The Hurricane 3.0-liter, six-cylinder, twin-turbo engine in the Ram 1500 is better than the Hemi’s 5.7-liter V8. The Hurricane trucks with 420 hp and 540 hp accelerated to 60 mph in 4.8 and 4.2 seconds, respectively, while the Hemi-powered truck took 6.0 seconds. The standard-output Hurricane engine costs less and is faster than the V-8 version. In the Testing Hub, we focus on test results. To back up our subjective opinions with trustworthy data, we have been rigorously testing vehicles at their limits since 1956. Someone I used to know sent me a picture of the damage. Sadly, a careless Nissan Rogue driver recently sent his beloved Ram 1500 Big Horn with a V-8 engine to early retirement. He has to find a new work car now that the old one is gone. He’s stuck with a Ram and needs more power than the 305-hp Pentastar V-6. He can’t decide between the smoother glug of the Hemi V-8 and the softer kick of Ram’s new twin-turbo inline-six engines. There is a clear winner in our test results. The 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi engine in the 2026 Ram 1500 can get to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, which is a decent time compared to the Hurricane pair. The 540-hp high-output version is in a different league. Still, the 420-hp standard-output inline-six is already faster to 60, taking just 4.8 seconds. The HO Hurricane beat the V-8 by almost two seconds in our Limited 4WD test. It had the longest of the two cargo beds (which the V-8 didn’t have) and hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. These results make sense given the torque differences between the powertrains. The regular Hurricane’s 469 pound-feet of torque is way more than the Hemi’s 410, and it hits peak torque earlier at 450 rpm. All powertrains feature an eight-speed automatic transmission. The V-8’s 81-decibel roar at full speed sounds amazing—10 dBA louder than the HO Hurricane and 14 dBA louder than the average straight-six. Even though the 2022 Ram 1500 TRX isn’t out yet, it’s worth noting that it went from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The performance of a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine that makes 650 pound-feet of power will definitely get worse. The current RHO model uses the HO Hurricane engine and hits 60 in 4.4 seconds, which is a lot slower than the TRX. The iron-block Hemi’s EPA fuel economy isn’t affected by its higher size and cylinder count, except for how fast it goes. In four-wheel-drive cars like ours, the V-8 gets 18 mpg combined (16 city/20 highway). The standard-output Hurricane, which gets 19 mpg combined (17 city/24 highway), beats it. The high-output turbo six is the thirstiest; it needs 91 gas and gets about 17 mpg (15 city/21). Even though the cheapest boosted inline-six (which is a $1695 better option than the Pentastar V-6) performs better, choosing the Hemi instead of the standard-output Hurricane can cost more than $3000, depending on the trim level and how it is configured. V-8 Ram users might be paying more for fewer things. Ram’s new six-cylinder engines can haul a little more than the V-8, and they feel stronger from the driver’s seat, especially when paired with the shorter 3.92 axle ratio. Some people might be impressed by the Hemi’s roar. Still, the numbers clearly show that straight-six engines are better for quick acceleration or heavy lifting. So far, customers have been happy that the 5.7-liter Hemi is back. It was not offered for the 2025 model year, but it was offered again for the 2026 model year. Ram says that, thanks to technology, trucks can be moved out of lots in as little as 5 days. But during tests, the V-8 keeps falling behind the engine family that will take its place.
