Every Ram 1500 rides on coil springs in the back, which is why it is the softest half-ton over the ruts with an empty bed. Ten trims from $45,000, and the off-road one sits right in the middle. Here is where the money lands on the sand.
The opinions on this page come from Beach4x4, our rental company in Kill Devil Hills, whose 4x4s run the Carova beach every day of the season. The Beach Test Drive is our drive-before-you-buy program: a new vehicle, this beach, nobody selling. Planned for summer 2027.
2027 starting prices including the $2,795 destination charge, as reported in July 2026 by a Virginia Ram dealer; the Rebel is up $200 on the 2026. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is back as an option on most trims.
The base, the sweet spot and the nice one
A Ram is the easy half-ton to spend five and a half hours in: the coil springs, the seats, the quiet. The ladder buys an interior first, then off-road gear, then a 540-horsepower desert truck. Highway 12 below is North Carolina Highway 12, the two-lane road up the Outer Banks; the drive from Kitty Hawk to the Corolla beach ramp is about 45 minutes of it.
Tradesman
The base
$45,1702027, with destination
The 3.6-liter V6, heavy-duty shocks, a Class IV hitch, cloth seats and the 8.4-inch screen. Four-wheel drive is available. The Big Horn, $5,000 up, is the Tradesman with the chrome and the comforts.
Aired down in four-wheel drive, a Tradesman floats up this beach like any half-ton, and the coil springs make the ruts gentler than they are in a Chevy or a Ford. No locker, no lift, no need.
The best-riding base pickup on Highway 12, because of the springs. The cloth and the small screen are the only tells.
The driver who wants the Ram ride and the beach and has no use for a lift.
Rebel
The sweet spot
$68,4402027, with destination
A one-inch lift, Bilstein monotube shocks, 33-inch all-terrains, an electronic rear locker, skid plates, and the Laramie’s interior with the Rebel’s stitching. Ram’s air suspension is available. The Warlock, at $56,010, has the same lift, shocks, locker, plates and tires in a Tradesman interior; more on it below.
The 33s aired down float, the Bilsteins take the ruts, and the coil springs take what’s left. The rear locker is the backup for the one soft spot. It is the most comfortable way up this beach in a pickup.
The all-terrains are quiet for what they are, and the Rebel is the softest-riding off-road pickup on the two-lane through Duck. Five and a half hours feels like three.
The driver who wants the off-road truck and the nicest place to sit, in the same truck.
Laramie
The nice one
$64,4752027, with destination
The 420-horsepower Hurricane six standard, leather, 20-inch wheels, and coil springs like every Ram. Four-wheel drive, the Off-Road Group with its rear locker, and the air suspension are on the option list.
With 4x4 and the Off-Road Group it is a Rebel in a suit: the locker, the inch of height, the skid plates. Without them it still comes up the beach aired down; the 20-inch all-seasons are the part you’d change.
The Ram ride everyone talks about, with the quiet interior. Five and a half hours feels like three.
The driver who wants the nicest place to sit and will check two boxes to make it a beach truck.
What the money buys you on this beach
Carova is soft sand, packed sand, ruts and 45 minutes of two-lane each way. That is the whole test. Here is which Ram 1500 money shows up in it.
What you’d feel
The coil springs, on every trim, every rut. The Rebel’s Bilsteins and 33s. The air suspension, if the truck has it, raised an inch for the soft stuff. The seats, for five and a half hours.
What you wouldn’t
540 horsepower. Racing suspension at beach speeds. Massage seats, probably. The Hemi, except in your ears, and plenty of people pay for that alone.
What the Warlock buys
The Rebel’s one-inch lift, Bilstein shocks, rear locker, skid plates and 33-inch all-terrains in a Tradesman interior with the black-out look, at $56,010, about $12,400 less. What it skips is the Laramie-grade interior, the heated power seats, the big screen, the Hurricane six as standard and the air suspension option. For the beach it is the Rebel at a discount.
