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2021 Ram 1500 TRX debuts as a Hellcat-powered, desert-running Raptor killer

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is here, and Ford’s free ride is over with the F-150 Raptor. Ford has had it good for a long time without any significant competition. Neither GM nor FCA entered the off-road full-size truck market with an offering like the Raptor. Chevy makes the Colorado ZR2, but itÂ’s a midsize truck. With the introduction of the Ram TRX, Ford finally has a proper competitor. Timing of the Ram TRXÂ’s release happens to fall in an in-between time for the Raptor, too. The F-150 is all new for 2021, but Ford hasnÂ’t released any details on the Raptor variant — though, weÂ’ve heard that the wait wonÂ’t be long. Regardless, Ford had better be aiming for the moon if it aims to best the TRX, because RamÂ’s new off-road truck is one hell of a moonshot. There is a lot to take in here, so weÂ’ve divided the chunks of information into a few digestible sections. LetÂ’s start with the underneath bits, which are arguably the most important of all when desert running and jumping is taken into consideration. Ram TRX frame and suspension Ram boasts that the frame underneath the TRX is 75 percent different from a regular Ram 1500. It uses thicker high-strength steel with low torsion attributes for stability and durability. The side rails are fully boxed, and sections of the frame are hydroformed. Ram claims its truck holds up to jumping and high impact events better than the competition, which in this case is simply code for the outgoing Raptor. ItÂ’s designed to handle rough terrain at 100 mph-plus. Compared to a Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter V8, itÂ’s 600 pounds heavier. Ram is not messing around here. Damping is taken care of by Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shocks, aided by nitrogen-charged remote reservoirs to ensure maximum durability. The shocks will continuously adjust damping force to best handle the terrain, but you can control them via a number of modes, too. Ram says that in addition to the off-road capability, the shocks make for a smoother ride on pavement. The internals of the shocks feature a “Jounce Cut Off” that has three zones for progressive bottom-out control. You know, for when you take that jump at speed on your way to the office. 2021 Ram 1500 TRX chassis with brakes View 7 Photos Just like the other Ram 1500s, this one uses a five-link coil suspension design for the rear. However, the design is unique to the TRX with different hard points to allow room for a Dana 60 rear axle.

Ram trucks lead 2021 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

For the first time ever, Ram leads in J.D. Power's annual Initial Quality Study with a score of 128 PP100, or problems experienced per 100 vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership. Ram was in third place in last year's rankings. Coming in second place is Dodge (139 PP100), a sister division to Ram under the Stellantis umbrella, followed by Lexus (144 PP100), this year's highest-ranked premium automaker, in third. These findings reinforce an overall trend over the last few decades where mass-market brands have outperformed premium brands that tend to introduce bleeding-edge technologies that can confuse owners or fail to work entirely. Genesis (148 PP100) is the only other premium automaker to perform better than average. At the bottom of the official rankings is Chrysler (251 PP100), which seems to make little sense considering most of its technologies are shared with Dodge and many with Ram until you consider that Chrysler only offers two platforms and one of them is the Pacifica/Voyager minivan twins that are unique to the brand. The next worst are Audi (240 PP100) and Volkswagen (213 PP100). Tesla would fall in between VW and Audi with its score of 231PP100, but because the electric car manufacturer doesn't provide access to J.D. Power in every state, it's not officially included. Interestingly, J.D. Power said on a followup call that the problems that Tesla owners report most often are more traditional issues, such as panel fitment, interior noises or paint problems instead of problems with the car's electronics. According to J.D. Power, the industry averaged a score of 162 PP100. That is four points higher than the overall score in 2020, and 20 of 32 brands improved their quality scores over the last year. That's a two percent increase in quality in 2021, which is good but slightly lower than the average rate of improvement over the last decade. On a car-by-car basis, the Nissan Maxima leads the overall field with a score of 85 PP100. Issues with infotainment systems — and in particular problems pairing smartphones with in-car technologies — continue to be the top-reported problems. Headaches connecting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto dominate the complaints. "Owners want wireless connectivity, and the industry has responded," according to Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power. "However, this has created a bigger technical challenge for both automakers and tech companies.

2023 New York Auto Show Mega Photo Gallery: See all the new cars from the show

The 2023 New York Auto Show was a rather lively show full of North American vehicle debuts and a lot of new metal we’ve never seen before. As always, we were on the ground covering it from every angle for you, including photographing all the reveals on the show floor. There were a ton of new EVs shown and even a stunning concept with the Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept. YouÂ’ll be able to see them all, from the production Ram REV to the little (but now much bigger) Kona, in the numerous galleries below.   2024 Kia EV9 2024 Kia EV9 View 7 Photos 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line View 5 Photos 2025 Ram REV 2025 Ram 1500 REV View 6 Photos Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept View 9 Photos 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric, N Line and Limited 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric View 21 Photos 2024 Jeep Wrangler 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe View 22 Photos 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness View 14 Photos 2024 VW Atlas Peak Edition 2024 VW Atlas Peak Edition View 7 Photos Hyundai Ioniq 5 Disney100 Platinum Concept Hyundai Ioniq 5 Disney100 Platinum Concept View 9 Photos   Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept is coming to reality