RAM 1500 Hurricane vs HEMI Engine Comparison

RAM 1500 Hurricane vs HEMI® Engine Comparison

It's been decided that, for the 2025 model year, Ram will no longer offer the popular, proven 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 engine. Instead, they're replacing it with two turbocharged six-cylinder engines called "Hurricane." That decision will disappoint many buyers since maximum towing capability drops substantially even though horsepower and torque are increased. Here's a summary of the differences between the new Ram 1500 Hurricane engines and the renowned HEMI® V8. For a limited time, both are available in new 2024 and 2025 Ram 1500 trucks at Winamac Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Winamac, IN.

A closer look at the engine differences

The new Ram 1500 for 2025 offers two Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engines in place of the iconic 5.7-liter HEMI® V8. The base engine is still the Pentastar V6 and Rochester IN buyers now have a choice of two inline six-cylinder engines. Those two six-cylinder Hurricane engines are identical to what's under the hood of Jeep Grand Wagoneer models and one can generate 510 horsepower.

The 3.0-liter inline twin-turbo six-cylinder engine can deliver 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet of torque. The Hurricane also has a high-output version that you can count on for 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque.

Comparing towing and payload capabilities

2024 Ram 1500 pickups equipped with the 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 have a maximum towing capacity of 12,750 pounds. Six-cylinder Hurricane engines in the 2025 Ram 1500 simply can't tow as much but depending on the Hurricane engine you get, maximum towing can be either 9,920 pounds or 11,550 pounds. The decision to move away from the HEMI® V8 puts Ram further back in the pack relative to competitors. The Ford F-150 delivers 13,500 pounds of maximum towing and the Chevy Silverado can tow up to 13,300 pounds.

One encouraging aspect of the change in engines is that the maximum payload with the 2025 six-cylinder Ram 1500 Hurricane engines is 2300 pounds, matching 2024 Ram HEMI® V8 pickups. For Knox and Logansport buyers who appreciate the value of a smooth, quiet engine, the new 2025 Ram 1500 Hurricane options are worth investigating with a test drive.

Ram's new Hurricane engines give you more horsepower than some competitors

2025 Ram 1500 pickups with the available 3.0-liter higher-output Hurricane engine can give you up to 540 horsepower. That's more than you can find in the Chevy Silverado 1500, the Ford F-150 Raptor, the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Nissan Titan full-size pickup. The 3.0-liter high-output Hurricane engine delivers 521 pound-feet of torque as well as 9,920 pounds of towing capacity along with a maximum payload of 1,520 pounds.

A fuel economy comparison between Ram Hurricane engines and the Ram HEMI® V8

We understand that the Ram HEMI® V8 engine has been a respected institution for many years. The automotive experts at MotorTrend express sympathy with the legions of Ram truck fans who regret the significant loss of towing capacity provided by the HEMI® V8 but they remind everyone that one of the two Hurricane engines provides slightly better fuel efficiency. Many longtime Ram owners may not regard that as significant compensation but Stelantis, the corporate parent of Ram, is facing tremendous pressure from federal regulators to increase fuel economy.

As a result, the standard-output Hurricane engine in the 2025 Ram 1500 gives you 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on Northern Indiana highways. That's a modest increase over the HEMI® that had the same city efficiency but 23 MPG on the highway. The high-output Hurricane engine, unfortunately, has lower fuel efficiency than the HEMI®, coming in at only 15 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. Meanwhile the HEMI® V8 was better in both categories: 18 MPG in the city and 22 highway MPG.

Compare these two Ram engines at Winamac Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

As of this writing, we have both the 2024 Ram 1500 with the highly regarded HEMI® V8 as well as 2025 Ram 1500 trucks with new Hurricane engines. If you love the HEMI® engine, this is your last chance to get a new 2024 model before they all disappear. If you prefer the quieter Hurricane engine, we have 2025 Ram 1500 pickups ready for a test drive at Winamac Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Winamac, IN.