Ram 1500 vs Toyota HiLux

What's the difference?

New engine or not, the facelifted Ram 1500 continues the theme of big US pick-ups by being capable of extreme towing feats as well as offering interior and cargo space that the mid-sized dual-cabs can only dream of.

That said, if you don’t need to tow 4.5 tonnes or seat five large adults, then maybe the 1500 and its ilk are overkill. Certainly, that’s the mood among many consumers who simply find them too much of a good thing.

Our pick would probably be the Laramie Sport for its superior ride quality, more sensible 20-inch tyres and reduced price. It can also tow a little more than the Limited, if that’s important to you.

On paper, of course, the Limited with its stonking engine tune should get our vote, but there’s absolutely no way the less powerful Laramie is anything but a powerhouse in its own right. But either version manages to carry off the feeling of being a high-end product, with refinement levels lacking in a lot of diesel-powered alternatives.

Yet, there are still compromises: The Ram is unlikely to be especially compatible with the average Aussie bush track (in width terms, anyway, on tracks formed by Toyota LandCrusiers and Nissan Patrols). And even though efficiency is up with the new engine, this will still not be a cheap vehicle to run day to day. Nor is the purchase price any less scary than its competitors’.

And of course, as with any of these full-sized trucks, buying them for the right reasons rather than a fashion statement is crucial to their viability once the new-car shine has worn off and car spaces begin to look smaller and driveways narrower than they ever have.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The HiLux’s age-defying sales and resale values confirm it’s still one of the top two 4x4 dual cabs on the market. However, its new V-Active technology feels underdone, as it adds weight (we reckon about 40kg) and complexity without gains in performance you can feel or economy you can meaningfully measure. Hopefully, Toyota’s next crack at a 'hybrid' HiLux will be more convincing.

There’s not much point releasing a new model if your neighbours can’t pick the difference. So, Ram has revised the front and rear fascias of the pick-up with new grilles and a specific bonnet for the Limited. There are also new head and tail-light assemblies, a new front bumper and alloy wheel designs.

The Limited is a little sportier looking thanks to blacked-out door handles, grille, mirror covers, and the headlights that include an animated welcome when the vehicle is unlocked.

Ram calls this black-out stuff the Night Edition and it’s been made standard on all Australian Limiteds. The flagship version also gets a more sculpted bonnet for a more aggressive look. Strangely enough, though, all those black-outs somehow make the base grade look a little more high end to some eyes.

The rest of the deal remains the usual biscuits and gravy of big pick-ups, including the two-plus metre width and the requirement to often find two adjacent parking spaces before the grocery shopping can commence. What did you expect?

The HiLux’s enduring appeal is the ‘unbreakable’ feel when you step aboard. Even though its curvaceous styling is increasingly dated, we can’t fault the build quality as it displays a peerless standard of fit and finish which never wavers.

Our only major gripe (since its launch in 2015) is the cramped rear seating. It’s particularly tight for tall people, giving that I’m 186cm and when sitting in the rear seat with the driver’s seat in my position, my knees are pressed into its backrest and my head rubs on the roof lining.

Shoulder room for three large adults is equally challenging and tolerable only for short trips. We reckon the Ranger’s more accommodating rear stalls are significant in its sales leadership.

Inside, the 2025 Ram 1500 is also updated with a larger 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, supplemented by a 10.5-inch passenger screen and dual wireless smartphone chargers.

The passenger’s screen is a big deal, too, as it allows the passenger to upload navigation way-points and destinations, watch a movie, or search the internet via a connected phone. And the driver sees none of it thanks to the blackout screen tech.

Even though Ram has obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make the right-hand-drive conversion seamless and perfect, we still wonder why the indicator stalk wasn’t moved to the right of the column. Cost, probably, and the placement of the rotary dial for gear selection is less than perfect, too. What we’d really like to see would be a column-mounted gear-shift, as well as paddle shifters which are brilliant when towing big loads.

The front-seat area is home to no less than three USB-A and three USB-C charging ports, while there are also two of each in the rear seat.

There’s a storage area under the rear seat which also flips up to form a large load area. There’s even a secret cubby-hole under the carpet in the rear capable of storing a laptop or small bag.

In place, the rear seat is another of the Ram’s big selling points compared with conventional dual-cab utes. The foot and leg room is strides ahead of the mid-sized pack and the seat itself is also a better class of perch. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof keeps it all light and airy, too. Plenty of grab handles and those automatic side-steps make getting in and out a pretty civilised process.

