Quick answer: The 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV is a new full-size sport utility vehicle from Ram, not the range-extended Ramcharger pickup that shares the name. It is built on the same underpinnings as the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and is centered on V-8 power rather than electrification. Pricing, towing capacity, dimensions, and output figures have not been confirmed, so treat any specific numbers you see elsewhere as speculation until Ram publishes them.
Updated for 2026. This page was reviewed for the 2026 model year. Unconfirmed figures are labeled as such.
What the Ramcharger name means this time
Ram has used the Ramcharger badge in two very different ways over the past few years, and the confusion is understandable. The first modern use went to a range-extended electric pickup, a truck that pairs a battery pack with a gasoline generator. The 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV is a separate product entirely. It is a body-on-frame sport utility, it carries a traditional cabin with an enclosed cargo area instead of a bed, and its engineering brief points in almost the opposite direction from the pickup: a conventional V-8 under the hood, not a battery and a generator.
For longtime truck fans, the SUV is the more faithful use of the name. The original Ramcharger of the 1970s and 1980s was a two-door utility built from Dodge pickup parts, and it earned a reputation as a simple, tough, V-8-powered machine. Ram is clearly leaning on that history. The brand has not had a dedicated SUV in its lineup since it split from Dodge, and the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV fills a hole that dealers have been asking about for years.
The key thing to remember when reading about this vehicle is that the two Ramchargers do not share a mission, a powertrain, or a customer. If an article discusses a battery, a generator, or electric range, it is describing the pickup. If it discusses a V-8 and three rows of seating, it is describing the SUV covered here.
Grand Wagoneer bones, Ram identity
Underneath, the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV shares its structure with the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. That is a sensible starting point. The Grand Wagoneer platform is a ladder-frame design built for full-size duty, with independent rear suspension, available air springs, and a chassis already certified and tooled for North American production. Using it saves Ram the enormous cost of developing a dedicated SUV architecture, and it gives the Ramcharger a mature foundation rather than a first-year experiment.
What Ram has not done, based on everything the company has said, is simply rebadge the Jeep. The exterior styling follows Ram’s truck design language rather than the Grand Wagoneer’s upright, boxy look. Expect a larger grille, a front end that reads as a close cousin of the Ram 1500, and lighting signatures borrowed from the pickup family. Inside, the layout should feel familiar to anyone who has driven a recent Ram truck, with the brand’s own screen arrangement, switchgear, and material choices rather than Jeep’s.
Sharing bones does not mean sharing every dimension. Ram has not confirmed overall length, wheelbase, width, or height for the Ramcharger, and it would be a mistake to assume it matches the Grand Wagoneer or the long-wheelbase Grand Wagoneer L exactly. Automakers routinely adjust overhangs and body lengths on shared platforms, so the correct answer for now on size is simply: not confirmed.
The V-8 focus and why it matters
The headline for the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV is the engine strategy. While much of the industry has pushed full-size SUVs toward turbocharged six-cylinders, hybrids, and full electrics, Ram is positioning this vehicle around V-8 power. That is a deliberate choice, and it reflects what the company has learned from its truck customers over the past two years.
When Ram briefly dropped the Hemi V-8 from the 1500, the reaction from buyers was loud enough that the company reversed course and brought it back. The lesson was clear: a meaningful slice of full-size truck and SUV shoppers in North America still equate a V-8 with capability, durability, and the right sound. The Ramcharger SUV is Ram’s way of capturing that demand in a segment where the competition has largely moved on.
What Ram has not done is publish horsepower, torque, displacement, or transmission details for the SUV. Any figure you see attached to this vehicle is either borrowed from an existing Ram truck engine or guessed. It is reasonable to expect a relationship to the V-8 used in the Ram 1500, but the specific tune, output, and fuel economy for the Ramcharger are not confirmed. The same applies to towing. Full-size body-on-frame SUVs are typically strong tow vehicles, and the Grand Wagoneer platform is proven in that role, but Ram has not released a towing rating for the Ramcharger SUV, and this article will not invent one.
Because the vehicle is built around a combustion V-8 rather than a battery, it does not belong on lists of electric SUVs. Buyers looking specifically for a plug should consider the electric alternatives in the segment instead.
Where it fits in the full-size SUV market
The full-size, truck-based SUV category is dominated by a handful of long-running nameplates: the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon, the Ford Expedition, and, at the luxury end, the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Jeep’s own Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. Toyota and Nissan compete at the edges with the Sequoia and Armada. Every one of these vehicles sells to people who need genuine towing, real passenger space, and the confidence of a frame underneath.
The 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV enters this group with an unusual angle. Most of the segment has settled on turbocharged V-6 or hybrid six-cylinder power as the standard engine, with V-8s either optional, limited to high-performance trims, or gone entirely. Ram putting the V-8 at the center of the product rather than at the margins gives the Ramcharger a clear point of difference without requiring it to be larger, pricier, or more luxurious than the established players.
Exactly where it lands on price is another question Ram has not answered. The Grand Wagoneer sits firmly in luxury territory, while the standard Wagoneer targets the mainstream full-size buyer. Ram trucks span an enormous range, from work-spec models to leather-lined flagships, and the Ramcharger could plausibly follow the same approach with multiple trim levels. Until Ram publishes a starting price and trim walk, the only honest statement is that pricing is not confirmed. If the vehicle does arrive with a high-end trim, it will naturally be measured against the luxury family SUVs that shoppers already cross-shop.
