2026 Ram 1500: The Hemi is back in business

[14Accent]

2026 Ram 1500 gets Hemi V8 option

That didn't take long...

 

[Zee09]

The in-crowd needs to know noise doesn't indicate power and be careful who you try to victimize.
Ram Hemi a scourge that won't go away.

 

[The Critic]

Ram Hemi a scourge that won't go away.

Agreed - there is nothing spectacular about that dinosaur.

Source: I own one myself.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

Without any updating to it… if they had done any updates to it, I see bringing it back. But with zero updates, it seems like a dead man walking to me.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

Without any updating to it… if they had done any updates to it, I see bringing it back. But with zero updates, it seems like a dead man walking to me.

One update, all 5.7L V8 will include eTorque for 2026+. No option for standalone V8.

 

[fantastic]

Obviously, Trucks & SUV's are a thing. On top of that it's OEM's profitable business model. Instead of innovating on smaller engines (more cost) we get these relics back. The cost doesn't go down though. They will push the rules to allow it too which they've succeeded.

 

[OVERKILL]

Without any updating to it… if they had done any updates to it, I see bringing it back. But with zero updates, it seems like a dead man walking to me.

Part of the reason people like it is that it's a very traditional port injected V8, so it doesn't have all the fun issues with DI and fuel dilution. It's a pig on fuel (and the 6.4L is even worse), but it makes nice sounds when it's working and is pretty reliable. It has 40HP on the DI AFM 5.3L GM EcoTech, so I don't think it's really wanting for power either.

 

[OVERKILL]

Obviously, Trucks & SUV's are a thing. On top of that it's OEM's profitable business model. Instead of innovating on smaller engines (more cost) we get these relics back. The cost doesn't go down though. They will push the rules to allow it too which they've succeeded.

They did innovate, that's why we ended up with the TT DI 3.0L Hurricane engine, but people wanted the HEMI back. It's back because there's demand for it, not because they weren't willing to provide something more modern as an option.

 

[Kurtatron]

Part of the reason people like it is that it's a very traditional port injected V8, so it doesn't have all the fun issues with DI and fuel dilution. It's a pig on fuel (and the 6.4L is even worse), but it makes nice sounds when it's working and is pretty reliable. It has 40HP on the DI AFM 5.3L GM EcoTech, so I don't think it's really wanting for power either.

I actually like the idea of leaving something proven alone.

Imagine if Jeep brought back the 4.0. Sometimes simple and robust is better than all the HP gains you get at the cost of added complexity.

 

[cptbarkey]

"Again, it is the legend."

 

[edyvw]

They did innovate, that's why we ended up with the TT DI 3.0L Hurricane engine, but people wanted the HEMI back. It's back because there's demand for it, not because they weren't willing to provide something more modern as an option.

^This.
Now, if the US were investing money in the roads like it did 30 years ago, a gallon of fuel would be $6, and we would have a different conversation.
We have Sequoia 5.7 V8 bcs. fuel is cheap. If it were $6, we would definitely own something else. And RAM would not bring HEMI. They would have ditched it a long time ago. Same like Toyota would probably ditch 5.7 long time ago or at least introduce 8 speed in 2nd generation Sequoia and some other changes.

 

[panthermike]

A good marketing move in my opinion, many customers still want the V8 option.

 

[mrsilv04]

The Car and Driver article doesn't do a very good job of explaining how much the Hemi option will cost.

The Hemi will be a $1,200 option in addition to the $2,695 SST Standard Output engine, which means it is actually a $3,895 option.

"The Hemi will be a $1,200 premium on top of the standard output 3.0-liter I6’s price."
https://www.autoweek.com/news/a64961089/2026-ram-1500-hemi-engine-returns/

 

[demarpaint]

Good move, they listened to what people want, and no DI. Too bad they didn't improve upon it and ditch the eTorque. Flame suit on.

 

[The Critic]

Good move, they listened to what people want, and no DI. Too bad they didn't improve upon it and ditch the eTorque. Flame suit on.

Well, they're definitely paying more for less.

I'm not entirely convinced that simpler is always better, especially with the spotty parts quality that Stellantis continues to be famous for.

 

[OVERKILL]

Good move, they listened to what people want, and no DI. Too bad they didn't improve upon it and ditch the eTorque. Flame suit on.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the e-torque (and don't have it on my wife's '19). I'm not really sure how much margin is left in the architecture while still yielding acceptable drivability and emissions performance using 87 octane. GM's 5.3L is 67HP/L with DI, while the 5.7L HEMI, still using port injection, is 69.3HP/L. Maybe they'd be able to get it up to the 6.4L's 75.8HP/L? But that would involve a compression bump, and then it would no longer run on regular gas (as it stands, it recommends 89 octane) and the 6.4L also has larger bores and bigger valves.

 

[demarpaint]

Well, they're definitely paying more for less.

I'm not entirely convinced that simpler is always better, especially with the spotty parts quality that Stellantis continues to be famous for.

Good points, but I think it will sell. As I mentioned too bad they didn't improve upon it, maybe in MY 2027...........Although I doubt it.

 

[demarpaint]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the e-torque (and don't have it on my wife's '19). I'm not really sure how much margin is left in the architecture while still yielding acceptable drivability and emissions performance still using 87 octane. GM's 5.3L is 67HP/L with DI, while the 5.7L HEMI, still using port injection, is 69.3HP/L. Maybe they'd be able to get it up to the 6.4L's 75.8HP/L? But that would involve a compression bump, and then it would no longer run on regular gas (as it stands, it recommends 89 octane) and the 6.4L also has larger bores and bigger valves.

I hear ya. I'm eagerly following the 3.0L Hurricane although I still have mixed feelings about it. I'd like to see if it makes it to the Wrangler and well how it does. I don't like way they implemented their DI. I think the way Ford and Toyota has it would be better. I do like the I6 though. Time will tell.

 

[OVERKILL]

Well, they're definitely paying more for less.

I'm not entirely convinced that simpler is always better, especially with the spotty parts quality that Stellantis continues to be famous for.

I mean, arguably, they are currently doing better with the HEMI than GM is with the 6.2L, lol. My impression is that there's a lot fewer HEMI/cam lifter issues at this point than there are GM AFM/DFM lifter failures, and of course now GM has the crankshaft problem going on as well. Not sure if Ford got their Godzilla lifter failures sorted yet either? I know FCA claimed they fixed it in 2018, which, owning two post-2018 vehicles, I'm hopeful about

But of course that doesn't mean things are problem free. Ours puked the water pump and you and I have both had manifold problems. But neither of those are "major" repairs, and the exhaust stuff is really more just annoying (and frustrating that they didn't get right).

 

[OVERKILL]

I hear ya. I'm eagerly following the 3.0L Hurricane although I still have mixed feelings about it. I'd like to see if it makes it to the Wrangler and well how it does. I don't like way they implemented their DI. I think the way Ford and Toyota has it would be better. I do like the I6 though. Time will tell.

I know BMW managed to do non-hybrid DI on their 3.0L I6 and it doesn't fuel dilute, but there are certainly advantages with the hybrid setup (one of them not being the obvious complexity of having two fuel systems) in terms of not having to get your intake valves blasted.