It's important to remember when driving the Rebel off-road that it is merely a fortified version of a standard light-duty pickup and not a fully integrated performance rig in the vein of Ford's F-150 Raptor. A smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic controlled by a rotary dial on the dash is the only available transmission.

Also available is Fiat Chrysler's eTorque 48-volt hybrid system, which comes standard on the base, 305-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and is optional on the Hemi the eTorque setup is good for a brief boost of 90 lb-ft with the V-6 and 130 lb-ft on the V-8. The Rebel trucks we sampled were all outfitted with four-wheel drive, air springs, and the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 producing 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Ram says most Rebel buyers are just fine with the conventional 2WD, 4WD High, and 4WD Low modes. Rear- and four-wheel-drive setups continue to be offered, although the all-wheel-drive setup, made possible by a BorgWarner on-demand transfer case, is omitted from the Rebel build sheet. Whereas the previous truck was crew cab only and rode on the 1500's optional air-spring suspension, the new rig also can be had as a less capacious quad-cab four-door with steel coil springs. Ram sought to enhance the second-gen Rebel's appeal by offering it in a greater number of configurations than before. Non-Rebel trucks so equipped also gain a few Off Road graphics, slightly revised versions of the 1500's standard internal-bypass dampers, and 18- or 20-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, depending on the trim level. It's available on all other four-wheel-drive Ram 1500 models for $795 plus $545 for the locking diff. The rest of its tough-truck gear-including a one-inch suspension lift over stock, hill-descent control, an electronically controlled locking rear differential, and skid plates for the front suspension, steering gear, transfer case, and fuel tank-can be had with the new Off-Road package. The big tires and a set of upgraded Bilstein monotube dampers (with external reservoirs for those at the rear axle) are what set the Rebel apart mechanically.

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