Express Returns: 2026 Ram 1500 Express Is a New High-Style, Low-Price Entry Point
With the last-gen Ram 1500 Classic — a pickup truck sold at a discount — finally discontinued last year, the brand is reviving an old nameplate to form a new entry point for customers in search of “an unmatched combination of attitude and value.” The 2026 Ram 1500 Express goes for a minimalist look and starts at $44,495 (pricing includes the $2,095 destination charge).
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Shop the 2025 RAM 1500 near you
What Features Does the 2026 Ram 1500 Express Have?
The 2026 Ram 1500 Express features a debadged exterior sporting body-color front and rear bumpers, a black grille and 20-inch wheels. Available in a limited palette of black, white, gray, and light or dark blue, the Express also features upgraded interior trim.
Like other entry-level Ram 1500s, the Express comes standard with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, which makes 305 horsepower and 271 pounds-feet of torque. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six is available for $1,695 and increases output to 420 hp and 469 pounds-feet. Thus equipped, the Express can tow up to 11,550 pounds with rear-wheel drive. (Four-wheel-drive versions can tow slightly less.)
Pricing and Release Date
Priced from $44,495, the 2026 Ram 1500 Express is $770 cheaper than a comparable 2025 Tradesman with the monochromatic Sport Appearance Package and optional 20-inch wheels. A $995 Black Express Package is available for 4WD trucks and features a vented sport hood, black badging and wheels, side steps and LED foglamps, as well as bucket seats.
The 2026 Ram 1500 Express comes standard with Ram’s extended Quad Cab and RWD. The crew cab, with four full-size doors, is available for $2,750, and 4WD is another $3,850. Ram is taking orders for the 1500 Express now, with deliveries scheduled to begin in fall 2025.
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