2026 Ram 1500 Express review: Australia's cheapest pickup tested

Ever since Ram Trucks Australia stopped bringing in new Hemi V8-powered 1500 pickups to local shores, customers have been made to pay more than $140,000 for the latest twin-turbo straight-six offerings.

That is, until now, with the arrival of the 1500 Express Black Edition signalling a return to the ‘affordable’ end of the American pickup market for Ram, with its $109,950 before on-roads price tag making it the least expensive vehicle in its class right now.

It not only undercuts the existing Ram 1500 Rebel and Laramie Sport by more than $30,000 – with both starting from $141,950, despite being powered by the same engine – but also the $114,950 Ford F-150 XLT, the $134,990 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium, and the $155,990 Toyota Tundra Limited.

At just under $110,000, it also comes within $10,000 of Ford’s new Ranger Super Duty XLT pickup, which is arguably built for a slightly different customer set, but not one so different that there’s no overlap between buyers.

With that comparative discount in mind, as well as context about where it fits against its rivals, we got to try out the Express Black Edition in country Victoria, arguably one of the heartlands of Ram in Australia.

What do you get?

What’s immediately striking on the most affordable 1500 is its appearance, with the Black Edition upgrades consisting of a black grille, badging, side mirror caps, door handles, exhaust tips, side steps and 20-inch wheels, plus a menacing, Limited-like bulged ‘sports hood’.

One of the – surprisingly long list of – things the Express Black Edition misses out on from higher grades is powered side steps and a powered tailgate, though some may view these omissions as fewer features to go wrong.

Inside the cabin is what you’d expect from the workhorse of the bunch: cloth upholstery, manually adjustable seats, a much smaller 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen (down from 14.4 inches), and a 7.0-inch TFT within analogue gauges (down from a 12.3-inch full digital cluster).

There’s no particular issue with any of these features. The seats are comfortable enough, the steering wheel buttons are intuitive, the TFT display can still show speed alongside the traditional speedometer dials, and the touchscreen is far less imposing than on higher-specced vehicles.

It’s also a slightly more practical cabin than other 1500s in Australia, with no 10.25-inch front passenger infotainment touchscreen, rather an open storage slot sits in its place.

However, there are two creature comforts which many may miss. The climate control system has been exchanged for a simple fan and cooling/heat control knob, while the 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is also no more, with the Express instead making do with a six-speaker setup.

For those who consider themselves audiophiles, downsizing to the six-speaker system is a bit jarring, though if there’s any consolation it’s that the cabin is quiet on almost all types of roads. 

How does it drive?

That brings us to the driving experience, which – on paper at least – shouldn’t be too big of a departure from the existing Ram 1500 recipe, especially compared to the much dearer Laramie Sport.

Powering the Ram 1500 Express Black Edition is the ‘Standard Output’ version of the twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six ‘Hurricane’ engine, putting out a very healthy 313kW and 635Nm.

It’s in the same ballpark as its rivals, as the hybrid Tundra’s twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 makes 326kW/790Nm, the F-150’s twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 develops 298kW/678Nm, and the Silverado 1500’s 6.2-litre V8 puts out 313kW/624Nm, while also representing an improvement on the old Hemi-powered Ram’s 291kW/556Nm.

Unlike its competition though, the Ram 1500 has to make do with only eight gears, compared to the 10-speed automatics in its rivals.

Not that you ever miss the extra two ratios on the road, with the eight-speed always able to find the right gear to be in to best ride the wave of torque from the Hurricane engine, which itself is quiet.

The only time you get a noticeable amount of engine noise is when the windows are down and you’re pushing it up an incline. It’s not a bad sound, and is almost Barra-esque, but it doesn’t replace the thumping V8.

A major advantage of the 1500 Express is that – thanks to its relatively short equipment list – it weighs almost 150kg less than the Limited Sport, tipping the scales at 2491kg.

This not only means it’s marginally more dynamic on the road, but it also boasts being the only Ram 1500 with a payload capacity of more than 1000kg, 1014kg to be exact.

Its 7711kg gross combination mass (GCM) matches the Laramie Sport and Rebel, while with a 70mm tow ball you can still make use of its full 4500kg braked towing capacity (or 3500kg for those with a 50mm ball).

There is one glaring omission from the Express though, with the entry-level Ram 1500 only getting part-time four-wheel drive.

Drivers can choose between 2H, 4H and 4L, the latter pair can only be used off-road. Higher-end versions of the pickup add a 4A (or four auto) mode, which acts like an all-wheel drive system by redistributing power to the front wheels when needed.

Though we didn’t get to test the rear-drive setting to its limits, those who are towing in tricky conditions may miss the ability to put it in 4A, something which is available on the similarly priced Ford F-150 XLT.

To say the 1500 Express handles like a big pickup is a bit of an insult to this class of vehicle, as all of the offerings in the segment are not only comfortable but handle country highways quite well, with none of the agricultural feeling you’d be used to in most dual-cab utes.

Features such as its adaptive cruise control (which can be turned back into standard cruise control at the push of a button), its lane-keep assist and driver fatigue monitoring systems are well calibrated and won’t annoy drivers by flashing and beeping every five seconds.

A vehicle of this size could do with a 360-degree camera, but that’s reserved for the top-spec Limited only. For the price point, the front and rear sensors plus rear camera are enough.

What do we think?

The addition of the Ram 1500 Express Black Edition to the brand’s lineup is a welcome one, giving buyers not willing to fork out more than $150,000 when all is said and done to get into a full-size pickup.

For potential buyers stepping up from a dual-cab ute, it will present the driving advantages of a pickup, with its meaty engine providing effortless power, a hefty towing capability, and comfortable ride experience.

By omitting equipment some would define as a luxury, Ram has brought itself back to the heartland of the segment and what led to its popularity, though with the F-150 so close in price and offering more kit, the Express Black Edition has more competition than when it was last at this end of the market.

Regardless, it’s a very decent vehicle for those who are after a workhorse and might not miss the Hemi V8.