Seating, cabin, and family use
Ram has not published seating capacity, cargo volume, or interior dimensions for the Ramcharger SUV. That said, the Grand Wagoneer platform was designed from the start as a three-row vehicle, and a full-size body-on-frame SUV with only two rows would be an outlier in this market. It is reasonable to expect a three-row layout, but it is not confirmed, and the exact number of seats, the availability of second-row captain’s chairs, and the amount of space behind the third row should be treated as unknown until Ram says otherwise.
If the Ramcharger does arrive as a three-row vehicle, it would compete directly with the vehicles on our list of the best 7-seater SUVs, where the primary questions families ask are how usable the third row is for adults, how much luggage fits with all seats occupied, and how easy it is to install child seats. Ram’s truck interiors have earned praise for storage cleverness and large, well-integrated screens, and carrying that approach into an SUV would be a natural strength.
Expect Ram’s current infotainment system, a large central display, available digital instrument cluster, and the brand’s typical emphasis on cupholders, bins, and under-seat storage. Driver assistance features should mirror what is offered across the Ram and Jeep lineups, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems, though the specific standard and optional equipment list for the Ramcharger is not confirmed.
Ramcharger SUV vs. Grand Wagoneer at a glance
The table below lays out what is known and what is not. Where Ram has not released a figure, the entry says so rather than borrowing a number from the Jeep.
| Attribute | 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV | Jeep Grand Wagoneer |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle type | Full-size body-on-frame SUV | Full-size body-on-frame SUV |
| Platform | Shared with Grand Wagoneer | Grand Wagoneer architecture |
| Powertrain focus | V-8 gasoline | Turbocharged inline-six |
| Horsepower / torque | Not confirmed | Published by Jeep |
| Seating rows | Not confirmed (three rows expected) | Three rows |
| Towing capacity | Not confirmed | Published by Jeep |
| Dimensions | Not confirmed | Published by Jeep |
| Starting price | Not confirmed | Published by Jeep |
| Market positioning | Ram truck styling, V-8 emphasis | Luxury flagship |
| Relationship to Ramcharger pickup | Name only; separate powertrain and body | None |
Timing, availability, and what to watch
The 2028 model year designation points to a launch that is still some distance away, and plenty can change between a product announcement and the first customer delivery. Ram has a track record of adjusting plans in response to market feedback, as the return of the Hemi to the 1500 demonstrated. The V-8 focus for the Ramcharger SUV appears to be a direct result of that episode, which suggests the company is listening closely to its buyers.
The details worth watching as the launch approaches are the ones that remain open: the specific V-8 configuration and whether any hybrid assistance is attached to it, the official towing and payload ratings, the number of trim levels, and the starting price. Also watch for confirmation of body length and whether Ram offers one wheelbase or two, as the Wagoneer family does. Each of those answers will determine how directly the Ramcharger challenges the Tahoe, Expedition, and Yukon versus the pricier Escalade and Navigator.
For shoppers who need a full-size SUV before the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV arrives, the practical move is to spend time in the current Grand Wagoneer, since it shares the fundamental chassis, and in the V-8 competition that remains on sale. Renting a comparable vehicle for a week of real family use is one of the cheapest ways to learn whether a full-size three-row truly fits your driveway, your garage, and your daily routes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV the same as the Ramcharger pickup?
No. The pickup is a range-extended electric truck with a battery and an onboard gasoline generator. The 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV is a conventional body-on-frame sport utility with a V-8 engine and an enclosed cargo area. They share a name and a brand but not a powertrain, body style, or target buyer.
Is the Ramcharger SUV just a rebadged Jeep Grand Wagoneer?
It shares its underlying platform with the Grand Wagoneer, but Ram is giving it truck-inspired exterior styling, its own interior design, and a V-8 engine strategy that differs from the Jeep’s turbocharged six-cylinder approach. Exact dimensions relative to the Grand Wagoneer are not confirmed.
How much will the 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV cost and how much can it tow?
Neither figure has been released. Ram has not confirmed a starting price, a trim structure, or a towing rating. Any number attached to the vehicle at this stage is an estimate rather than an official specification.
Will the Ramcharger SUV have three rows of seats?
Ram has not confirmed seating capacity. Because it is built on the Grand Wagoneer architecture, which was designed as a three-row vehicle, a three-row layout is expected, but it should be treated as unconfirmed until Ram publishes interior specifications.
Book the right SUV
The 2028 Ram Ramcharger SUV is still on the horizon, but the questions it raises are ones you can answer today. If you are weighing a full-size V-8 SUV against a modern turbocharged or hybrid alternative, the best research is seat time. Rent a Grand Wagoneer, a Tahoe, or an Expedition for a long weekend and find out how a vehicle this size handles your parking garage, your school run, and your trailer. You can compare SUV rental deals to find the right model for a real-world test before the Ramcharger reaches showrooms.
Written by Jake Ryder
Jake Ryder is the founder and lead reviewer at Road SUV. He has spent more than a decade behind the wheel of everything from subcompact crossovers to full-size 4x4s, logging thousands of highway and off-road miles across the United States. His reviews focus on what actually matters to real drivers: cargo space you can use, safety features that work, and honest talk about fuel economy and pricing.
