Our 2022 Ram 1500 TRX Hits Its Stride
30,000-Mile Update
As in any meaningful relationship, our quality time with the Ram 1500 TRX has seen its share of ups and downs. Its unhinged bravado and rowdy 3.8-second runs to 60 mph have been great. Its wallet-busting fuel consumption and persistent infotainment system glitches, not so much. But as our TRX enters the twilight of its 40,000-mile test, it seems to be doing its best to show us that plenty of good days still lie ahead.
Communication being key in any living arrangement, our big Ram is starting to talk sense. Thanks to modern connectivity, an over-the-air software update at 26,000 miles finally—finally—exorcized the worst of the demons that had taken up residence in its 12.0-inch center touchscreen. Reports of system crashes have stopped, as have angry critiques in the logbook. It still throws the occasional tantrum—activating the windshield wipers now sometimes puts the touchscreen in nighttime mode and makes the display in the gauge cluster blink—but compared to how buggy this Uconnect system was previously, we’ll take it. That it took Stellantis this long to (mostly) fix is another matter.
Blessed with relatively normal operation, our TRX has happily continued with its truck duties, towing, hauling, and ferrying as many people and things as we can saddle it with. Treks to Minnesota and throughout Michigan have even helped to boost its average fuel economy from 10 to 11 mpg—a 10 percent increase. And with the electronic hiccups having no bearing on performance, this 702-hp pickup on 35-inch tires remains hilariously effective at intimidating just about anything that crosses its path.
To put those core features to proper use, director of vehicle testing Dave VanderWerp made an impromptu visit to the sand dunes of Michigan’s Silver Lake State Park—the only place within a couple of time zones of our Ann Arbor HQ where the TRX can be fully unleashed. Free from the constraints of responsible road use, our Ram was in its element climbing the mountains of soft sand. It’s also one of few places where the TRX’s abundance of horsepower feels “not at all excessive,” as VanderWerp noted. “The V-8 sounds so amazing while working hard that it’s almost worth the $200 fill-ups
Indeed, keeping the TRX running through all this has been a significant investment, especially when the price of premium at our local gas station is hovering around $5 per gallon. Fortunately, our truck’s basic functions continue to be reliable, never taking it out of service. Though its latest routine service at 31,420 miles was the most expensive yet—$370, largely due to the replacement of the three air filters for the cabin and the one for the blown V-8, which cost $167 in parts alone—that’s hardly egregious in the context of 700-hp internal-combustion vehicles.
As we look toward the fast-approaching conclusion of our TRX’s long-term test, we still have some things on our to-do list, specifically a deeper investigation into the drivetrain clunks that our truck continues to make at stop-and-go speeds. And while we’re not looking forward to saying goodbye to our brutish partner, we are excited for the Ford F-150 Raptor R to soon join the TRX’s ranks of absurdly powerful, off-road-oriented factory pickups. For now, though, we’re fairly content in our TRX’s imperfect world.
Months in Fleet: 10 months Current Mileage: 33,477 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 11 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 33.0 gal Observed Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $942 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0
