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Best Ram Trucks for Towing

Every Ram pickup, ranked on tow score.

G

Here's how the Ram lineup stacks up on tow. Same rubric across every truck — no brand favors.

#1G

Ram 3500

89

The pick — 36,610 lb tow rating, 5,500 lb payload capacity. Strong tow.

Shop 76 scored listings →

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#2

Ram 2500

68

19,890 lb tow rating, 2,750 lb payload capacity. Middle-of-pack tow.

Shop 76 scored listings →

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#3

Ram 1500

42

12,560 lb tow rating, Trailer sway control. Marginal tow — occasional use.

Shop 220 scored listings →

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Spec table

ModelMax Tow (lbs)Max Payload (lbs)Powertrains
Ram 350037,0907,6806.7L Cummins I6 High-Output Turbo Diesel
Ram 250022,6606,8306.7L Cummins I6 Turbo Diesel, 6.4L V8 HEMI
Ram 150012,7502,3003.0L I6 Hurricane HO Twin Turbo, 3.0L Hurricane I6 HO, 3.0L Hurricane I6 SO, 5.7L V8 HEMI

How Goose scores Towing

Towing is math, not marketing. I read the sticker, not the ad copy.

Towing is math, not marketing. I read the OEM tow rating, payload, powertrain, and hitch hardware straight off the sticker — the same numbers the manufacturer certifies, not what the ad copy rounds up to. A truck that tows 12,000 lbs but runs out of payload at 1,400 gets called out for it, because your trailer's tongue weight doesn't care about the brochure. Higher score, more trailer, fewer surprises at the scales.

Full methodology →

Frequently asked

What's the difference between towing capacity and payload?
Towing is what the truck pulls behind it; payload is what it carries, including the trailer's tongue weight, your passengers, and your gear. Most trucks run out of payload before towing. That's the number buyers skip and shouldn't.
Can a half-ton tow a horse trailer?
Some can, barely, with the right configuration. Two horses plus a steel trailer eats most of a half-ton's rating and nearly all its payload. I'd rather see you in a 250/2500 with margin than at 98% of a maxed-out 150.
Why do two identical-looking trucks score differently?
Axle ratio, powertrain, and tow packages. Two trucks with the same trim badge can be thousands of pounds apart in certified rating. That's why I score the actual configuration, not the model name.
Does a diesel always score higher for towing?
Usually on the rating, not always on the score. Diesels dominate heavy towing, but the extra engine weight cuts payload — for lighter trailers, a strong gas engine can be the smarter number.
What's a good towing score?
80+ means built to tow heavy as a primary job. 50–79 handles boats, campers, and equipment with margin. Under 50 tows light duty — fine, as long as your trailer knows it.