Covert CDJR Bee Cave
The Ram 1500 RHO
Ram’s high-output off-road flagship: a 540-horsepower twin-turbo Hurricane, 35-inch tires, factory Bilstein shocks, and 11.8 inches of ground clearance. Here is what the RHO is built to do and how to get one at Covert CDJR Bee Cave.
The 2026 Ram 1500 RHO is the performance corner of the 1500 lineup, a purpose-built off-road truck designed for high-speed desert runs and rough terrain rather than the work-truck duty cycle. It carries the high-output 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six that makes 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque, paired with full-time four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic. If you are shopping the RHO specifically, you can see the Ram 1500 lineup in stock and filter to the RHO, since it ships as one well-equipped configuration rather than a ladder of trims.
Out on caliche ranch roads and the rocky low-water crossings around the Pedernales, the RHO’s long-travel suspension and 35-inch tires are the point. This page covers the engine, the off-road hardware, real-world capability numbers, the cabin, and which buyer the RHO actually fits.
Performance
The RHO starts with the high-output Hurricane engine, the most powerful in the 1500 family at 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. A high-flow air induction system pulls clean air through a hood duct so the engine keeps making power in dust and water, and the power runs through a BorgWarner 48-13 full-time active transfer case to a Dana 60 rear axle with a high-speed electronically locking differential.
Suspension is where the RHO separates from a lifted street truck. It uses a factory-installed Bilstein Black Hawk e2 shock system that continuously reads speed, throttle, braking, torque, and steering angle and adapts damping to keep the body controlled at speed. That setup delivers 13 inches of front and 14 inches of rear suspension travel and 11.8 inches of ground clearance. The truck rolls on 35-inch off-road tires with available 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels, plus extended wheel flares, a textured grille, and two tow hooks front and rear.
Nine drive modes (Mud/Sand, Rock, Baja, Valet, Auto, Tow, Snow, Sport, and Custom) plus a Launch Control mode let you match the truck to the terrain, from a Baja-style wash to a slow rock crawl. Ram positions the RHO’s 540 horsepower as more standard horsepower than a Ford Raptor.
Capability
Properly equipped with a conventional hitch, the 2026 RHO (sold only as a Crew Cab 4WD) tows up to 8,360 lbs and carries up to 1,490 lbs of payload. Those are real numbers, but they are lower than what a standard Ram 1500 with the Hurricane standard-output engine and a 3.92 axle will pull, because the RHO is tuned for off-road speed and articulation, not maximum trailer weight. If towing is your first priority, a Big Horn or Laramie is the smarter buy, and you can compare the full picture on the Ram 1500 towing capacity and full Ram 1500 specs pages. The RHO’s job is everything that happens once the pavement ends.
Cabin & Tech
The RHO is a hardcore truck with an upscale cabin. It comes with 12-way power leather-trimmed bucket seats and a console-mounted performance shifter, with available carbon-fiber accents and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. Available comfort features include massaging front seats with heat and memory, reclining rear seats, and rear-seat heating and ventilation, with 45.2 inches of rear legroom for passengers. Technology runs through an available 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen and a digital gauge cluster, with hands-free Active Driving Assist for the highway and available dual wireless charging, a Ram digital key, and a digital rearview mirror.
Which One
The RHO is the answer to one specific question: do you want a full-size truck that can run hard off-road and still drive like a premium daily? If you spend weekends at places like Hidden Falls Adventure Park or running the backcountry around Llano and Mason, the 540-horsepower Hurricane, the Bilstein suspension, and the 35-inch tires are exactly what you are paying for, and nothing else in the 1500 lineup matches it.
If you mostly tow or haul, step back to a Hurricane-powered Big Horn or Laramie, which pull more for thousands less. If you want serious off-road capability without the full RHO price, look at the Rebel, which gives you off-road hardware at a lower entry point. The full Ram 1500 trim comparison and the Ram 1500 overview lay out those options. When you are ready, see the Ram 1500 RHO and the rest of the lineup in stock or estimate a payment on the build you are considering. On the limestone ledges along the Pedernales and the scenic runs near the Willow City Loop, the RHO does what no other 1500 in the lineup can.
Value
The 2026 Ram 1500 RHO starts at $69,995 MSRP, which excludes the destination freight charge, and it is sold as a single trim rather than a ladder of trims. Option packages like the RHO Level 1 Equipment Group move well-equipped examples into the mid-$70,000s, so the easiest way to see exact pricing, paint, and packages is to look at live inventory. MSRP excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price. Covert CDJR Bee Cave is at 16501 Sweetwater Vlg Dr Building 3, Austin, TX 78738, and you can reach the team at (512) 900-6192 to check current RHO availability or arrange a test drive.
Questions
The RHO uses the high-output 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six, which makes 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with full-time four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic, and it is the most powerful engine in the 2026 Ram 1500 family.
Properly equipped with a conventional hitch, the RHO (Crew Cab 4WD) tows up to 8,360 lbs and carries up to 1,490 lbs of payload. Those figures are lower than a standard Ram 1500 with the Hurricane standard-output engine, because the RHO is tuned for off-road speed and suspension travel rather than maximum trailer weight. If towing is the priority, a Big Horn or Laramie pulls more.
Standard hardware includes 35-inch off-road tires, a factory-installed Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shock system, 11.8 inches of ground clearance, 13 inches of front and 14 inches of rear suspension travel, a Dana 60 rear axle with an electronically locking differential, a BorgWarner full-time active transfer case, nine drive modes, and Launch Control. Beadlock-capable 18-inch wheels are available.
The 2026 RHO starts at $69,995 MSRP, which excludes the destination freight charge. It is sold as a single trim, but option packages such as the RHO Level 1 Equipment Group move well-equipped examples into the mid-$70,000s. MSRP excludes destination, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment, and the dealer sets the final price. Check current inventory at Covert CDJR Bee Cave for exact pricing on trucks in stock.
No. The RHO is Ram’s current high-performance off-road 1500, and it uses the 540-horsepower Hurricane inline-six, while the earlier TRX used a supercharged V8. The RHO delivers off-road performance in the same spirit at a lower price point and with a lighter engine.
The 2026 RHO carries over mechanically, with the high-output Hurricane, Bilstein suspension, and 35-inch tires unchanged. The main updates are to the exterior paint palette, which adds new colors for the model year.
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