2023 RAM 2500 HD Rebel Diesel is a working man’s dream truck

Some folks have the need to haul things. Heavy things. These same people likely are towing heavy things. Things so heavy, that a simple half-ton truck won’t suffice. This is where the 2023 RAM 2500 Rebel with the Cummins diesel steps up to the plate. This truck has the new Rebel trim package and boasts tons of great features that make for a very desirable truck.

Its 6.7-liter inline six-cylinder Cummins diesel engine churns out 370 horsepower with 850 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough torque to easily get most towing/hauling chores done with power to spare. Power is delivered to a 6-speed automatic transmission that feeds a four-wheel-drive system. This added power does come at additional weight as well — in fact, the Cummins diesel weighs 490 pounds more than the gasoline-powered V8. For those worried about the noise of diesel engines, the engineers at RAM have really done a great job of taming this beast. 

There is no EPA rating for this truck as they don’t rate vehicles that have gross vehicle weight over 8,500 pounds. However, in our real-world testing and road trip, we averaged between 18-19 miles per gallon on the highway and up to 14 around town. 

Towing capacity is rated at 16,870 pounds and can haul up to 3240 pounds. 

New for 2023 is the Rebel trim, which really helps spruce things up. You’ll find a more lifted suspension, skid plates, and a rear differential locker. Inside, there’s a 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster that offers some customization, and also a digital rearview mirror with built-in side cameras. There is also an optional trailer reverse steering control to help drivers maneuver trailers while backing up.

Inside this Rebel trim, you’ll find a very modern cabin. Leather seating surfaces and soft-to-the-touch materials are used extensively throughout the cabin. Both front seats offer a range of adjustability and are very comfortable for longer-duration road trips. Tons of legroom for the rear passengers make the second row a great place to be. You’ll never feel cramped inside the spacious interior and it’s obvious that the folks who designed this truck did so with creature comforts in mind. There’s also active noise cancellation built into the audio system and its acoustic glass help keep things very quiet while driving down the freeway. 

The huge 12-inch vertical touchscreen is your point of contact with the infotainment system. It’s a configurable screen and has very low latency when you press on any of its functions. Native support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot help round things out. There’s a total of five USB ports inside, as well three 115-volt power outlets. The audio playback quality is really good, thanks to the high-powered Harman/Kardon system that sends power to 17 speakers, with a subwoofer. 

We happened to have had this truck during a Kentucky-Ohio region winter storm and can attest to its incredible ability to get around in the snow. Its stock tires provided enough traction in 4-wheel-drive mode to keep it solidly on the road. We also appreciated the truck’s built-in engine pre-heat function that kicks in during extremely cold temperatures to pre-warm the diesel fuel and the engine. We tested this out first-hand, a few nights where temps dropped to 18 degrees below zero. 

You can find a 2023 RAM 2500 Rebel with the baseline diesel starting at around $68,000. However, our test model – loaded with about every feature you can add on, including the “ram boxes” in the truck bed and a triple-folding tonneau cover, rang the bell at a whopping $92,875. 

There’s a full-coverage warranty for three years or 36,000 miles, a powertrain warranty for five years or 100,000 miles, and no complimentary scheduled maintenance. 

In the end, if you’re after an ultra-capable truck that has very few compromises and all the creature comforts we love than you should seriously consider the 2023 RAM 2500 Rebel Crew Cab.