Every Ram 1500, bottom to top
Starting price, the off-road gear that matters here, and our take. Trims and prices change every model year; the note under the table says which year and when we looked.
| Trim | Starts at | Off-road gear | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tradesman | $45,170 | 3.6-liter V6, heavy-duty shocks, coil-spring rear, 4x4 available | The baseThe softest-riding base pickup here |
| Express | $47,295 | Tradesman with the black look | The base with the look |
| Big Horn / Lone Star | $50,425 | Chrome, 18-inch wheels, the comforts | The one most people buy |
| Warlock | $56,010 | 1-inch lift, Bilstein shocks, rear locker, skid plates, 33-inch all-terrains, black grille and wheels | The Rebel hardware on a Tradesman |
| Laramie | $64,475 | The 420-hp Hurricane six standard, leather | The nice oneThe nicest seats; add 4x4 and the Off-Road Group for the beach |
| Rebel | $68,440 | 1-inch lift, Bilstein shocks, 33-inch all-terrains, rear locker, skid plates; air suspension available | Sweet spotThe off-road Ram, and the comfortable one |
| RHO | $77,790 | 540-hp Hurricane, wide-body, racing suspension | Built for a desert at speed |
| Limited | $79,400 | The 540-hp Hurricane six and air suspension standard, 20-inch wheels (22s optional), the big screen | The luxury Ram |
| Longhorn | $79,895 | Limited with the western leather | The luxury Ram in boots |
| Tungsten | $91,795 | 540-hp Hurricane, 24-way massage seats, the quietest interior Ram makes | A luxury car with a bed |
2027 model year, starting prices including the $2,795 destination charge, as reported July 14, 2026 by Safford CJDR of Fredericksburg and matched by Kelley Blue Book’s 2027 pages on October 25, 2026. TrimAtlas’ 2026 figures run about $2,600 lower before destination. Equipment from Stellantis’ 2026 Rebel X release, Automotive Addicts’ 2026 trim guide and the Warlock reviews below.
Watch a review, not ours
Alex on Autos walks the 2026 Ram 1500 lineup, the trims and all four engines, and takes one up a trail. Their video, their opinions. It is here because it is the best one we found; we make nothing from it.
2026 Ram 1500 lineup: a corral full of choices. Alex on Autos, on YouTube. Model year shown: 2026. Plays from YouTube when you press play; YouTube’s terms and cookies apply then.
Every Ram 1500 version in one checklist
Ram sells the 1500 in ten trims plus three 2027 specials, two bodies, two beds and four engines, with the Hemi back on the sheet. Here is all of it on one sheet. 2027 starting prices including the $2,795 destination charge as a Virginia dealer reported them in July 2026 and Kelley Blue Book’s 2027 pages confirmed in October; equipment from Ram’s 2027 and 2026 releases, Ram’s spec sheet and 2026 build sheets, since Ram had not itemized every 2027 trim when we looked.
Every Ram 1500 4x4 has a low range; no Ram 1500 has a front locker. The 5.7 Hemi returned for 2026 as the eTorque mild hybrid; Ram is phasing that out early in the 2027 run for a plain 5.7 with the same 395 horsepower and a lower tow rating (8,890 pounds against 11,370). Scroll the table sideways on a phone.
| Version | Starts at | Engine, as it comes | 5.7 Hemi V8 | 4x4 | Auto 4WD mode | Air suspension | Rear locker | Factory lift | Tires, as it comes | 35s | Skid plates | Shocks | On this beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TradesmanQuad or Crew | $45,170Quad, 2WD | 3.6 V6 eTorque, automatic | ○ | ○ | †1 | † | ○2 | none | 32-in., 18-in. steel | — | ○2 | heavy-duty | The softest-riding base pickup here; add the Off-Road Group |
| ExpressQuad or Crew | $47,295Quad, 2WD | 3.6 V6 eTorque, automatic | ○ | ○ | †1 | † | † | none | 32-in., 20s | — | † | standard | The base with the look; 20s are the wrong wheel for sand |
| Big Horn / Lone StarQuad or Crew | $50,425Quad, 2WD | 3.6 V6 eTorque, automatic | ○ | ○ | ○1 | † | ○2 | none | 32-in., 18s | — | ○2 | standard | The one most people buy; the Off-Road Group makes it a beach truck |
| WarlockCrew, 4x4 | $56,0105 ft 7 bed | 3.6 V6 eTorque, automatic | ○ | ✓ | — | † | ✓ | 1 in. | 33-in. all-terrains, 18s | — | ✓ | Bilstein | The Rebel hardware on a Tradesman; the value play for this beach |
| BackCountry2027, on the Big Horn; Crew 4x4 | ask2026 package $62,410 | Hemi or the 420-hp Hurricane six | ○ | ✓ | ✓ | † | ✓ | 1 in. | 32-in. on/off-road, 18s | — | ✓ | extra heavy-duty | A blacked-out Big Horn with the lift and the locker; nearly the Warlock |
