This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. The EPA rates 4 separate variants of this car (different engine, transmission, or drivetrain combinations), and you can compare them side by side in the trims table. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the 2022 model year is the Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range at 70 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car costs around $6,250 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

When the EPA tests several variants of the same nameplate (for example, a front-wheel-drive version and an all-wheel-drive version), each gets its own rating. The figures shown here are the headline variant, taken as the configuration with the best combined MPG. The trims table further down covers all 4 variants side by side.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 24 MPG
City MPG 21 MPG
Highway MPG 29 MPG
Annual fuel cost $3,400
Tailpipe CO₂ 418 g/mi
Fuel type Diesel

How the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD compares

The 2022 Ram 1500 4WD returns 24 combined MPG. Cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the same model year average 26.5 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 9%.

The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the 2022 model year is the Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range at 70 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Ram 1500 4WD alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2022 model year (across all classes) returns 30.7 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2022 model year is on its own page.

2022 Ram 1500 4WD
24 MPG
Class average, 2022
26.5 MPG
Class best, 2022
70 MPG
Average new car, 2022
30.7 MPG

Trim variants rated for 2022

The EPA rates 4 separate variants of the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD. The differences come from the engine size, transmission type, and drivetrain (front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and so on). The same nameplate can land several MPG apart depending on the configuration you actually buy.

The most efficient configuration on this page returns 24 MPG, while the least efficient returns 17 MPG. That is a spread of 7 MPG between trims of the same nameplate.

Engine and transmission Drive Combined City Highway Annual cost
3L, 6-cyl, turbo, Automatic 8-spd 4-Wheel Drive 24 MPG 21 MPG 29 MPG $3,400
3.6L, 6-cyl, Automatic 8-spd 4-Wheel Drive 21 MPG 19 MPG 24 MPG $2,850
5.7L, 8-cyl, Automatic 8-spd 4-Wheel Drive 19 MPG 18 MPG 22 MPG $3,950
5.7L, 8-cyl, Automatic 8-spd 4-Wheel Drive 17 MPG 15 MPG 21 MPG $4,400

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for diesel, which is $5.40/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 625 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $1,700
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $3,400
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $5,667

Year-over-year MPG for the Ram 1500 4WD

The EPA has rated the Ram 1500 4WD across 14 model years, from 2013 Ram 1500 4WD through 2026 Ram 1500 4WD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 2020 Ram 1500 4WD at 24 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2026 21 MPG 2026 Ram 1500 4WD
2025 21 MPG 2025 Ram 1500 4WD
2024 21 MPG 2024 Ram 1500 4WD
2023 24 MPG 2023 Ram 1500 4WD
2022 24 MPG this page
2021 24 MPG 2021 Ram 1500 4WD
2020 24 MPG 2020 Ram 1500 4WD
2019 21 MPG 2019 Ram 1500 4WD
2018 22 MPG 2018 Ram 1500 4WD
2017 22 MPG 2017 Ram 1500 4WD
2016 22 MPG 2016 Ram 1500 4WD
2015 22 MPG 2015 Ram 1500 4WD
2014 22 MPG 2014 Ram 1500 4WD
2013 19 MPG 2013 Ram 1500 4WD

Compare against other Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD for 2022

If you are cross-shopping the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range leads this group at 70 MPG, 46 MPG ahead of the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD.

Specifications

The 2022 Ram 1500 4WD runs a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic 8-spd, sending power through 4-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engine
3L 6-cylinder turbocharged
Transmission
Automatic 8-spd
Drivetrain
4-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Diesel
Annual petroleum use
14.9 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD.

  • Is the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD fuel efficient?
    It is in line with the rest of the class. The 2022 Ram 1500 4WD returns 24 combined MPG, and the average car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the same model year sits at 26.5 MPG.
  • What MPG does the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD get?
    The EPA rates the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD at 24 combined MPG, 21 MPG in city driving, and 29 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2022 Ram 1500 4WD per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,400 for the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • What fuel does the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD use?
    The EPA lists the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD as running on diesel. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
  • Has the Ram 1500 4WD become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2013 Ram 1500 4WD, 19 MPG) and most recent (2026 Ram 1500 4WD, 21 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 418 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 6,270 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD?
    City driving returns 21 MPG and highway driving returns 29 MPG, a gap of 8 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
  • What engine is in the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD?
    The 2022 Ram 1500 4WD has a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine.
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD have?
    The 2022 Ram 1500 4WD comes with a automatic 8-spd transmission and 4-wheel drive.
  • How does the 2022 Ram 1500 4WD compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD class for the 2022 model year is the Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range at 70 combined MPG. The Ram 1500 4WD returns 24 MPG, a gap of 46 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.