2020 ram 2500 power wagon remains a hulking heavy-duty off-roader

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Exterior Styling

• Draws from theRam 1500 for styling cues
• Bigger grille
• New fascia
• Taller nose
• 17-inch aluminum wheels
• Reshaped LED taillights

Heading into the 2019 model year, the Ram 2500 Power Wagon gets a rather significant exterior update. The overarching aesthetic looks as though it pulls a good deal from the recently revealed 2019 Ram 1500, with a similar front fascia and lines. That said, the cab, box, and doors are more or less identical to the outgoing Power Wagon model.

The shape is reminiscent of the old model, and once again includes an upside-down “U” shape for the flat-black insert trim bits, but you’ll also notice the larger space added underneath the Ram logo. To the sides, the new grille comes flanked by fresh headlight housings, which get a familiar horizontal shape set with a duo of horizontal daytime running lights around their outer edges.

Below the new headlights, the 2500 Power Wagon comes rocking a new bumper design, plus the fog lights seen in the lower bumper corners are reshaped and now look slimmer and wider than the squarer fog lights of the outgoing model. Also of note are the dimensions, with the latest 2500 Power Wagon lifting the nose height by 7 mm (0.28 inches) compared to the outgoing model. And of course, there’s that new winch you see added to the lower bumper edge — more on that in the Drivetrain And Performance section.

All told, the front end on the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon looks quite a bit like the recently released
Ram 1500 range. What’s more, the new shape improves overall aero performance as well, although we have yet to get exact numbers on this.

Moving around to the sides, the 2019 Ram power Wagon comes equipped with unique 17-inch off-roader wheels, which offer a cast aluminum construction for a combination of low weight and high strength. You’ll also notice the unique fender flares around the rear and front, which come complete with a top-center notch mark. And, per usual, there are large black graphics just behind the rear doors that declare the truck’s Power Wagon-ness.

Viewed from the rear, the 2019 Ram Power Wagon looks quite a bit more familiar. However, there are still a few updates to point out back here as well, including the reshaped taillight housings. These offer a C-shaped internal graphics and LED illumination, and do well to bookend the truck with the new headlight housings in the nose. And don’t forget the large type font for the Ram Power Wagon badging on the tail as well.

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon exterior dimensions

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2019 Ram Heavy Duty Power Wagon
by TopSpeed

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Interior Design

• More luxurious cabin than before
• Exclusive with crew cab
• Cabin layout takes after 1500 series
• Unique upholstery for Power Wagon models
• Seats up to six passengers
• Optional 12.0-inch infotainment screen, 17-speaker audio
• Safety tech like adaptive cruise control, automatic braking
• Top-down 360-degree camera system
• Power-release tailgate

Without a doubt, the Ram 2500 Power Wagon looks the part of a burly, muscle-bound off-roading machine from the outside, but move into the cabin, and things are quite a bit more civilized. That’s especially the case with this latest 2019 model year, which places an even greater emphasis on comfort compared to the outgoing model.

Ingress and egress are once again supported by a quartet of doors, while step-up bars help you get up and over the truck’s tall ride height.

Situate yourself in one of the seats, and you’ll quickly notice that the overarching look and layout once again takes after the newly released Ram 1500 series, and looks quite good on the 2500 Power Wagon. The steering wheel design, dash, center console, HVAC vents, and various controls all feel fresh, and while it’s not something I’d call elegant, it definitely looks more “high-end” overall.

There’s also a selection of unique interior trim bits offered exclusively on the Power Wagon model to help it stand out amongst its peers, including embossed seat patterns for the upholstery. Speaking of the sitters, the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon offers seating for up to six passengers thanks to a lifting center console in front that adds another spot to the bench (plus the three standard seats on the rear bench).

Once again, the Ram 2500 Power Wagon doesn’t come with a standard gear shift lever, but rather the incoming eight-speed transmission uses a rotary dial to help you select between Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive. In close proximity to the rotary dial are controls for the axles, the sway-bar disconnect feature, and the 4WD system. Meanwhile the transfer case lever is mechanical and is located in the same spot as before.

