is a truck that won’t leave you high and dry in the middle of nowhere. In production since 1980, the Ram 1500 is a tough, iconic vehicle for anyone who likes voyaging deep into the Wild Blue Yonder.

There are so many roads, interstates, and highways these days that it can be easy to forget how fun it is to take your car on a trip off the beaten path. Owning a capable off-road vehicle is like having a key to the great outdoors—and all the great memories and experiences that you can find there. So, which vehicles can really handle a serious trek through the boonies?

Jerry

, the

super app

and expert on

car insurance

savings, can tell you all about the Ram 1500’s off-road performance. We’ll take a look at some of the relevant specs and even give you a few alternatives if the 1500 doesn’t float your boat.

Can the 2022 Ram 1500 go off-road?

Yes, it absolutely can. In fact, the 1500 has won

multiple

awards

for “Truck of the Year” from Four Wheeler magazine, a publication for off-road enthusiasts.

Starting at $38,370 for the base model, the 2022 Ram 1500 has four engine options (from a 3.6L V6 to a 6.2L V8), standard eight-speed automatic transmission, optional front-wheel drive, and a coil-spring suspension system to smooth over any bumps or rough patches.

What about some of the other features that make the Ram 1500 an ideal choice for your next trip down the trail? Let’s take a look at some of them.

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Ground clearance

Few specifications are more important to off-roading than ground clearance. That’s the measurement of the space between the ground and your vehicle’s undercarriage. The 2022 Ram 1500’s minimum ground clearance is 8.4 inches—a bit towards the low end, but you have plenty of options to increase it.

An ideal ground clearance rate would be somewhere between 8.8 and 10.8 inches for the best off-road performance. The 1500 has a maximum underbody clearance of 11.8 inches, so it is more than capable of hitting and even exceeding those numbers.

Torque

When you take a vehicle off-road, its performance will be based on power more than speed, so you want a good amount of low-end torque (high amounts of torque at a lower rpm). Basically, it’s more important to keep the wheels turning than to go fast when you’re out on the trail.

The 2022 Ram 1500 is more than capable in this area. Its smallest available engine—the 3.6L V6—gets a fairly impressive 269 lb-ft @ 4,800 RPM, and the larger ones are even more powerful.

Tires

A good set of tires is crucial to optimal off-road performance, and the 2022 Ram 1500 is more than prepared with its set of P275/65TR18 A/T tires. We realize that it looks like a random series of numbers and letters, but the important thing to note here is the A/T.

A/T, or

all-terrain tires

, typically feature a more open, grippy tread pattern than regular road tires. This allows them to maintain better traction and keep you and your vehicle steady. They’re marketed toward people who want to mix off-road fun with everyday driving, but they’re not quite as durable or long-lasting as regular all-season tires.

Drivetrain

Another important quality for off-road vehicles is all-wheel drive (AWD). AWD is an optional add-on for every 2022 Ram 1500 trim except for the ultra-premium TRX, where it comes standard. Otherwise, the Ram 1500 is a rear-wheel-drive truck powered by an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Angles

You might not realize it at first, but geometry is very important in the field of off-roading because it’s all about the angles. Specifically, the approach angle and departure angle are two that you need to keep in mind:

Approach angle: the maximum angle at which a vehicle can climb without interference

Departure angle: the maximum angle at which a vehicle can descend without interference

This is another area where the 2022 Ram 1500 shows its capable off-roading chops. Its approach and departure angles are 26.7 and 23.8 degrees respectively. Now, these numbers are a bit average compared to other major off-road vehicles, but they’re capable enough for some moderate rock climbing.

Off-road rating: Trail boss

We’ve rated the 2022 Ram 1500 using

Jerry’s

in-house DIRT rating system, explained in the table below:

Rating	Meaning	Description
D	Don’t Try It	Vehicles better suited to highway conditions
I	In a Pinch	Vehicles that can handle off-road conditions in certain circumstances
R	Rough and Ready	Vehicles designed for casual off-roading
T	Trail Boss	True off-road vehicles capable of tackling a range of terrain

By Jerry’s estimate, the 2022 Ram 1500 earned a T rating, our highest honor! Odds are, you’d be satisfied with any Ram 1500 model, but its off-road performance really starts to shine in the higher trim levels, like the

Rebel

and award-winning

TRX

MORE:

The best old-school off-road vehicles

The best off-road alternatives to the 2022 Ram 1500

If you’re looking for a truck with the power and confidence to handle a trip out into the weeds, you can’t really go wrong with the 2022 Ram 1500. Maybe you want something else, though, because you’re not quite comfortable dropping $74,000 on a TRX, or you simply don’t like any of the colors available on the 1500.

Whatever your reason, let’s take a look at some good alternatives to the 1500:

Model	Price	Description
2022 Chevrolet Silverado	$29,300	Chevy pulled out all the stops to revamp the iconic Silverado, including adding a standard turbocharged engine, upgraded interiors on most trims, and offering a ZR2 off-road model.
2022 Ford F-150	$29,640	One of the most famous trucks of all time, the F-150 from Ford now has a fully electric model in the Lightning. It’s also the undisputed champ in the arenas of towing and hauling. What else can we say? You just can’t beat the classics.

MORE: Cheap off-road trucks

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How to find affordable car insurance for off-road vehicles

If you’re on the hunt for a good off-road vehicle, you probably know by now just how expensive they can be, both to purchase and subsequently insure. Because it’s a dangerous and often damaging hobby, insurers will charge a higher rate for your off-road vehicle, no matter how big the tires are.

So, what can be done? Well, you could use

Jerry

to compare quotes online and shop for the lowest rates. We’re a

licensed insurance broker

as well as experts on car insurance savings, and we’ll scan quotes from our top-rated insurance partners to find you a list of new policies in less than a minute. If you see something you like, our team of experts can even help you cancel your old insurance plan.

The best part? On average, Jerry users save over $800 a year on their car insurance, which is (almost) enough money to get an even bigger set of tires!

“
Jerry
was easy to use, and they saved me a lot of money on my truck. I would definitely recommend them.” —Johannes T.

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