to give extra ground clearance, along with liners for the front and rear wheel wells. Bi-function projector black headlamps, LED fog lamps and sport tail lamps are also standard.

Furthermore, the Rebel's black exterior mirrors, two-tone lower paint, and a sport performance hood loudly announce its off-road intentions. It also gets a unique black grille with Ram lettering, black powder-coated rear bumper and flat black badging. There isn’t a subtle bone in this truck's body, and it looks fantastic. If you want to make sure everyone sees you coming and gets out of your way, the Ram Rebel will do the trick.

Photo by Ram Trucks

Interior

Things aren't toned down at all when you take a seat inside the Rebel. It comes standard with heated bucket seats up front, which feature 10-way power driver and six-way power passenger adjustability and even power lumbar. Rear passengers get a 60/40 split-folding bench seat with under-seat storage for smaller items like tools. Embossed leather seats are optional, but even the standard fabric seats are something special — thanks to an embossed tire tread pattern that makes it look like someone ran them over. It fits the Rebel perfectly.

In short, this doesn’t look or feel like a work truck. The Rebel has a premium feel with quality trim, accent stitching and bold Ram logos all over the place. Combined with standard features like tinted glass windows, rear power window and multiple USB ports, the interior of the Ram Rebel coddles passengers in an appealing and ruggedly luxurious space.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Capability

The Ram Rebel looks like it should have some serious capability — and it delivers. It comes standard with four-corner air suspension that raises or lowers the ride height at the push of a button. This provides an extra 9.3 inches of ground clearance for the front axle. If you forget to lower it when you’re back on pavement, then the Rebel automatically does it for you when it reaches highway speeds.

Optional suspension and transfer plate skid plates are available for $225 to enhance off-road capability. There are also standard front and rear stabilizer bars along with tow hooks so you can get yourself or the other guy out of trouble. The Rebel can tow up to 10,150 pounds so you can take your other toys along for the weekend, and it has a 1,510-pound payload capacity.

Photo by Ram Trucks

Pricing

Sitting in the middle of the RAM 1500 lineup, starting price on the Ram Rebel 4x2 is $45,095 — so it’s not the most affordable 1500 you can buy. If you want the 4x4 model, then the price increases to $47,195 with a standard V6 engine. If you want the same power as the base 4x2, then you’re looking at another $1,950 for the privilege.

Prices creep up quickly on the Rebel, especially when you start adding options. Our test model was a 4x4 that came with nearly $10,000 in extras, giving it a final price of $56,775. That’s a high enough price point to put it in luxury-car territory, but then this is a luxury truck for the off-road set. It is an exceptional combination of capability and good looks with an appropriate price for what it offers.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Safety and Technology

Standard safety features on the Ram Rebel include multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitor. It also has a backup camera with gridlines, a great help while trying to swing out of narrow spaces without clipping the truck bed. Adding an extra bit of help backing up is ParkSense rear park assist, which issues an audible and visual warning if it detects objects behind the truck when it is moving in reverse.

The standard Uconnect system on the Rebel features an 8.4-inch color touchscreen; Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration; and HD radio. Navigation is an option for $795 and includes five-year subscriptions to SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link. Multiple USB charging ports, Bluetooth with voice command and an audio input jack are also standard features on the Rebel.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Final Thoughts

The 2017 RAM 1500 Rebel offers a complete package. It has looks that attract plenty of attention and the capability to match. Much of a vehicle’s appeal comes from its first impression, and the Rebel creates a big one. Also, it can quickly take you off-road without mandating so much standard equipment that the price becomes unattainable. After all, most of us aren’t planning to run the Baja 1000, so we don’t need to pay for that kind of capability. The Ram Rebel will easily handle the average off-road adventure and then some.

Balancing that capability is a ride that’s surprisingly comfortable for a full-size truck. It’s easy on the pavement without a lot of bounce, making it a great daily driver. Although the price might put it out of reach for some, those who want a balanced mix of off-road prowess, style and comfort will appreciate what the Ram Rebel has to offer.

Photo by Ram Trucks