RAM 1500 Express Black Editon – First Drive

In New Zealand and Australia, the Express is RAM’s biggest seller, with the previous DS generation making up 50% of sales. After a two-year hiatus, the value-oriented Express is back in black. 

So what is the difference between the other 1500s and the Express?

Essentially, the Express Black Edition cuts out some of the less essential luxuries to keep the price down while keeping all the good stuff.

Under the Mopar Sport Performance Hood is the ‘standard output’ 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged ‘Hurricane’ inline six-cylinder petrol engine, just like the Rebel and Laramie Sport, making 313kW/635Nm matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Express gets a part-time four-wheel-drive system.

Read our 2025 RAM 1500 Rebel Review here.
Read our 2025 RAM 1500 Limited Review here.

From the outside, you’d have a hard time differentiating the Express from a Laramie Sport or Limited. RAM has done a great job at keeping the Express looking just as premium as its siblings. The only real visual giveaway from the outside is the absence of RamBox wellside storage compartments.  

It gets 20-inch black aluminium wheels that have plastic caps, making wheel repairs cost-effective. LED lights, body coloured front and rear bumpers and a rear tray bed step. Other details include Black RAM badges, Mopar black fixed side steps and Dual black exhaust pipes. The tailgate is dampened but not electrically powered.

The Express is only offered in Black Edition trim, so it’s not a limited edition introduction model; the all-black details are here to stay. Sorry for all the chrome fans out there.

How have RAM got the price down?

It’s not until you step inside the Express that you notice differences. The seats are finished in black cloth, which are manually adjustable in four ways and are not heated. The steering wheel is a more durable plastic example and is also not heated. Behind the wheel is a 7-inch screen surrounded by analogue gauges, compared with the other 1500s that get a 12-inch fully digital display. Personally, I quite like getting dials and the 7-inch screen displays all the vital info just fine. Australian and New Zealand Express models get a premium leather dash with white stitching, something American Express models don’t get. The dual-pane sunroof has also been removed.

The central 14.4-inch vertical touchscreen is replaced with a smaller 8.4-inch touchscreen, and the HVAC controls are now actual dials and buttons. I thought it costs more to manufacture physical buttons, so if you prefer adjusting your climate control the old school way, this is a win, the climate control is not dual zone.

There’s no built-in navigation, but the Express gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I did find that while using CarPlay, you can’t see what temperature in degrees you’ve chosen. The 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is replaced with a six-speaker setup, but it still sounds good.

The front passenger’s 10.25-inch interactive screen is replaced with a storage shelf. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of these screens as they tend to always look dull, even for the passenger directly in front of them, so as not to distract the driver.

Up front are two USB ports and two USB-C ports; the other 1500s get five of each. There’s also a 12V outlet on the top of the dash. No USB ports for the rear passengers, but you still get the business class rear legroom, second-row in-floor storage bins, handy for concealing valuables, which isn’t always easy in utes, seats that fold up and the powered rear sliding cab window.

The Transfer case has 2WD high, 4WD high, Locked, Neutral, 4WD low and locked. It doesn’t get a full-time 4WD auto and is shift-on-the-fly part-time, whereas the other models get Electric on demand.

The RHD conversions, which are performed in Australia, are top-notch. The only noticeable things that remain on the left are the volume dial and the trailer brake controls. The Express doesn’t get steering-mounted volume control, meaning it’s a slight reach for the volume dial, first-world problems.

Given the price difference, the only thing I’m missing from the other 1500’s is a leather steering wheel, as you can feel the moulding on the plastic one. I guess you could get it trimmed, but if you plan on using the Express for hard yakka, the plastic wheel will stand up to abuse better.

The Express has the largest payload in the 1500 range of 1014kg, compared with 863kg in the Laramie Sport, 893kg in the Rebel and 727kg in the Limited. It’s also the lightest tipping in with a kerb weight of 2491kg.

How much does it cost?

The Express doesn’t arrive in New Zealand until Q4 of 2026, and no pricing for New Zealand has been announced. In Australia, it’s priced at $109,950 AUD. A quick conversion equals $134,000 NZD. RAMs in New Zealand tend to be a bit cheaper, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Express will be priced even lower than that. Regardless, it’s safe to assume it will undercut the cheapest full-size pickup currently on sale, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium, which costs $146,500.

Prospective buyers who need to tow big loads could be swayed by the soon-to-arrive Ford Ranger Super Duty, and while it can tow 4500kg braked, the Super Duty is still a mid-size ute. NZ pricing for the Super Duty is not yet announced, but in Australia, double-cab variants range from $89,990-95,990 AUD.

