The Ram Trucks people have been doing a great job of listening to their customers – and maybe more importantly, their potential customers. They reintroduced the Power Wagon a few years ago in response to truck buyers asking for a more capable off-road-worthy vehicle straight off the showroom floor – one they wouldn’t have to spend thousands of dollars on to get it set up to go hunting or fishing. It comes with a sway bar disconnect switch, a winch, and big off-road tires, among other features.
Then they rolled out the Outdoorsman package, which certainly lives up to its name. And don’t get me started on the RamBox – tool boxes built right into the side of the bed, so you don’t have to use up bed space with an aftermarket tool box.
But now there’s the Rebel. It features many of the same off-road fittings as the other Chrysler trucks, like stiffer control arms and a tuned stabilizer bar, but the coolest thing might be the fully integrated air suspension, which allows you to raise or lower your ride height whenever you want. And since it’s built in at the factory, it gives you a little more clearance than most of the aftermarket versions, and you don’t have to pay extra money or leave your truck at the shop to get it. And since it’s built in, it’s covered by the Ram warranty.
I didn’t get as much time in the Rebel as I get when the vehicle fairies drop a rig off at my house. I only got to take it for a spin down a few county roads, but other car writers were waiting back at the staging area to give it a try, too, so I couldn’t keep it out for more than a half an hour or so. But I took a wrong turn and wound up on a really nasty road, so I got to test some of the more technical aspects. And it performed admirably.
Now I have to decide if the next truck I buy will be a Rebel or a Power Wagon. Decisions, decisions.
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