2027 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: Doing What They Said Couldn’t Be Done
Key Points
- The 2027 Ram 2500 Power Wagon finally features a long-overdue diesel engine option, opening up all kinds of utility and range possibilities.
- The new Power Wagon offers a towing capacity of almost 20,000 pounds and nearly 3,000 pounds of payload.
- Adding the diesel powertrain is a smart, welcome move.
For years, Ram swore up and down that putting a diesel engine in the heavy-duty 2500 Power Wagon pickup truck wasn’t possible. Sure, the 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six-cylinder engine fit there, and you could get it in other Ram 2500 pickups, but the fact that every Power Wagon came with a winch meant that the cooling plumbing required for the diesel engine wouldn’t fit behind the bumper. That meant being stuck with the ultimate off-road HD truck and a powerful gasoline V-8 engine that, while suitable for off-roading, was less thrilling if you planned on doing any big trailer towing. The Power Wagon soldiered on like this for years … and then the Ford Super Duty F-250 Tremor came along.
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See, the Super Duty doesn’t have a storied nameplate like the Power Wagon, which has been an off-road heavy-duty truck staple for decades. But it does have the Tremor Package, which can be had on a number of different F-250 variants and adds a lot of the equipment that Ram’s Power Wagon has — including a choice of two diesel engines. Ford’s rationale was that giving its truck buyers the choice of powertrains was important to allow them to match the truck to their needs instead of insisting that the truck could only be had one way, as Ram offered. The Ford formula seems to be working, and Ram has responded for the 2027 model year by making changes to the Power Wagon that include finally bringing in the storied Cummins diesel.
They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But Here It Is
Of course, in order to get the diesel, you give up the winch; Ram apparently couldn’t find a way to do both, such is the necessity for the cooling plumbing. But honestly, this should’ve been a no-brainer choice from the beginning. A winch is useful for Power Wagon owners, but it’s a tool you’d use only sometimes, not regularly (you hope). A diesel engine, however, opens up all kinds of possibilities, from expanding your towing and payload ability to extending your overlanding driving range considerably.
With the new Power Wagon’s nearly 20,000-pound towing capacity, you can bring a much larger, heavier trailer along with you — the big camper, or two side-by-sides instead of just one. That new, almost 3,000-pound payload rating lets you up the size of an in-bed camper, as well, while the 31-gallon fuel tank should allow for a bladder-busting 600-mile range in between fill-ups, according to Ram. The new payload and towing capacities are nearly double what the ‘26 Power Wagon can handle, and that’s significant.
But Ram can’t brag too loudly about this new engine — Ford still has them beat with its high-output turbo-diesel 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8. That engine makes 500 horsepower and 1,200 pounds-feet of torque, beating the 430 hp and 1,075 pounds-feet of torque that the Ram Cummins can muster. But when you get to such high levels, such margins are likely not noticeable in everyday use. The Ram numbers are still massively impressive.
The Rest of the Truck Is Impressive (and Massive), Too
As always, the rest of the 2027 Ram 2500 Power Wagon continues to impress. Yes, it’s still one hell of a climb to get up into the cabin, but that’s what you want in a big off-road overlanding truck. The 13.2 inches of ground clearance, 34-inch tires on 20-inch eight-lug wheels, underbody armor, electronic locking differentials — all of it wrapped up in stylish sheet metal with a top-notch cabin that still feels like a luxury truck. It’s all massively impressive. Massive being the word too; the thing is huge, but that’s what buyers want. The switch to an optional diesel engine is a smart move for Ram, and frankly it should’ve come a long time ago.
Read More Ram Heavy Duty Coverage on Cars.com:
- 2027 Ram Power Wagon Diesel Combines Off-Road Capability With Stump-Pulling Torque
- 2025 Ram 2500 Review: Freshened Freight Train
- 2025 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty Pack More Tech and Capability
- Black Express, Warlock Join 2026 Ram 2500 Lineup
- 2025 Ram Heavy Duty Up Close: Refreshed Humongous Hauler
- Research the Ram 2500
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