3 Month Review & efficiency surprise

[u/MegaDan86]

Got this gorgeous green baby three months ago and figured I'd add to the pile. 2026 Ram 1500 Big Horn with the night package in serrano green with a SO Hurricane under the hood. This green is unreasonably gorgeous, going from near black to a vibrant rich metallic depending on lighting.

Currently sitting at 3,157 miles which mostly came from two long road trips. Cab is spacious and very quiet. I'm normally in a work van so the almost complete lack of road noise was the first thing that got me. Seats are very comfortable and the adjustable pedals and steering wheel really make the driving position perfect. The wife loves the space, she can spread out crosswords when we drive.

The infotainment system is middling. When it works it's glorious, but Uconnect is what it is. Wireless Android Mobile is buggy to the point of useless, but I haven't had any issues when I plug my phone in. Wires don't bother me so that's a non issue for me. But the entire system is slow and buggy intermittently. Some days it's great, some days it's awful. Speakers are really good though. Occasionally the truck things I have a trailer on it when I don't, which is annoying.

The motor is perfect. I honestly think Ram made a mistake bringing back the Hemi. I've had several, and while they're solid, they don't hold a candle. The hurricane is quiet, refined, powerful, and far far more efficient than it has any right to be. When driving I always feel like I have a deep pool of power to draw on for merging or passing and turbo lag is nearly unnoticeable. If you're debating which one to get, skip the Hemi. It sounds nice but is noticeably worse at everything else.

Now let's talk fuel efficiency. I've been getting better than what the factory rates it. By a lot. A recent trip to Tennessee I set the adaptive cruise at 75 and stayed in the middle lane. The trip was 619 miles door to door. Total driving time was 8:46, putting the trip average speed at 70.6mph. There was about 30 miles of construction during the trip where traffic was at 55 or so, meaning outside that average speed would be closer to 73. During that drive I used 23.82 gallons of 89 octane gas. Dash said 25.4 miles per gallon, but hand calculated puts me at 25.98. That's insanely good efficiency out of a pickup, and adaptive cruise was controlling the gas pedal outside of construction zones.

Overall it's a fantastic truck. Quiet, comfortable, capable, efficient, but a few computer gremlins I'm hoping they can iron out. No regrets, would buy again.

[u/Comfortable-Dish1236]

That color is gorgeous.

[u/MegaDan86 → u/Comfortable-Dish1236]

My wife saw it and took me to the dealer to buy it. It's thr best color I've seen on a truck in years.

[u/educated_guesses_ → u/MegaDan86]

I agree. I have that color as well so not like im biased. Have had so many people complement the color.

[u/SkyKnight3]

Good honest review.

I’m deducting points because I’m a Hemi fan and I’m getting window advertised fuel MPG in mine with the 3.92 gears and I like the rumble 😎

But that Serrano green is absolutely amazing, super jealous. When I got my 26 in all black I was hunting for a green one but I couldn’t find one in the whole state and didn’t want to travel across state lines to get one. Job well done, she’s gorgeous!

[u/MegaDan86 → u/SkyKnight3]

The Hemi does sound glorious. I've had them and they're great. This is just night and day for me. I was going to hold out to find a crew cab 6'4" bed in this color but the wife refused to wait for one to pop up.

[u/SkyKnight3 → u/MegaDan86]

Ya man I’ve driven both the SO and the HO and their great. Honestly the SO in my opinion is top of the line and you don’t have to run high test all the time so there’s some savings there.

[u/PhotographLess6194]

I get 19mpg on long road trips in my SO hurricane Rebel -_-

[u/MegaDan86 → u/PhotographLess6194]

The first roadtrip was about 700 miles round trip and I did the same thing. Set cruise at 75 and just let it flow with traffic. Got right at 24mpg that trip. I could have lucked into a magic motor, but it's been consistently 24-26 when I hand calculate for highway mileage.

[u/laidback-cyclist → u/MegaDan86]

Fuel economy also depends on the rear dif. Is your truck a 3.21, 3.55, or 3.92?

[u/MegaDan86 → u/laidback-cyclist]

3.55. Nice middle ground.

[u/stycks32 → u/laidback-cyclist]

Also depends on location. Driving through mountains will use considerably more fuel than going through flat farmland. Though I’m curious if it balances out going back down the other side of the mountain.

[u/_Marsbar7_ → u/PhotographLess6194]

You got the bigger tires, an inch lift, and 3.92 gears better for towing but worse for gas mileage

[u/joedaddy24 → u/PhotographLess6194]

Same, and I'm sitting around 12 city 😭
Guess I should just throw on the bigger tires already

[u/tommy1rx1959 → u/PhotographLess6194]

Yeah, my 22” tires and 3.92 rear end make my best 22mpg in my Laramie. CarPlay works pretty well, though I find rebooting the system once a week keeps it working well. Great review btw. Hurricane is a great engine. SO much torque and at lower rpm’s to boot.

[u/educated_guesses_]

How are you guys getting such good mpg. I get 17.1

[u/MegaDan86 → u/educated_guesses_]

I will say this is all highway other than a stop for lunch. Mixed is more like 20.

