If you want a 4×4 that feels like a desert supercar disguised as a pickup, the RAM TRX is one of the wildest used buys you can make from 2021 onwards. This is for the driver who wants maximum power, maximum presence, and extreme desert capability — without needing to build the engine first.
01 What It Comes With (Factory Baseline)
The TRX is built around one of the most iconic modern truck engines:
- Engine: 6.2L Supercharged V8
- Power: 702 bhp
- Torque: 882 Nm
- Transmission: Automatic
- Fuel tank: around 125 litres
In plain English: this isn’t just “quick for a truck.” It’s insanely powerful, and it changes the entire personality of desert driving. The throttle response, torque delivery, and straight-line pull are on another level.
02 Desert-Ready Straight Out of the Box
Here’s the truth — the TRX is already desert-ready even when you buy it used. It’s not one of those trucks that needs a long shopping list just to be enjoyable off-road. You can take it to the dunes and have a great time immediately.
But if your goal is extreme desert driving, the story changes.
03 For Extreme Desert Driving — Suspension Is the Must-Upgrade
We always say it: suspension matters most. And the TRX is the perfect example. Because of that massive supercharged V8, the TRX is front-heavy, and that matters when you start doing more aggressive desert moves:
- Hitting sharp dune transitions at speed
- Cresting hard
- Attempting jumps (even small ones)
- Pushing the truck through repeated whoops and chopped sand
Without a suspension setup that matches extreme use, the front end can become vulnerable to damage — not because the truck is weak, but because physics doesn’t care how cool your truck is.
The TRX scores 19/30 — the same as the Wrangler 392, eight points below the top-tied five at 27/30. Reliability (3/5), Maintenance Ease (2/5), and Heat Resilience (2/5) reflect the cost of supercharged V8 ownership in GCC heat — specialist service, hot under load, fragile against the Japanese top-tier. Aftermarket Support (4/5), Desert Suitability (4/5), and Mod Potential (4/5) are all strong but not class-leading. The TRX is one of the most enjoyable trucks you can buy for the dunes. It’s not the most rational. Buy it knowing the trade.
04 The Engine Is Built Like a Tank
One of the reasons we like recommending the TRX as a used buy is simple: that V8 is built like a tank.
In most real-world cases, you don’t need to chase power upgrades at all. The truck already has more power than most drivers can responsibly use in the dunes. That’s why we keep coming back to the same point: the one upgrade you genuinely need is suspension (for extreme driving).
05 A Great Time to Buy Used
Even though the V8 has been discontinued, there’s strong talk that RAM intends to bring it back in some form soon. Either way, right now is a great time to pick up a used TRX, because you’re buying into a legendary platform, the performance is already there, and you can spend your money where it matters most: control and durability.
06 The Trade-Offs (Honest)
- Fuel consumption is heavy, especially in sand. For longer drives, fuel planning matters — extra fuel isn’t optional, it’s smart.
- It’s a big truck. It’s extremely capable, but size requires skill in technical dunes.
- Power can punish mistakes fast. The TRX rewards good drivers and punishes careless throttle use.
07 What to Check Before Buying Used
Full service history — supercharged V8 + desert heat = maintenance matters more here than almost anywhere else.
Suspension condition and any signs of hard landings or rough abuse.
Steering feel — sloppiness is a warning sign on a heavy nose.
Quality of any mods already installed — bad installs are catastrophic on a 700-hp truck.
08 Final Moterr Take
The RAM TRX is one of the few trucks that can honestly be called a desert-ready monster straight out of the box — even when buying used. But if you want to drive it at the extreme end of desert performance, suspension upgrades aren’t optional. They’re what keep the truck safe, controlled, and durable when the dunes get serious.
It’s a brutal, iconic American contender — and it absolutely deserves its place in an extreme desert top set.