It seems like only yesterday that Ram revived the legendary Power Wagon, which was highly respected for its off-road performance and ruggedness from 1945 to 1980. When the modern-era icon hit dealer showrooms in 2005, it once again set a new bar for a factory 4×4 pickup that could handle whatever the road ahead presented.
The Power Wagon was special. With electronic-locking differentials at both ends, custom Bilstein shocks, 34-inch A/T tires, an electronic-disconnecting front anti-sway bar, a 12,000-pound-capacity Warn Zeon winch, and a powerful 5.7-liter Hemi V8 backed by a six-speed automatic, it was nearly unstoppable.
A Long Evolution To Perfection
Some 20 years later, Ram engineers stepped up the pace and raised the bar a little higher with the 2025 Power Wagon, which got a 420 hp 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and a ZF TorqueFlite HD 8AP1075 eight-speed automatic while keeping all of the other goodies that made this special truck intact. They also added a 2.4kW onboard inverter power system to handle electrical needs while boondocking or working on a remote jobsite.
Enter the 2027 Power Wagon. After what has seemed like forever, the pickup industry’s most capable 4×4 appears to have reached its peak, finally getting the venerable High-Output Cummins 6.7-liter diesel as an alternative to the gas Hemi.
We recently spent a week behind the wheel of the Cummins-powered 2027 Power Wagon and can attest there’s more than enough power under your right foot to tow nearly 20,000 pounds. When running empty, it takes only the lightest touch of the throttle to overtake slower-moving traffic, and steeper grades feel like driving on the flats.
As an aside, others have tested the Power Wagon diesel against the same model with the Hemi. In every test, the Cummins proved several seconds quicker than the Hemi in both 0–60 mph and quarter-mile acceleration.
Win Some, Lose Some
From a sales and marketing perspective, shoehorning a Cummins under the Power Wagon’s hood shouldn’t surprise anyone: More than 80 percent of all Ram 2500HD buyers prefer the diesel over the gas engine. So, this new power option just perked up the ears of a raft of potential ¾-ton 4×4 crew-cab buyers.
The Cummins helps boost the Power Wagon’s towing capacity to 19,360 pounds and allows it to haul 2,930 pounds of cargo.
The downside: This new diesel package required a couple of compromises along the way.
The diesel version gives up an inch of ground clearance to the Hemi (13.2” vs. 14.2”), and the factory-installed Warn 12K Zeon XD winch is found on the gas version is gone. The diesel Power Wagon’s approach, departure, and ground-clearance specs are now nearly identical to the Rebel’s.
The winch, something of a “comfort animal” for some pickup owners, had to be dropped to make room for the Cummins intercooler and cooling system.
Another loss due to the heavier engine package is the Articulink front suspension, which played a big part in maximizing the articulation of the solid front axle when the anti-sway bar is disconnected. Retaining it gives the Hemi version a softer ride and slightly better traction than the diesel when off-roading.
An astute driver will notice the difference when driving the Hemi and Cummins versions back-to-back off-pavement.
A Nice Package For Trailer Toters
Another nice factory touch: The new version comes optionally prepped to tow fifth wheel and gooseneck trailers—all without needing any aftermarket upgrades. Drop in the gooseneck pin or lock in the fifth wheel platter and you’re good to tow all but the biggest toy haulers and equipment trailers.
When it comes to towing safety and convenience, whether for work or recreation, the new Power Wagon is loaded with class-leading electronic technology, both visual and audible, that eliminates the dreaded “blind spots” common when a trailer is hitched.
During our week with the truck, we instantly loved the stellar 360-degree surround-view camera system, which provides a clear view from every angle on the huge 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system that fills the center of the dash.
Options Take It To Luxury Level
The Ram Power Wagon isn’t just for rock crawling or plowing through deep, muddy backroads and around challenging job sites. The model we spent seat time in made us feel like a business tycoon. The cabin is nothing short of a luxury field office, complete with comfortable leather seating and everything needed to handle today’s digital electronics, from cellphones to tablets to laptops.
You just have to check the right boxes when the order goes in.
That starts with ordering the Level 2 Equipment Group ($6,245), which includes Natura Plus leather-trim seating with extended leather throughout the cabin, a best-in-class 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen, a segment-exclusive 10.25-inch interactive front-passenger display, and a 17-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system with subwoofer.
In addition, the package includes a cargo-view camera integrated into the center high-mounted stop lamp, a Mopar spray-in bedliner, a Mopar deployable bed step, and selectable Tire Fill Alert.
Towing Options Ease The Pressure
Regardless of one’s level of towing expertise, the Power Wagon with the Cummins diesel offers two towing technology upgrades that make work and recreational use much simpler.
Ram’s Towing Technology Group ($1,595) and companion Tow Technology Plus Group ($1,490) add an LED third brake light with cargo-view camera, the 360-degree surround-view camera system, and a hands-off trailer reverse steering control that uses high-definition mirror- and body-mounted cameras, dynamic on-screen trajectory guidelines, and an optional center-stack control knob to automate steering or visualize blind spots while you control the throttle and brake.
Another really sweet option for trailer toters: For the first time, the Power Wagon diesel can be optioned with a fifth wheel/gooseneck prep package ($745), expanding its utility for both work and recreation. All you need to supply is the fifth wheel platter or the drop-in ball for the gooseneck.
An Overlander’s Dream Pickup
Our week behind the wheel of the 2027 Power Wagon, painted in Forged Blue Metallic, brought to light just how much power the 6.7-liter Cummins delivers, as well as the level of comfort and seemingly endless premium features that make a well-optioned version of this pickup the consummate mobile office for those who spend a lot of time on the road.
The Power Wagon delivers a slightly softer highway ride than the standard Ram Heavy Duty pickup, its steering feel is a little too light for our liking, and it doesn’t hug the road quite like the Rebel, an equally impressive diesel package. But off-road and off-pavement, the Power Wagon leaves the Rebel in the proverbial dust.
Lock up everything in the drivetrain, disconnect the front anti-sway bar, point the Power Wagon where you want to go, and let ’er rip. Getting the traction needed to make it around challenging construction sites, dicey backroads, or even a little extreme off-roading is rarely an issue. Those into overlanding and boondocking will really like this version of the Power Wagon.
Is The Power Wagon Money Well Spent?
Is it worth $103,395 as this Power Wagon was configured?
If you are a business owner or construction site manager who spends a lot of time out of the office and relies on a 4×4 crew-cab diesel pickup’s technology and functionality to serve multiple needs in widely varying and sometimes very challenging driving conditions, then “yes.”
If you are recreation-minded, love to tow an RV trailer or a load of ATVs into the boonies, and need a 4×4 pickup that can pull a big toy hauler or a trailer loaded with play toys over varying road conditions—from sand to rock to mud to snow—then the 2027 Power Wagon is worth solid consideration.
If you want a really nice 4×4 diesel pickup that will be driven primarily on gravel roads and paved highways, with only rare occasions to engage the transfer case, then the Power Wagon is way overkill.
The bottom line: On-road or off, towing or cruising, for work or recreation, the Cummins-powered 2027 Ram Power Wagon stands alone atop the ¾-ton class of premium-level, four-wheel-drive crew cabs. It delivers unmatched off-road capability and functionality, with form befitting a business mogul.
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