Ram's New Inline-Six Is Barely More Efficient Than the Old Hemi V-8
Official fuel economy numbers for the new Ram 1500 are in, and they aren't great. When the updated pickup truck debuted last year, the automaker touted it as "more powerful and more efficient" with the new 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine. It's certainly more powerful than the outgoing Hemi V-8, but is it more efficient? That depends on your point of view, but the answer is largely no.
According to new stats from the EPA, a 2025 Ram 1500 with four-wheel drive and the standard-output version of the new six-cylinder earns a combined rating of 19 miles per gallon. We consider this as the typical version most buyers would choose, and that combined mileage rating is exactly the same as the 2024 Ram 1500 with a 5.7-liter V-8.
The combined rating is achieved by averaging city and highway efficiency, and here's where things get more interesting. The old Hemi was better in city traffic, returning 18 mpg versus 17 mpg for the new Hurricane engine. It's only on the highway where the six-cylinder outclasses the V-8, achieving 24 mpg compared to 22 from the Hemi.
This is for the standard-output version of the Hurricane straight-six. The high-output mill earns a combined rating of 17 mpg, with 15 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. However, you do get considerably more power to play with—540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque to be exact. The standard-output 3.0-liter is rated at 420 hp and 469 lb-ft.
Here's a breakdown of 2025 Ram 1500 fuel mileage ratings for both the inline-six and V-6 models, two-wheel drive and four, and how they compare to 2024 ratings with the V-6 and V-8.
| 2025 Ram 1500 | Engine | MPG | 2024 Ram 1500 | Engine | MPG |
| 1500 2WD | 3.0L I-6 SO | 18/25/21 | 1500 2WD | 5.7L V-8 Hemi | 18/23/20 |
| 1500 2WD | 3.6L V-6 | 20/25/22 | 1500 2WD | 3.6L V-6 | 20/25/22 |
| 1500 HFE 2WD | 3.6L V-6 | 20/26/23 | 1500 HFE 2WD | 3.6L V-6 | 20/26/23 |
| 1500 4WD | 3.0L I-6 SO | 17/24/19 | 1500 4WD | 5.7L V-8 Hemi | 18/22/19 |
| 1500 4WD | 3.0L I-6 HO | 15/21/17 | 1500 TRX 4WD | 6.2L V-8 Hellcat | 10/14/12 |
| 1500 4WD | 3.6L V6 | 19/24/21 | 1500 4WD | 3.6L V-6 | 19/24/21 |
How does the 2025 Ram 1500 stack up against other full-size trucks? One could write a sizable book on that once all the engine and powertrain configurations are factored in, but taking a quick peek at 4WD trucks, Ram is pretty much right in line with the competition. The Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra twins with either the 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V8 are equal to the high-output Ram, which has far more power. The four-cylinder Silverado equals the lower output inline-six, which also has more power. Only the diesel-powered GM trucks exceed the new Ram in efficiency, returning a combined 24 mpg with 23 in the city, and 27 on the highway.
As for the F-150, both the 5.0-liter V-8 and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 equal the standard-output Ram at 19 combined MPG. The smaller 2.7-liter EcoBoost is slightly better at 20 mpg, but the F-150 hybrid steps up to 23 combined thanks to a stout 22-mpg rating for city mileage. As for team Toyota, the Tundra also delivers 19 combined mpg from its turbo V-6. The hybrid model takes that to 20, with slightly better city mileage offset by lower efficiency on the highway.
Will Ram buyers, who've long embraced Hemi V-8 power, accept the new Hurricane inline-six with similar efficiency and more power? We will find out later this year when the 2025 Ram 1500 makes its way to dealership showrooms.
