2023 Ram 1500 Gets Lavish New Trims And A Bug-Killing Glovebox

The 2023 Ram 1500 will enter the US market in late 2022 with a collection of new standard tech, a new Limited Edition Elite trim variant, and an innovative glove box with UV light to kill and disinfect viruses and harmful bacteria. The latter features a three-minute disinfection cycle operated via a button on the center console. It rids your gadgets, gear, and other small items of possibly infectious pathogens, a handy feature in this world where COVID and monkeypox remain prevalent.

The newest Ram 1500 is available with a 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain in a quad or crew cab body style. The Ram 1500 Quad Cab has the same four-door and rear backseat layout, but the crew cab offers more legroom for rear passengers. Furthermore, the quad cab is only available with a 6-foot, 4-inch long bed, while the crew cab is configurable with a long or shorter 5-foot, 7-inch bed.

New for 2023 is the Ram 1500 Limited Elite Edition. The Limited trim is the most luxurious Ram 1500 with leather bucket seats, standard air suspension, wireless charging, and a 12-inch uConnect infotaiment touchscreen. It has a standard 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine with variable valve timing and an eTorque mild-hybrid system pumping out 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. The Elite Edition adds a multifunction and locking tailgate (with a tailgate ajar warning light), deployable bed steps, a bed extender, a cargo divider, and four adjustable tie-down hooks.

Meanwhile, the interior receives upscale touches like heated and ventilated power front seats, a suede headliner, a heated steering wheel, a unique jeweled rotary shift knob, and a bright pedal kit. The Limited Elite Edition also has a bespoke theme for its 12-inch digital instrument cluster. The latter features up to two dozen menus, five reconfigurable tiles, and a choice between analog or digital instrument displays. Moreover, the 12-inch touchscreen now has standard EVAS (Emergency Vehicle Alert System) for added peace of mind when on the road.

The 2023 Ram 1500 continues to be available with a collection of torquey gasoline and diesel engine options. The Tradesman, HFE, Big Horn/Lone Star, and Rebel trims have a standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 mated to a TorqueFlite 850RE eight-speed automatic gearbox. Optional is the 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoDiesel V6 mill with 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. The diesel engine is optional across all trim variants of the 2023 Ram 1500 except the TRX, and it comes with the same TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission as the 5.7-liter V8 Hemi with eTorque.

The Hemi V8 (with or without eTorque) is standard in the Laramie, Longhorn, and Limited trims, but it's optional in the Tradesman, Big Horn/Lone Star, and Rebel trims. Selec-Speed Control is now standard for the Ram 1500 Rebel, a feature that utilizes hill-ascent and hill-descent control to normalize the pickup's speed when climbing or going down a slope. This feature is part of the Back Country Package for the Big Horn/Lone Star and the Off-Road Group Package for the Laramie, Longhorn, and Limited trims.

The Ram 1500 (RAM) RED Edition debuted in 2021 and will continue for the 2023 model year. It's available for the Limited trim with a crew cab body and a choice between the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 (with or without eTorque) or the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel turbo V6. The standard features include a (RED) badge on the center console, red RAM letters on the front grille, and bespoke door badges.

Of course, the Ram 1500 TRX is the half-ton pickup of choice if you want raw power, speed, and a collection of high-performance go-fast parts straight from the factory. Under the hood is a 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 with 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, enough grunt to push the TRX from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and destroy the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds @ 108 mph.

Capable of reaching a 118 mph top speed, it's hard to argue with Ram when it said the TRX is the most potent and fastest mass-produced truck on Earth. The 2023 Ram 1500 (including the hardcore TRX) will arrive at dealerships in late 2022.