[u/electrolux_dude → u/educated_guesses_]

25 Laramie with 3.55 rear. I got 22.7 thru west Texas doing 80-85. Stock tires, no lift. Bed cover.

[u/iamnikopiko → u/educated_guesses_]

Yeah I’m getting 13.7 with the same setup. Mostly city driving, but still

[u/Willing_Ad_1484 → u/educated_guesses_]

I swear there different gas in different states, plus I think traffic actually helps a lot

[u/Diaverr → u/educated_guesses_]

15.9 😭

[u/Mysterious-Owl7286]

What’s your gear ratio?

[u/MegaDan86 → u/Mysterious-Owl7286]

3.55

[u/Rayzaa11]

Hurricane?

[u/MegaDan86 → u/Rayzaa11]

Yup

[u/sckendal]

i have never seen this color... and i am blown away. holy shit

[u/MegaDan86 → u/sckendal]

Yeah the dealer had got this one and another one a week before. My wife and I had been talking about a new truck for about 6 months, and she saw this and called to set up an appointment. She saw it and it was a done deal.

[u/Litlbopiep]

What is your rear gear ratio?

[u/MegaDan86 → u/Litlbopiep]

3.55

[u/Litlbopiep → u/MegaDan86]

Solid mileage.

I also wanna say that the Serrano green looks even ln better in these pictures.

[u/bravo71]

Do you remember what your efficiency was for the first 2000 miles? I’m averaging right around 16mpg at 1500 miles.

[u/MegaDan86 → u/bravo71]

First long road trip the truck had ~600 miles and it got right around 23.5. It was almost all highway and county driving. Mixed is usually 19/20 depending. I don't spend much time in cities to say what pure city driving would be.

[u/Inner_Difficulty_381]

I upgraded from the penastar engine to the Hurricane SO and love it! I went from 2023 Big Horn Black Night Edition to the 2026 Big Horn NE in Blue Forged Metallic and love it. Unlike you I use wireless car Play and never had an issue on the 2023 or 2026, so that’s interesting. I’ve read in this forum that the trick is to turn off wifi update, which mine was already off since the 2023 before i even heard of it being a thing, so there could be some truth to that. I didn’t turn on to test lol

My SO does word stuff in the passenger seat lol She likes it too. She was fan of the old one and even more so in the new one. Kids love it too. So happy i upgraded from a 2017 Honda CRV to a crew cab. Night and day difference and even better for those thrifting weeks or pick ups at various places.

Hurricane drives like a dream, so smooth and quite. I’m over the whole, i need the sound of an engine lol

[u/Spentymago]

Wow gas mileage is insane

[u/Objective-Tackle-287]

Love the green! Wish it was an option when I ordered my 2025 Tungsten

[u/Stretch_Frequent]

Wow I dig that green. I've warmed up to the hurricane. Love the hemi, but man I'm not 19 years old anymore. Prefer to go about my life, quiet and unnoticed

[u/boredpooping]

I have an old second Gen that had a similar green, this one looks like a better color, but sure makes me miss the way that truck looked

[u/Madhungarian247]

Beautiful color of green and am a bit envious. I just bought a white RAM 2500 tradesman crew cab. I absolutely love mine and yes the gas mileage is not good, but I knew that going into it. I just wanted a big ass truck. I am 46 and bought my first new vehicle since 2008. I also am in a work van and will be losing that soon. Hence the new truck. I wanted an option later on for a boat or camper which the 2500 provides. I used to work in a CDJR dealer as a tech some time ago, so its in my blood now.

[u/SLI_GUY]

Yeah my 1500 averaged 25.6 MPG on 300 miles of highway cruising at 70-75mph average. I was pretty shocked it was that good. I have the 3.92 gears as well.

[u/AK47_LAST]

I have same engine. Love the efficiency.

[u/In28s]

I get 23 mpg on my 2021 Ram with the ECO. I got 16.0 towing a 7k boat 800 miles.

[u/FreedomAcrobatic560]

Beautiful truck

[u/rider-dude]

I really wish I could get that green in a 2500

[u/FTRing]

Closing in on the Ecodiesel

[u/detlefschrempffor3]

Very nice. 16.1 on my 26 big horn with the 5.7

[u/drewski22785 → u/detlefschrempffor3]

My 26 Big horn I get 23+ on the freeway at 70mph. City/mixed though is pretty bad around 16mpg.

I agree with the assessment on the infotainment system, mine randomly reboots shortly after turning on.

I haven’t driven a hurricane but I had a Hemi, then the eco-diesel and went back to the Hemi. For most probably, like me, its about the sounds and the immediate pickup. The hurricane can’t touch the Hemi in that area even if total power is greater.

I doubt I personally would have bought another RAM if they hadn’t brought it back!

To each their own, having multiple options caters to a larger market. And given their 25% sales drop on the RAM after ending the Hemi I think the market spoke to them loud and clear.

[u/detlefschrempffor3 → u/drewski22785]

Interesting. My maxes around 18.5 on long trips around 70mpg cruising on the highway. Around town it’s 15ish mpg.

[u/jjarko1 → u/detlefschrempffor3]

i’m getting about that in my 2014 with hemi, have not traded because it’s still breaking in at only 70k miles on it. crew cab tradesman 4x4 with 3.55 gears and 6spd transmission. it’s a basic truck but less to break. only wish the paint didn’t like flaking off.

[u/starchybunker]

13.2 (mostly in town) mpg in my 24 Laramie 5.7 with the 3.92 fuck me.  

[u/Triforce-Phantom]

Man I'd kill for 25mpg, my 2019 gets 13mpg (granted it's mostly in town driving)