It appears the media embargo on 2023 2500 Rebel reviews ended at midnight, so tons of driving impressions got posted early this morning. I've done some quick summarizing below and linked to a few of the articles.
Nothing too terribly surprising, though some reviewers didn't seem to understand that there are people that both need to tow bit more weight than a Power Wagon was designed to handle, but less than a long bed dually, and want to offroad at a level between the two as well. There was a nearly universal sentiment that the Hemi was the better choice off-road, as the Cummins had too much weight up front, too stiff springs, and had too touchy of a throttle in low range. Some also complained that the Cummins had poor engine braking off road as the exhaust brake wasn't useful at speeds that low. Most also agreed that the Hemi had better on road handling and feel (again due to the lower weight up front) but the freight train torque of the Cummins made acceleration effortless and its fuel economy was much better.
The only truly unexpected thing was that two reviewers mentioned you could lock the rear axle in 2WD, which seems surprising if accurate and not just a per-production fluke.
A few article links:
www.motortrend.com
www.motor1.com
www.thedrive.com
www.forbes.com
www.autoblog.com
And some videos:
Nothing too terribly surprising, though some reviewers didn't seem to understand that there are people that both need to tow bit more weight than a Power Wagon was designed to handle, but less than a long bed dually, and want to offroad at a level between the two as well. There was a nearly universal sentiment that the Hemi was the better choice off-road, as the Cummins had too much weight up front, too stiff springs, and had too touchy of a throttle in low range. Some also complained that the Cummins had poor engine braking off road as the exhaust brake wasn't useful at speeds that low. Most also agreed that the Hemi had better on road handling and feel (again due to the lower weight up front) but the freight train torque of the Cummins made acceleration effortless and its fuel economy was much better.
The only truly unexpected thing was that two reviewers mentioned you could lock the rear axle in 2WD, which seems surprising if accurate and not just a per-production fluke.
A few article links:
2023 Ram 2500 HD Rebel First Test: Sometimes Less Really Is More
Some might see the Ram 2500 Rebel as a lesser Power Wagon, but in fact it does a lot more. And it’s more tolerable than most three-quarter-ton pickups.
2023 Ram 2500 Rebel First Drive Review: Torque Dirty To Me
The Power Wagon may never get a diesel, but the 2023 Ram 2500 Rebel is the next best thing, thanks to bold styling and good off-road capability.
www.motor1.com
The 2023 Ram 2500 HD Rebel Is No Diesel Power Wagon, but It Can Still Off-Road
The 2023 Ram 2500 HD Rebel delivers a lot more work capability, but with fewer off-road chops than the famous Power Wagon nameplate.
www.thedrive.com
2023 Ram Heavy Duty Rebel First Drive: One Toy Hauler To Rule Them All
Ram has built a new and improved Heavy Duty Rebel with an optional Cummins diesel to split the gap between toy hauler and true off-roader.
www.forbes.com
2023 Ram 2500 Rebel First Drive: More heavy duty than rock crawler - Autoblog
PIONEERTOWN, Calif. -- A vocal subset of Ram truck enthusiasts has long clamored for a particular combination: a Power Wagon with a Cummins turbodiesel. Wel
www.autoblog.com
2023 Ram 2500 Rebel Combines Towing and Off-Road Performance | Edmunds
The 2023 Ram 2500 is a heavy-duty pickup truck with massive towing and hauling capabilities and off-road ready trims like the Power Wagon.
www.edmunds.com
And some videos:
