For many obvious reasons, America loves its trucks, and Ram has made some recent inroads in bringing back the HEMI V8 and now extending the powertrain warranty to a 10-year, 100,000-mile level. Such changes, something Ram didn’t have to work too hard to do, have garnered proper newfound recognition in the Ram 1500 with the V8 engine and its new eTorque mild hybrid setup. Together, the Ram 1500 in the top-level Limited trim is a force be reckoned with as one of the most luxurious trucks on the current market.

Powered by the returning 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine and an eTorque mild hybrid system, the new Ram 1500 Limited is good for 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Sure, those figures may fall short of the new twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder Hurricane, but that V8 rumble and the expected consistency of instant grunt is just something purest will always enjoy – and that’s just what you get with the HEMI V8. Couple that with the 4WD Auto setting, and you have a nicely planted V8 rumbling truck that screams America!

In some ways, everything about the V8-powered Ram 1500 says it is an underperformer against the new turbo powertrains. However, I would beg to have that argument with enthusiasts where having the Mopar GT exhaust equipped on my test vehicle coupled with that harmonious V8 titillates senses that an inline 6-cylinder could never do. Thankfully, the exhaust automatically quiets down at cruising speeds when you’re not hard on the throttle. Apart from just the theatrics, performance is still decent and remains easy to drive, but you ultimately have a slower truck that hits 60 mph in about 6 seconds compared to the 5-second to lower 4-second range with the other turbocharged powertrain setups. Still, this V8 and its 48-volt mild hybrid setup with a combo generator/starter proves to still be the one for many enthusiasts, and Ram knows such – hence its return.

Fuel economy takes a hit with the V8, also making it a hard choice for those who don’t mind different sounds and enthusiast feels. The HEMI V8 returns consistent figures, but at a lower scale to match its EPA estimates of 16 mpg city and 20 mpg highway in the real world. The combined 18 mpg is about what you will expect to get when minding road speed limits in mixed highway and city driving cases. You do get a rather large fuel tank at 33 gallons, giving you a massive highway cruising range of about 660 miles.

Ram has long prided themselves on being the more luxurious truck that tends to ride among the best in the vast field of the 1500 segment. The air suspension of the Ram 1500 Limited, for one, is an advantage in many cases, giving you the versatility of setting different vehicle heights and enjoying a smooth ride quality.

For towing and payload, the HEMI V8 tops its payload rating at 1,650 pounds and maxes towing at 11,320 pounds on a proper configuration, which is only a difference of about 170 pounds versus the Hurricane powertrain setup. If you look deep enough, that difference is about the weight factor between the powertrains.

The interior of the Ram 1500 Limited 4×4 is a plush space that has many forward-thinking innovations, starting with its configurable center console that has dual wireless smartphone charging pads. From there, things ramp up with the multitude of screens from the driver’s digital gauge cluster to the largest-in-its-class portrait-style 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and the 10.3-inch passenger touchscreen display. Ram keeps with the luxury truck theme in the Limited trim with massaging, heating, and ventilated front seats that prove to be rather comfy on long trips. The rear outboard seats also have heating and ventilation. There’s proper leather stitching throughout, and a limited amount of open-pore wood trim.

Ram goes the distance for its versatile storage options, having the Ram Box setup out back that tends to take up some bed space, but is rather convenient for placing items in a locked and weather-sealed box that can be easily accessed with just your key fob in your pocket. On the edge of tech, the Ram 1500 now has the hands-free active driving assist system that proved to work quite well, but with the noticeable drawback of allowing activation rather late after demanding the function. Otherwise, Stellantis seems to have a good system that will rival other hands-free driving systems.

Other niceties to make truck life easier are the trailer reverse guidance setup, digital rearview mirror with a tow mode, trailer health monitor, digital key option for your Android device or iPhone, and the many expected active safety features, including a decent 360 camera system that can be brought up at any time.

Ram manages to do all the truck things in style and luxurious comfort, but you must pay a little for that level of treatment to the tune of $88,480 for my nicely-equipped Ram 1500 Limited 4×4 test vehicle. There’s still room to add a bit more, but there’s also a myriad of other trim levels, which, at the base end, start at $41,575 for the Tradesman trim.