Driving the 1500 Express

You genuinely won’t miss the Hemi V8, with the Hurricane inline six making more power and torque and a quicker 0-100km/h time of 6.0sec. It’s a special engine with forged rods and crankshaft, high-pressure direct injection and can run on 91.

Ok, you don’t get the same noise, but the benefits far outweigh that one factor. Your wallet will love it too, with a claimed fuel consumption of 10.74L/100km, meaning fewer stops to fill up the 98-litre tank. It was averaging just over 11.6L/100km on our drive, so that figure is believable. Interestingly, in the United States, where you can still get the Hemi V8, 70% of buyers prefer the Hurricane.

Driving the Express on country roads, the motor pulls hard enough with the sweet spot coming in from 3000rpm all the way to 5800rpm. The Express lacks full-time four-wheel drive, so your day-to-day driving will be done with power sent to the rear wheels. While the Melbourne weather was dry on our drive, you may want to watch your right foot in the wet if pushing (if you’re into driving a ute on the limit). The Express has the same suspension setup as the Laramie Sport with front A-arms, twin shock absorbers and a sway bar up front and a five-link solid-axle rear with twin shocks. It rides well sitting on 275/55R20 Nexen Roadian HTX RH5 rubber, with the same acoustic laminated glass as its siblings. Not quite as controlled as the Limited, which rides on air suspension, but less roll than the off-road bent Bilsteins found in the Rebel, which also has less grip due to its off-road tyres.

Steering is nicely balanced with plenty of feel. As I pushed it through a bend, the tyres let out a chirp. You’re very aware of its 2491kg kerb weight, but it hangs on smoothly. Once it’s safe to let out the wheel, it pulls efficiently. I’ve driven mid-size utes that feel harder to place on the road than the 1500 hides its size well.

Is it worth it?

Stumping up $150,000+ for a pick-up is a lot of money, especially if you plan to use it primarily as a workhorse. That’s where the Express strength lies. Most of the things RAM have removed are nice to have but not essential, and if you don’t love screens, you might actually prefer some of the straightforward interior aspects. From the outside, it looks just as good as its more expensive siblings, drives, stops and goes just as hard as the ones with a standard output motor. The Super Duty will offer a strong challenge when it comes to value for money and towing capacity, but can’t match the 1500 Express interior space. The Express still feels premium enough to be used as an everyday family vehicle, so while pricing is not yet available for NZ, I think it’s safe to say it’s great value for this segment.

Warranty

All RAM Trucks come with a 3-year/100,000km warranty with complimentary 24/7 roadside assistance for the first 3 years. Servicing is every 12 months or 12,000km.

Safety

RAM 1500 has not been tested by ANCAP.

Colours

The Express is available in six colours: Bright white, Diamond black, Granite Crystal, Molten Red, Forged Blue and Silver Zynith. If you don’t want white, the other five colours are a $950 AUD optional extra. (NZ price TBC)

 

Standard Safety Equipment

Safety tech is the same across the range with ABS brakes, Active lane management, and adaptive cruise control. You can also use regular cruise control if you prefer.

• Remote keyless Enter’n Go
• Active Lane Management
• ParkView Rear Back-up Camera
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
• Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-path and Trailer Detection
• Pedestrian/Cyclist Detection and Emergency Braking
• Front and Rear ParkSense Park Assist
• Driver, Front Passenger, Front Seat Side & Curtain airbags
• Three child seat anchorage points
• Forward collision warning with active braking
• Hill start assist
• AEB with Pedestrian & Cyclist Detection
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Trailer sway control
• Stability control
•  Traction control

2026 RAM 1500 Express Black Edition standard Equipment

• Standard Output Hurricane engine
• Part-time four-wheel drive
• 20-inch black aluminium wheels
• 275/55R20 tyres
• Full-size aluminum spare
• Auto reflector low/high LED headlights
• LED fog lights
• Mopar Sport performance bonnet
• Black exterior accents: Grille, Badging, Side mirror caps, Door handles
• Fixed side steps
• Plastic steering wheel
• Black cloth upholstery
• Black interior accents
• Manual 4-way front seat adjustment
• 7.0-inch driver display cluster
• 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 6-speaker audio system
• 2 x USB-C ports
• 2 x USB ports
• 1 x 12v outlet
• Second-row in-floor storage bins
• Power sliding rear window
• Remote start
• Push button start
• Damped tailgate
• Kick-down tub step
• Heavy-duty tow bar. 750kg towing (4500kg braked)
• Four tie-down points in the tub
• Spray in bed liner
• Tinted glass windows with rear door privacy
• Rear flat load floor storage

Price

1500 Express Black Edition $TBC (AUD $109,950)
1500 Laramie Sport $149,990
1500 Rebel $159,990 
1500 Limited $185,990