2026 Ram 1500 Express Debuts As New Entry Level Ford F-150 Rival

Back in August 2024, Stellantis opted to cancel the Ram 1500 Classic, which hung around for years even as that same pickup was treated to a full-blown redesign. It was an interesting tactic that resulted in full-size light-duty truck shoppers having a lower-priced option to choose from, and it actually helped it eat into Ford F-Series sales for some time. Blue Oval CEO Jim Farley later admitted that Ram’s cheaper models were also taking away some Ford F-150 customers, too. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Stellantis has opted to launch a new budget model dubbed the 2026 Ram 1500 Express as one of many planned new vehicle announcements.

The 2026 Ram 1500 Express is indeed a spiritual successor to the Classic, but it’s based on the refreshed-for-2025 model. It starts out at $44,495, including a destination charge of $2,095, and gets its name from the original Ram Express that debuted way back in 1939. It’s available in both Crew Cab and Quad Body configurations, with two- or four-wheel drive, and a pair of engine options – the standard 3.6L V6 Pentastar cranking out 305 horsepower, or the optional twin-turbocharged 3.0L I-6 Hurricane in standard, 420 horsepower output form, which adds another $1,695 to the price tag.

Otherwise, the 2026 Ram 1500 Express does come well-equipped with features such as 20-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, black-bezel LED headlamps, a badgeless monochromatic paint scheme with gloss black grille surrounds and body-color front and rear bumpers, and interior accents in Liquid Graphite laser etched paint and Gridiron colors. It’s also rated to tow up to 11,550 pounds in Quad Cab, two-wheel drive guise with the beefier Hurricane powerplant.  Color choices consist of Diamond Black, Bright White, Granite Crystal, Forged Blue, and Hydro Blue.

For those that want a bit more sportiness, the 2026 Ram 1500 Express can also be paired with the Black Express package, which debuted back in 2013 and is now making a comeback. That package costs $995 but is only available with four-wheel drive models, though it adds a sport hood, black badging, black 20-inch wheels, side steps, LED fog lamps, and an upgraded interior with black cloth bucket seats, a seven-inch gauge cluster, and a floor console. Order banks for the 2026 Ram 1500 Express are open now, with deliveries slated to begin in Q3.