| LaramieCrew | $64,4752WD, 5 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 420 hp | ○ | ○ | ○1 | ○ | ○2 | none | 32-in., 20s | — | ○2 | standard | The nice one; same beach as a Big Horn |
| RebelCrew, 4x4 | $68,4405 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 420 hp | ○ | ✓ | †1 | ○ | ✓ | 1 in. | 33-in. Goodyear DuraTrac, 18s | — | ✓ | Bilstein | The off-road Ram and the comfortable one; the sweet spot |
| LimitedCrew | $79,4005 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 540 hp | ○4 | † | ✓3 | ✓ | ○2 | none | 32-in., 20s; 22s optional | — | ○2 | standard | The luxury Ram; the air suspension lifts it an inch for the sand |
| LonghornCrew (Limited Longhorn) | $79,8955 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 540 hp | ○4 | † | ✓3 | † | ○2 | none | 32-in., 20s; 22s optional | — | ○2 | standard | The luxury Ram in boots |
| Halo models: fun to read about, not what this beach needs | |||||||||||||
| Rumble Bee2027, Quad, wide body | $62,790392 $77,790; SRT $97,790 | 5.7 Hemi, 395 hp | ✓ | ✓ | ✓5 | ○5 | ○5 | none | 32-in. all-seasons, 22s | — | † | Bilstein | A street muscle truck; stays on the pavement |
| RHOCrew, 4x4, wide body | $77,7905 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 540 hp | — | ✓ | ✓3 | — | ✓ | 2 in. taller | 35-in. all-terrains, beadlock-capable 18s | ✓ | ✓ | Bilstein Black Hawk e2 | Built for a desert at speed; 11.8 inches of clearance you will not need |
| TungstenCrew, 4x4 | $91,7955 ft 7 bed | 3.0 Hurricane six, 540 hp | — | ✓ | ✓3 | ✓ | ○2 | none | 32-in., 22s | — | ○2 | standard | A luxury car with a bed; 22s on the sand |
| TRX SRT2027, Crew, wide body | $102,7905 ft 7 bed | 6.2 supercharged Hemi, 777 hp | — | ✓ | ✓3 | — | ✓ | raised; 11.8 in. clearance | 35-in. all-terrains, 18s | ✓ | ✓ | Bilstein Black Hawk e2 | The loudest pickup on the beach, by a wide margin |
- Ram pairs the part-time case with the V6 and the 4WD Auto on-demand case with the Hurricane six, and does not say by trim which trucks get which. Ask.
- The 4x4 Off-Road Group ($1,345; $1,895 on the Tradesman): electronic rear locker, about an inch of ride height, extra-heavy-duty shocks, skid plates, tow hooks and Selec-Speed. The Protection Group ($495) is the plates and hooks alone. The Night Edition’s anti-spin differential is a limited slip, not a locker.
- Full-time active case with a 4WD Auto mode, 4 High Lock and 4 Low; more than on-demand.
- The Hemi is a no-cost alternative to the 540-hp six on Limited and Longhorn; $1,200 over the 420-hp six on Tradesman through Rebel.
- Full-time 4x4 with a button that sends it to rear-drive. Air suspension, the Bilstein Damptronic shocks and the locking rear differential come on the 392 Track Pack and the SRT only.
Body, bed and tow
Quad means four doors with short rear doors and comes only with the 6-foot-4 bed; Crew has four full doors and a 5-foot-7 or 6-foot-4 bed. Tow ratings are Ram’s maximums by engine; a given body, bed and axle rates lower.
| Version | Bodies | Beds | Max tow, pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| TradesmanQuad or Crew | Quad, Crew | 6 ft 4 (Quad); 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 (Crew) | V6 8,100; six 11,530; Hemi 11,370 |
| ExpressQuad or Crew | Quad, Crew | 6 ft 4 (Quad); 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 (Crew) | V6 8,100; six 11,550; Hemi 11,370 |
| Big Horn / Lone StarQuad or Crew | Quad, Crew | 6 ft 4 (Quad); 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 (Crew) | V6 8,100; six 11,530; Hemi 11,370 |
| WarlockCrew, 4x4 | Crew | 5 ft 7 | V6 6,370; six up to 11,200 |
| BackCountry2027, on the Big Horn; Crew 4x4 | Crew | 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 | Hemi 11,370; six 11,530 |
| LaramieCrew | Crew | 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 | six 11,530; Hemi 11,370 |
| RebelCrew, 4x4 | Crew | 5 ft 7 | 11,140 (six) |
| LimitedCrew | Crew | 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 | 9,120 (540-hp six) |
| LonghornCrew (Limited Longhorn) | Crew | 5 ft 7 or 6 ft 4 | 9,120 (540-hp six) |
| Halo models: fun to read about, not what this beach needs | |||
| Rumble Bee2027, Quad, wide body | Quad | 5 ft 7 | 5.7 8,890; 392 7,460; SRT 8,580 |
| RHOCrew, 4x4, wide body | Crew | 5 ft 7 | 8,330 |
| TungstenCrew, 4x4 | Crew | 5 ft 7 | 9,150 |
| TRX SRT2027, Crew, wide body | Crew | 5 ft 7 | 8,580 |
RamBox, the multifunction tailgate and the power rear window are not itemized by trim in Ram’s 2026 or 2027 material; RamBox is standard on Limited, Longhorn and Tungsten and optional from Big Horn up on 2025 coverage. Ask.