There’s also a slew of new luxury bits on the options list as well, which now includes a huge 12.0-inch infotainment screen for the center console, plus heated and cooled seats, and a banging 17-speaker audio system. The standard cabin ambient noise was reduced by 8 percent as well, which goes a long way to making it feel like a more refined driving experience.

But don’t think for a second the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon has lost its edge — this truck still has all the big features you’d expect when it comes to towing, such as a standard integrated trailer brake controller and an optional trailer tire pressure monitoring. At the same time, there’s a good deal of tech for safety and convenience as well, such as the option for a blind spot monitor, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and park assist.

Interestingly, this system doesn’t even make it onto the spec sheet for the Ram Rebel, another one of the brand’s off-roader specials. However, on the 2500 Power Wagon, the system provides a top-down view of everything in the immediate vicinity around the truck, making it much easier to navigate through tight spaces. What’s more, the system provides a forward view for better steering inputs in the rough stuff, and it includes guidelines to help identify exactly which way the wheels are pointed during rock-crawling maneuvers.

There’s also a cargo camera to check in on what’s going on in the bed, and there’s a viewpoint from the hitch, which is great for pulling up to a trailer, or if you have to back up while going off-road.

Finally, you’ll find the Ram Box storage compartments along the bed frame, which is an optional equipment bonus.

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon interior dimensions

2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Competition

Ford Super Duty F-250

If you want your quarter ton with a Blue Oval on the nose, then you’ll want to get behind the wheel of the Ford Super Duty F-250. Built with a greater focus on work as opposed to off-roading, the F-250 comes with a standard 6.2-liter V-8 Flex Fuel engine, with a 6.7-liter diesel offered as an available option. As such, the F-250 bests the Power Wagon in terms of peak twist, doling out 935 pound-feet when equipped with the upgraded diesel. Stick with the standard 6.2-liter ‘eight, and you get 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Handling the cog swaps is a six-speed automatic transmission. As for the rough stuff gear, buyers can opt into the FX4 Off-Road package, which tosses in Hill Descent Control, specially tuned shock absorbers, skid plates to protect the transfer case and fuel tank, and the requisite FX4 graphics on the box. Pricing starts at $33,150 for the base-level XL, and ranges as high as $80,240 for the F-250 Limited.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

The Bow Tie’s effort in this segment is the Silverado 2500HD, and it looks to go blow for blow with the Ram and Ford thanks to a Vortec 6.0-liter V-8 as standard, and a Duramax 6.6-liter diesel V-8 as an available option. If you’re looking for some extra off-roading chops with this one, you’ll need to grab the Z71 package, which is offered on the trim levels like the Work Truck, the Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ, and High Country. Step it up to the Z71 and you’ll get a host of rough-and-ready equipment, such as 18-inch wheels wrapped in terrain-grabbing tires, Rancho-tuned shocks, a two-speed transfer case, and a locking rear diff. You also get skid plates to protect vulnerable bits underneath and a new heavy-duty air filter element. Electronic features like hill descent control, rear park assist, and lane change alert round it out. Pricing starts at $34,400.

Final Thoughts

The 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon is a unique proposition. While you can get your performance flavoring from any one of the various quarter-ton pickup competitors out there, two of which we’ve listed above, the Power Wagon’s overarching focus on tackling the great outdoors almost places it in a different segment altogether.

It certainly has the resumé to back it, with Ram issuing claims that the original WWII army truck-derived Power Wagon is basically the first-ever 4×4 pickup.

Overall, we can’t help but like this thing. We love the über-beefy components you get with the Power Wagon package, and are quite certain it has the goods to cream just about any off-roader course you can throw at it.

Of course, nothing is perfect. First up, this thing is huge, and it might make for a bit of a squeeze on narrower trails. Also, it’s very expensive, which is surely something to consider when bashing it over rough terrain. Finally, we can’t help but wonder what would be with the Cummins engine under the hood.

Nevertheless, the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon impresses all the same. This thing is a dirt-ready monster, and we love that.

• Love it
  • Go anywhere, no problemo
  • Looks completely badass
  • Unique in the segment
• Leave it
  • No Cummins diesel engine option
  • Quite expensive