Last updated August 4, 2026
The Ram Dakota lineup starts with the straightforward ST work truck. Big Horn, called Lone Star in Texas, is the everyday upgrade with power conveniences and a more dressed-up look. Laramie is the comfort-focused top trim, adding heated leather-trimmed seats, premium audio, and chrome details. TRX is the capability branch, pairing V8 power and standard four-wheel drive with protection and traction hardware for dirt roads and light trails.
The Work Truck trim level, represented by ST, is the simplest Dakota and focuses on useful pickup basics rather than extra comfort or bright exterior trim.
Best for: Drivers who want a straightforward midsize pickup for work and everyday errands.
Highlights
The Base Upgrade trim level, sold as Big Horn or Lone Star in Texas, is the practical daily-driver step-up with more convenience and a bolder appearance.
Best for: Drivers who want useful power features and nicer styling without moving to the luxury-focused Laramie.
Highlights
Steps up from Work Truck by adding power accessories, remote keyless entry, cruise control, aluminum wheels, and more distinctive exterior details.
0 in stockThe Luxury Features trim level, represented by Laramie, is the upscale Dakota with richer cabin materials, added comfort, and brighter exterior trim.
Best for: Drivers who use their truck as a daily vehicle and value comfort, premium audio, and a more polished look.
Highlights
Steps up from Base Upgrade with heated leather-trimmed seats, remote start, premium audio, automatic headlights, larger wheels, and added chrome.
0 in stockThe Trail Ready trim level, represented by TRX, is the tougher Dakota branch built around V8 power, four-wheel drive, and trail-focused hardware.
Best for: Drivers who regularly travel on dirt roads or light trails and want added underbody protection and traction hardware.
Highlights
Compared with the Luxury Features level, TRX shifts the focus from leather and chrome to a standard 302-hp V8, four-wheel drive with low range, a limited-slip rear differential, and skid plates.
0 in stock| Feature | Work Truck | Trail Ready | Base Upgrade | Luxury Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Includes | TRX0 in stock | Big Horn/Lone Star0 in stock | Laramie0 in stock | |
| Main focus | Basic utility | Trail capability | Everyday convenience | Comfort and upscale trim |
| Cabin highlights | Cloth seats; manual A/C | Power accessories; cruise control | Power accessories; cruise control | Heated leather-trimmed seats |
| Wheels and exterior style | Simple, work-focused trim | Capability-focused trim | 17-inch aluminum wheels | 18-inch wheels; chrome trim |
| Engine lineup | 3.7L V6 or 4.7L flex-fuel V8 | 4.7L flex-fuel V8 | 3.7L V6 or 4.7L flex-fuel V8 | 3.7L V6 or 4.7L flex-fuel V8 |
| Drivetrain | 2WD or 4WD | Part-time 4WD with low range | 2WD or 4WD | 2WD or 4WD |
| Horsepower | 210 hp V6; 302 hp V8 | 302 hp | 210 hp V6; 302 hp V8 | 210 hp V6; 302 hp V8 |
| Trail hardware | — | Skid plates; limited-slip differential | — | — |
| Seating | 4–5 | 5 | 5–6 | 6 |
The final Ram-badged lineup consisted of ST, Big Horn or Lone Star, Laramie, and TRX. ST was work-focused, Big Horn or Lone Star added daily conveniences, Laramie emphasized comfort, and TRX focused on four-wheel-drive capability.
In the final lineup, ST was the straightforward work trim. It included air conditioning, cloth seating, a stereo with an auxiliary input, fog lamps, a tilt steering column, and a dual-position tailgate without the upper trims’ extra comfort and appearance equipment.
They are essentially the same trim under different regional names. Lone Star was the Texas name for Big Horn. Both represented the Dakota’s mid-level step, with power accessories, remote keyless entry, cruise control, and 17-inch aluminum wheels.
In the final lineup, Big Horn added power windows, door locks, and mirrors, plus remote keyless entry, cruise control, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a rear cargo lamp, and a more dressed-up grille treatment. Lone Star provided the same basic step in Texas.
Laramie adds the major comfort upgrades: heated leather-trimmed bucket seats, remote start, automatic headlights, upgraded Alpine audio, 18-inch wheels, a sliding rear window, and more chrome exterior trim.
TRX is capability-focused, while Laramie is comfort-focused. In the final lineup, TRX paired a V8 with four-wheel drive, low range, a limited-slip rear differential, and skid plates. Laramie centered on heated leather-trimmed seats, remote start, upgraded audio, and chrome trim.
Big Horn or Lone Star is the balanced everyday choice in the final lineup. It keeps the Dakota’s practical truck layout but adds the power accessories, keyless entry, cruise control, and aluminum wheels most drivers notice regularly.
ST is the work-focused choice in the final Ram Dakota range. It provides essentials such as air conditioning, a factory stereo, fog lamps, safety equipment, and a dual-position tailgate while avoiding the extra luxury and chrome of upper trims.
TRX is the trail-oriented trim in the final lineup. Its four-wheel-drive system has a low range for slow, difficult terrain, while skid plates protect key parts underneath and a limited-slip rear differential helps maintain traction.
Laramie has heated leather-trimmed bucket seats in the final Ram Dakota lineup. It is the trim to look for if cabin comfort matters more than the ST’s basic utility or the TRX’s trail-focused hardware.
Laramie includes remote start and a six-speaker Alpine audio system with a 276-watt amplifier in the final lineup. Those features are part of its role as the Dakota’s more comfort-focused trim.
TRX is the trim documented with standard part-time four-wheel drive and an electronically controlled low range in the final lineup. It also includes a 4.7-liter V8, a five-speed automatic, skid plates, and a limited-slip rear differential.
Yes, across the final Ram Dakota lineup. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes and side-curtain airbags for the front and rear outboard seating positions were standard, including on the entry ST.