Packages worth knowing
The option sheet is long. These are the six that change how a Ram feels on this beach or on Highway 12, with our take under each.
- 4x4 Off-Road GroupTradesman ($1,895), Big Horn, Laramie, Limited, Longhorn, Tungsten ($1,345): optional on 4x4s. Warlock, Rebel, RHO: the hardware is standard.
An electronic rear locker, about an inch more ride height, extra-heavy-duty shocks, skid plates under the transfer case, steering and tank, tow hooks, and Selec-Speed crawl control.
The one box to check on a Big Horn for this beach. The locker is the backup for the soft spot that bites; the inch helps in the ruts by the ramp.
- Active-Level air suspensionLimited and Tungsten: standard. Laramie and Rebel: optional. Not offered on Warlock, RHO, TRX.
Air springs at all four corners with an entry height, a normal height and two off-road heights.
The off-road height is a free inch of clearance at the ramp; the entry height is the grandparents getting in. On the Rebel it is the best beach option on the list.
- Protection GroupTradesman, Big Horn, Laramie: $495.
The transfer case, steering gear and fuel tank skid plates and the tow hooks, without the locker or the lift.
Cheap insurance for the one hard thing under the sand.
- Bed Utility GroupEvery trim: $945 (Tradesman through Laramie, RHO), $545 (Rebel, Limited, Longhorn, Tungsten).
A spray-in liner, four adjustable tie-downs, bed lighting and a bed outlet; a deployable step and a 400-watt inverter on some trims.
The liner and the tie-downs are what keep the sandy gear from sliding.
- Rebel XRebel, with the Level 2 group: $3,495.
A panoramic sunroof, leather and vinyl buckets with red stitching, a console shifter with paddles and Rough Road Cruise Control, which holds a set speed off-road.
Comfort and tech; no extra sand hardware. Rough Road Cruise is a nice trick on the long straight run to the Virginia line.
- Night EditionBig Horn ($2,545), Laramie ($3,445), Limited ($4,245).
Black accents and black wheels (22s on Laramie and Limited, on Pirelli street tires) and an anti-spin rear differential.
Looks. The anti-spin is a limited slip, not a locker, and the 22s are the wrong wheel for sand.
Special editions
Trims built on other trims, and the 2027 specials. Prices are the 2027 ladder unless noted.
| Edition | Built on | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express | Tradesman | +$2,125 | The work truck with 20-inch wheels, monochrome trim and black-bezel LED lights; Black Express adds the sport hood, black wheels and side steps for about $1,000. |
| Warlock | Tradesman, Crew 4x4 | $56,010 | The entry off-road Ram: 1-inch lift, Bilsteins, rear locker, skid plates, 33-inch all-terrains, black grille and wheels. Gets the 2027 Symbol of Protest Hemi badge. |
| BackCountry | Big Horn, Crew 4x4 | 2026: +$2,995 package; 2027 price not published | The blacked-out trail Big Horn: 1-inch lift, extra-heavy-duty shocks, rear locker, skid plates, 32-inch tires on satin black 18s, on-demand 4x4, Hemi or Hurricane six. |
| Rebel X | Rebel | +$3,495 package | Sunroof, red-stitched buckets, paddles and Rough Road Cruise Control on the Rebel. |
| Longhorn | Limited | +$495 | Western leather, real wood, chrome; the 540-hp six with the Hemi at no cost, RamBox standard. |
| Tungsten | Limited | +$12,395 | 540-hp six only, air suspension, 22s, 24-way massaging seats, 23-speaker Klipsch audio. |
| Rumble Bee (2027) | Quad wide body, full-time 4x4 | $62,790 to $97,790 | Street muscle: the plain 5.7 Hemi, the 6.4 392, the 392 Track Pack with air suspension and a locking differential, and the 777-hp SRT. |
| TRX SRT (2027) | RHO chassis | $102,790 | 777 horsepower, Dana 60 rear axle with a locker, Bilstein Black Hawk e2, 35s; the first SRT badge on a Ram. Second half of 2026. |
The beach checklist
What the Carova sand asks of a Ram 1500, and what it does not.
