The TRX exists because Ford built the Raptor and Ram decided to answer it with a supercharged Hellcat V8. Its 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi makes 702 hp — 702, in a pickup truck with 35-inch off-road tyres — and Ram engineered it specifically for high-speed desert running rather than rock crawling.

The suspension is the real content. Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive dampers with remote reservoirs, 13 inches of travel at the front and 14 at the rear, a fully boxed frame, and a rear axle located by a five-link setup with a track bar rather than leaf springs. Ram quotes the ability to jump the truck — and validated it doing exactly that.

Details that betray the engineering budget: a hood scoop feeding a cold-air box that can be washed out, an eight-speed automatic with a torque converter specific to this application, a launch control system, and a Baja drive mode that loosens stability control for sliding.

Its position was uncontested for exactly as long as it took Ford to build the Raptor R. As of 2024 the two are direct rivals, both with supercharged V8s and both spectacularly thirsty. With emissions pressure pushing Stellantis towards the Hurricane straight-six, the supercharged TRX looks like a moment in time rather than a lasting product line.

03 / How to use

Owner's walkthrough

Practical guide for everything a new owner asks on day one — starting the car, finding the gear selector, drive modes, infotainment, driver aids, and easy-to-miss features.

How to start it

Step on the brake, press the engine start button on the console or steering column; wait for the cluster to confirm ready before shifting out of P.

Where the gear selector is (and how to use it)

Console-mounted shifter with R-N-D-S notches; paddles behind the wheel for manual gear control.

Drive modes

Drive modes are accessed via the drive-mode selector on the console. Available modes typically include Normal, Sport, Eco. Each mode reshuffles throttle mapping, steering weight, adaptive dampers (if equipped), exhaust valves, and stability-control thresholds. On performance trims, an 'Individual' or 'Custom' slot lets you save your favorite combination so you can recall it with one click instead of nesting through menus.

Cluster & head-up display

The driver display is a Digital cluster. Use the steering-wheel left thumb-pad to cycle layouts (Classic, Sport, Navigation, Minimal). When in Sport / Track mode the cluster automatically swaps to a wide tach with gear indicator and tire-temperature readout. The head-up display brightness, height, and content are configured from Settings → Displays → HUD.

Infotainment & voice control

Infotainment runs on Central touchscreen with smartphone mirroring. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard; pair from Settings → Connections the first time, then it auto-connects whenever your phone is in range. Steering-wheel push-to-talk wakes the in-car assistant for nav, climate, calls, and messaging without touching the screen. The main display also hosts vehicle-specific apps: tire pressures, performance data recorder (where fitted), drive-mode customizer, and the camera views.

Driver assistance

Standard driver aids include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Toggle each system individually from the driver-assist menu (steering-wheel left-pad → Assistance). Highway-driving assist (hands-off in marked lanes on supported roads), automatic lane-change on indicator tap, traffic-jam assist for stop-and-go, and a 360° surround camera with transparent-hood mode are all available and worth enabling for the first time before driving in heavy traffic.

Fueling

Premium unleaded (91 or 93 octane) is required on Ram performance models — the engine timing is set for it and lower octane causes audible knock and reduced power. Fuel-cap release is a button on the driver door panel; the cap is capless (just push the nozzle in).

Keys & phone-as-key

Beyond the physical key, this car supports Smart key. Set up phone-as-key from the Manufacturer app app: it provisions a secure credential to your phone's wallet so a tap on the door handle unlocks the car and placing the phone on the wireless charging pad authorizes ignition. You can also share temporary keys to family members (with optional speed and area limits on performance trims) directly from the app.

First-week tips & easy-to-miss features

A few things every new owner tells us they wish they'd known on day one:

Download the brand app (Manufacturer app) and pair it with your VIN before your first long trip — remote climate, charging/fuel-level checks, and remote lock-status save you walking back to the garage in winter.
Lower the load floor (rear cargo area) for hauling and raise it for everyday — this is the most-missed feature on every modern luxury SUV.

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