Despite the change in engine, the six-cylinder pick-up retains its 4500kg maximum braked towing capacity – at least in Laramie Sport form. That, however, is contingent on the use of a 70mm tow-ball, while towing drops back to 3500kg with the standard 50mm ball. All Aussie Rams have a tow-bar as standard.

The Ram 1500 Limited drops 300kg in its maximum braked towing capacity rating to 4200kg. That, says Ram, is purely because the Limited is a high-performance vehicle first and a load-lugger second, although one suspects the 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion tyres might be a factor in that as well.

As for payload, the 2025 Ram 1500 Laramie Sport features an 863kg capacity, while the Limited comes in at 782.5kg – 20kg and 17.5kg more than the pre-facelift version.

The tub features a spray-on liner and a cargo divider. There’s also a standard tri-fold tonneau cover for Australian 1500s, not to mention a fold-out step for accessing objects at the bottom of the tray. Powered side-steps are also standard on our Rams, backing up the prestige price-tag.

A powered tailgate is another nice inclusion which can be raised and lowered by touch or via the key-fob.

Fortunately, the twin storage bins along the top of each side of the tub remain, complete with their drain holes just perfect for adding ice and cool drinks.

With its 2150kg kerb weight and 3050kg GVM, the SR5 V-Active has a 900kg payload rating. It can also tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 5850kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a substantial 700kg reduction in payload to only 200kg, which could be used up by a driver and passenger alone. 

Alternatively, you could lower the trailer weight limit by the same 700kg to 2800kg (which is still a sizeable trailer) and retain the SR5’s maximum payload. We reckon most owners would do this anyway, given few (if any) would need to tow 3500kg.

The load tub is 1570mm long, 1645mm wide and 495mm deep with 1105mm between the wheel housings. Therefore, it can’t carry a standard Aussie pallet but will take a Euro-sized one. There are four load-anchorage points and we welcome the new lower/raise assistance for the hefty tailgate.

Cabin storage includes a large-bottle holder and bin in each front door, plus pop-out cupholders on either side of the dash, upper and lower glove boxes (with the upper having access to air-con) and an overhead glasses holder.

The latest centre console layout has a wireless phone-charging pad and vertical phone-storage slot, small-bottle/cupholder, a bin for small items and a box with padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

Rear passengers get a bottle-holder and bin in each door, pockets on each front seat backrest and a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders.

Only the narrower driver’s side of the 60/40-split rear seat base-cushion can swing up and be stored vertically as the passenger-side is now fixed, given the V-Active’s 48V battery resides beneath it and is ventilated by a louvered air intake in the passenger footwell.

The new electrically-assisted drivetrain is available only in SR/SR5 4x4 dual cabs and the Rogue, paired with the HiLux’s ubiquitous 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed automatic.

Our SR5 V-Active 48V test vehicle has a list price of $63,260. It’s also equipped with the optional premium interior package, which for an additional $2500 adds black leather-accented seats and door trims, heated front seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Its eye-catching 'Nebula Blue' premium paint option adds another $675.

Latest MY24 updates feature a redesigned front fascia with black ‘honeycomb’ grille, plus wireless phone charging, two USB-C ports in the centre console for rear seat passengers to use and a tailgate equipped with gas-struts to ease opening/closing effort.

 Otherwise, it’s the same SR5 with which we’ve grown very familiar. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloys and 265/60R18 tyres with a full-size alloy spare, along with LED lighting, side-steps, sports bar, privacy glass and more, even though Toyota still won’t throw in a tub-liner.

Inside is remote keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate, an air-conditioned cooler box, multiple USB ports/12-volt sockets and a 220-volt outlet, premium-grade steering wheel and shifter-knob, driver’s 4.2-inch colour multi-info display, a 360-degree camera view and more.

 The 8.0-inch touchscreen for the multimedia system, including six-speaker audio, appears to shrink as each year passes, but is easy to use and offers multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and digital radio. It also projects imagery for the various camera views.

Here’s where the Ram world gets flipped on its head.

The new inline six-cylinder engine for the 1500 measures 3.0 litres which sounds like a relatively small unit for a vehicle this size. But don’t be fooled, because with twin turbochargers it really comes out swinging.

There are two states of tune for the engine dubbed Hurricane, starting with the basic tune that develops 313kW and 635Nm of torque. That’s a good chunk more than the old V8, in fact, 22kW and 79Nm more.