- You need
✓Four-wheel drive with a low range. Every Ram 4x4 has it; what changes up the ladder is whether it also has an automatic mode.
✓Tires you can air down to 18 to 20 psi, and a gauge and a compressor in the back. The Rebel’s and Warlock’s 33-inch all-terrains air down best; the 20s and 22s on the street trims are the weak spot.
✓The Currituck County beach parking permit in season, to stop or park on the sand; the Currituck 4x4 beach guide has the dates.
- Nice to have
○A rear locker, for the one soft spot a summer that bites. Warlock, Rebel and up, or the Off-Road Group below them.
○The air suspension, for the off-road height at the ramp and the entry height for the grandparents.
○The coil-spring rear and the Bilsteins. The reason the Rebel is the comfortable pickup on this beach.
- Skip for sand
—The RHO’s 35s and race suspension and the TRX’s 777 horsepower. Desert gear; the beach limit is 35 miles an hour, 15 within 300 feet of any person.
—The 22-inch wheels on Limited, Tungsten and the Night Editions. Less sidewall to air down.
—A front locker. No Ram 1500 has one, and this beach never asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need lockers for this beach?
No. Four-wheel drive, tires aired down to 18 to 20 psi and a little momentum get a stock 4x4 up and down Carova every day. A rear locker is a nice backup in the softest spots. Front lockers, 37-inch tires and desert-racing shocks are built for places that aren’t this one.
Is the top trim better on sand?
Usually not in any way you’d feel at beach speed, which is 35 miles an hour and 15 near people. The top trims buy horsepower, 35-inch or 37-inch tires and shocks tuned for speed over rough ground. What you’d feel here is the ride on Highway 12, the seat, and whether the tires float, and the sweet-spot trim has all three.
Can I try one on this beach before I buy?
Yes. The Beach Test Drive, our drive-before-you-buy program planned for summer 2027, puts shoppers in new Broncos, Wranglers, Gladiators, Silverados and Rams for five and a half hours on the Carova sand, the whole family along and no salesperson. Until then, Beach4x4, our rental company in Kill Devil Hills, rents 4x4s for this beach by the day or the week.
Warlock or Rebel?
On the sand, the same truck: the inch of lift, the Bilsteins, the electronic rear locker, the skid plates and the 33-inch Goodyear all-terrains come on both. The Rebel adds the 420-horsepower Hurricane six as standard (the Warlock comes with the 305-horsepower V6; the six is $1,695 and the Hemi $2,895), heated power seats, the big screen, cameras and the air suspension option. The difference is about $12,400, and you’d feel all of it in the seat and none of it on the beach.
Rebel or Rebel X?
The Rebel X is the Rebel with the Level 2 equipment group, the 420-hp Hurricane six, a panoramic roof, red-stitched leather and Rough Road Cruise Control, which holds a set speed off-road up to 20 miles an hour. On this beach the cruise control is the one thing you’d notice. Everything that floats is on the plain Rebel.
Sources
- Safford CJDR of Fredericksburg, 2027 Ram 1500 price by trim (July 14, 2026)
- Stellantis, what’s new for the 2027 Ram 1500
- Ram, 2025 Ram 1500 specifications
- Mopar Insiders, 2026 Ram 1500 buyer’s guide
- Mopar Insiders, Ram phases out the 5.7 Hemi eTorque (August 2026)
- Stellantis, 2026 Ram 1500 Rebel X release
- AAA Oregon, 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock review
- GearJunkie, 2026 Ram 1500 Rebel vs. Warlock (March 19, 2026)
- Expedition Portal, 2026 Ram 1500 Warlock review (November 8, 2025)
- Mopar Insiders, the 2026 Ram 1500 BackCountry (June 2026)
- Mopar Insiders, 2027 Rumble Bee pricing (July 2026)
- Equipment World, the 2027 Ram 1500 TRX SRT (February 2026)
- TrimAtlas, 2026 Ram 1500 trims and starting MSRPs (July 2026)
- Ritchie Bros., F-150, Ram 1500 and Silverado 1500 compared (May 13, 2026)
Prices on this page are the makers’ published starting prices on the dates shown and change with every model year. Dealers in The Beach Test Drive program sell to its drivers at the factory invoice, which is a different number; that program explains it. Opinions on how each trim feels are ours, drawn from the published equipment lists and from running four-wheel drives on this beach.
Related: Which 4x4 for the beach? All the comparisons · The Beach Test Drive, summer 2027 · Best tires for sand · How to air down · Beach driving setup