Nobody at Ram could tell me exactly what the 2026 1500 Hemi’s "Symbol of Protest" badge meant. What are we protesting, I wondered?
Consumer choice was touted as the number one reason for the new badge, but realistically, the Hemi is back merely because emissions regulations are suddenly lax. In fact, the decision to put the Hemi back into the iconic light-duty truck was made in December, just nine months ago, right after a significant national event.
Now with Tim Kuniskis at the head of Ram (appointed at the same time as the decision to revive the V-8, no coincidence), the entire brand is staging a bounce back from weak sales. One Ram representative said that 50 percent of returning customers demanded a V-8–an itch that the Hurricane inline-six couldn’t scratch. And when neither of Ram’s biggest competitors, Chevrolet or Ford, even hinted at killing their V-8 offerings, customers moved elsewhere.
Thus, the V-8 is back, for just $1,200 extra over a standard Hurricane I-6 and for no additional charge over the high-output 540-horsepower version. It returns unchanged, with the exact same horsepower and torque, the same fuel economy, and with a whole lot of slightly dodgy political connotation.
| Quick Specs | 2026 Ram 1500 |
| Engine | 5.7-Liter V-8 Mild Hybrid |
| Output | 395 Horsepower / 410 Pound-Feet |
| 0-60 MPH | 6.7 Seconds (est.) |
| Towing | 11,320 Pounds |
| Base Price / As Tested | $42,370 / $82,055 |
Regardless of odd brand iconography, bringing the V-8 back is something worth celebrating. For truck buyers who love simplicity, having the option of an objectively simpler (if lower-performing) V-8 versus a turbocharged six is compelling. In fact, I have a 2021 Ram 1500 Laramie with this exact powertrain in the family, a truck I’ve put tens of thousands of miles on, sans the eTorque mild-hybrid system.
For 2026, the Hemi is mechanically identical to the engine that died in 2024. It now comes standard with the mild-hybrid system and has the same output and fuel economy as before. Yet Ram stressed that it was not a simple drop-in job, and making the V-8 work with the newest generation of Ram’s electronics compared to the pre-2025 models was the primary challenge.
It took seven months of work for Ram to fully validate and complete the V-8’s transplant—only enough time to make it work reliably, not enough to upgrade it. It’s hard to ignore the fact that the V-8’s 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque are considerably less than the SO I-6’s 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet, meaning you are paying $1,200 more to get less performance, and paying zero dollars to get substantially less performance than the HO’s 540 horsepower.
But with that engine upgrade, you do get three bonuses: A standard performance exhaust that is actually fairly loud, a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and the ability to option the Hemi on any trim level.
Pros: Excellent Power, Nice Sound, Similar Fuel Economy To I-6
The V-8’s virtue was never outright performance, nor is it in any other major truck maker’s lineup. The F-150 EcoBoost outperforms the 5.0-liter V-8, yet buyers still prefer the bigger engine. Practically, it’s the proven simplicity and durability of a V-8 that draws people in. Emotionally, V-8s soothe an ancient region in our brain’s parabrachial nucleus.
V-8 good, our subconscious opines, as it grunts away in minimal, thrumming effort.
And the 5.7-liter Hemi is as good as it ever was. It feels as powerful as it did before, even with the feature-laden Laramie I sampled. Even with less power than the Hurricane, I never wanted for more oomph, and found the Hemi more linear and smoother in its power delivery.
The eight-speed ZF shifted smoothly yet directly, with no wrinkles in its calibration. It felt exactly like my family’s 2021 1500, which is actually a great thing.
Cons: Lacks Power Compared To Other Available Powertrains, No Meaningful Upgrades To V-8
That truck is delightful to drive, and the revived Hemi Ram makes it that much more appealing. Compared to the Silverado and F-150, the Ram simply drives better, with lovely, linear steering that has a strong sensation of center, and suspension that is rarely juddery like most body-on-frame trucks.
This is the Ram we knew and loved before the Hurricane, just with more powertrain choices. Put simply: V-8 good.
As far as what Ram is protesting, I’m still not sure.
Competitors
2026 Ram 1500 Hemi