But it gets better. If you pony up for the higher-spec 1500 Limited you’ll find the engine bay now contains what Ram calls the 'high-output' version of the Hurricane. In that form, it cranks out an impressive 403kW and 707Nm. In old-school horsepower terms, those 403kW equal 540 ponies.

The extra power and torque comes from more turbo boost and, to cope with that, the High Output version of the engine sports a little less compression but twice the number of fuel pumps (two) to deliver the fuel.

Both versions of the inline six also use an intercooler with its own cooling system, rather than relying on the engine’s coolant reservoir.

In each case, the turbocharged engine sends its outputs through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.

The Ram also features four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer-case for low-ratio off-road gearing. As well as two-wheel drive and a low-range four-wheel-drive setting, there’s also 4WD auto mode that allows the Ram to be driven on bitumen in all-wheel drive which is a huge bonus when towing in wet conditions.

The updated pick-up also offers five drive models, selectable via the steering wheel buttons. They include Normal, Sport, Towing, Off-Road and Snow.

Mechanically, the main difference between the two grades (engine output aside) is underneath where the Limited gets air suspension rather than the Laramie Sport’s conventional steel coil springs.

The venerable (1GD-FTV) 2.8 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with V-Active produces the same 150kW and 500Nm as the standard engine, driving through a six-speed torque converter automatic.

However, Toyota claims fuel economy gains of up to 9.5 per cent when this drivetrain is combined with the new hybrid technology, which comprises a 48-volt electric motor-generator, 48-volt lithium-ion battery and idle-stop system.

The turbo-diesel engine uses a silent-belt to drive the motor-generator, which charges the battery under the rear seat. This battery, which Toyota claims weighs less than eight kilograms with 4.3Ah capacity, also supplies electricity to the vehicle’s 12-volt system through a DC/DC converter.

This system can send up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque through the motor-generator to assist the engine. Toyota claims this delivers smoother and quieter yet more responsive performance and reduces engine load under acceleration. It also results in a small reduction in idle speed from 720rpm to 600rpm.

Deceleration and braking energy are also recovered, converted into electricity and stored in the 48V battery for later use.  Toyota claims “hydraulic braking combined with regenerative braking creates a more effective and natural deceleration feel and supports downhill manoeuvring.”

The idle-stop system does not use the starter motor like conventional set-ups. Instead, the electric motor-generator, which is permanently connected to the engine via its belt-drive, delivers this function with greater smoothness and quietness.

Idle-stop duration can also be extended by the driver and, when restarting the engine on inclines, the idle-stop system retains brake pressure until enough drive force is generated to ensure smooth acceleration.

In another first for HiLux, its part-time, dual-range 4x4 system (with switchable rear diff-lock) in V-Active variants is paired with 'Multi-Terrain Select' to enhance off-road ability.

The driver can switch between six traction control settings tailored to suit a variety of terrain including 'Auto', 'Sand' and 'Mud' (high- and low-range), 'Deep Snow' and 'Dirt' (high-range) and Rock (low-range).

Because of the classification the Ram 1500 falls into, there’s no compulsion for the manufacturer to state an official fuel consumption figure in Australia. And in this case, Ram doesn’t.

The most definitive statement we could get was that the 313kW tune is 12 per cent more fuel efficient than the outgoing Hemi V8, and the high-output engine is closer to 3.4 per cent more efficient. Although whether that extrapolates directly to a 12 and 3.4 per cent fuel saving respectively is not clear.

Our test drive included a stretch of gentle highway cruising, during which we saw an average of about 8.5 litres per 100km, which is about the best you can hope for, but remains a decent figure for such a machine.

In normal use, you can expect that to creep up, and seat of the pants says the standard-output engine should be good for a high 10 litres per 100km, and the high-output unit closer to a high-11.

Obviously, that will go to hell during off-road work or when towing any sort of trailer.

With the Laramie’s 98-litre fuel tank, that model should see an easy 700 to 800km between fills, while the Limited’s larger, 125-litre tank, should take it closer to a realistic 1000km range.

Bear in mind, though, that while the Laramie is happy with standard ULP, the higher compression and extra turbo boost of the Limited means it requires the more expensive Premium brew, which might be harder to find in the outback.

We completed a total distance of 580km, which comprised a mix of city and suburban driving with an empty load tub and up to four adults on board, plus some freeway/highway running with a near-maximum payload.

When we stopped to refuel at the end of our test, the dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 9.5L/100km, which was lineball with our own 9.4 figure calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings.

Both are higher than Toyota’s official 7.2L/100km figure but within the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between OEM ratings and real-world figures.

Interestingly, the last time we tested a 4x4 SR5 auto dual cab ute (without V-Active) in 2023, using similar routes and payloads, we achieved 9.6L/100km. So, the V-Active’s drop in consumption was only about 2.0 per cent, compared to Toyota’s claim of up to 9.5 per cent.

So, based on our real-world figure, you could expect a useful driving range of around 870km from its 80-litre tank.

If speed and acceleration were your only metrics, then the new Hurricane six-cylinder engine really delivers. Against a zero to 100km/h time of about 7.5 seconds for the outgoing Hemi V8, the standard-output Laramie Sport takes around 6.2 seconds for the same journey.

Point the high-output version down the same piece of hotmix, and the time to 100km/h falls even further to about 5.5 seconds and maybe even less if you get the perfect launch. Oh, and those figures were recorded with the transmission in 4-Auto, as trying the same thing in two-wheel drive will see the rear tyres turn into smoke bombs.

So, yes, it’s very fast for such a big truck. In fact, it’s fast by any standards, really. But does it feel 'right’ for a pick-up?

While it’s obviously not a V8, there is a huge sense of swelling, cresting performance on tap as well as a feeling that the turbo boost is available pretty much immediately. There’s very little lag, in fact, and, in the traditional manner of inline sixes, the Hurricane feels smooth and sweet all the way across the face of the tachometer.

What you can also feel is the eight-speed transmission really making its presence felt. Obviously, getting this much mass moving requires full use of all those ratios and even though the shifts themselves are crisp and silky, there is more evidence of the transmission at work than in a lighter vehicle with the same sort of torque. File this under `observations’ rather than `complaints’.

The steering is light but accurate and helps create the impression that the Ram is not as big to drive as it is to look at. That’s helped by the ride quality which, frankly, is superior in the base grade with its conventional steel springs. The Limited on its air springs feels a bit more lively and jiggly over patchy surfaces, but part of this is also surely the difference between the Laramie’s 20-inch tyres and the 22-inch Pirellis fitted to the Limited.

There’s a degree of tyre roar on coarse surfaces but, overall, if all you know about American picks-ups is hitching a ride in a 1976 F-100, you’re going to be very impressed at how these things have matured and become refined to the point where they’re a genuine high-end experience in many ways.

If you’re expecting a tangible difference in performance with the V-Active system, you’ll probably be disappointed. Fact is, after almost 600km of testing, on a variety of roads with a variety of loads, we could not detect any noticeable gain in acceleration, braking or smoothness compared to a standard SR5.

That’s not to say the V-Active system is not delivering up to 8.4kW of power and 65Nm of torque, as Toyota claims. It’s just that these gains are modest and delivered so discreetly that they are undetectable in real-world driving.

This was perhaps best demonstrated when we loaded 650kg into the load tub, which when combined with our two-man crew was a total payload of 830kg. That was only 70kg shy of the payload limit.

It made light work of our 13 per cent gradient 2.0km set climb at 60km/h by self-shifting down to fourth gear at 2250rpm, where it tapped maximum torque to easily haul this payload to the summit.

However, in our previous test of a standard SR5, on the same incline with 100kg more payload, the gear selection and engine rpm were the same as the V-Active. The same applied to engine-braking on the way down.

The HiLux achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019, so its six-year validity will expire next year. Even so, there are seven airbags plus AEB with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, active cruise control, speed-sign recognition, panoramic view/reversing camera and more.

The rear seat offers ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the two outer seating positions plus top-tether restraints on all three seating positions.

Ram probably needs to do a bit of catching up in this department, as the 1500 seems off the pace warranty wise.

The three-year/100,000km factory warranty might be okay in throw-away North America, but it doesn’t really send the right message here. For reference, the Chevrolet Silverado range also has three-year warranty, while both the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra run to five years of cover.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,000km, and Ram has no capped-price servicing for the pick-up, although previous experiences tells us that the Hemi version was quite reasonably priced to service. Let’s hope that continues with the turbocharged version.

Toyota covers the HiLux with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is par for the course in the mainstream market.

Service intervals are relatively short at six months/10,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing for the first five years/100,000km totals $3889 or an average of $779 per year.