Park a Ram 1500 Big Horn beside a Ram 1500 Sport on our lot and from twenty feet away most people see two crew cab Rams. Walk up to the window stickers and the gap between them is bigger than the paint suggests. One truck starts with a V6 and lets you build up from there. The other starts with a twin turbo inline six and a full tech package already in it.

Shopping already? Browse our new Ram 1500 inventory in Portage la Prairie.

Both are good trucks, and the right one depends on how you use a truck, not which one looks better in the photos. You can compare real units side by side in our new Ram 1500 inventory, and this post will help you know what you are looking at when you do.

Key Takeaways

• The Sport is a Canada only trim. It sits above the Big Horn in the Ram 1500 lineup, and you will not find it on American comparison sites, which is why so many trim guides skip it.
• The engine is the biggest difference. Ram Canada lists the Big Horn with the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 with eTorque as standard. The Sport comes standard with the 3.0 litre Hurricane Standard Output twin turbo inline six at 420 horsepower and 469 lb ft.
• The Sport includes the tech most Big Horn buyers add. Ram Canada lists a 12 inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with navigation, a 12 inch customizable cluster display and a 360 degree surround view camera as Sport equipment.
• The Big Horn wins on flexibility. It starts lower and lets you add only the packages you want, on 18 inch wheels that cost less to put winter tires on.
• Pricing moves monthly. We are not printing a number here. Check our current pricing on the trucks on the ground.

The Short Answer

If you tow something real, drive a lot of highway, or you know you want the big screen and the camera anyway, the Sport usually makes more sense than building a Big Horn up to match it. If you want a capable, comfortable crew cab at the lowest sensible price, and you would rather choose your options one at a time, the Big Horn is the better buy.

The rest of this post is the detail behind that.

What the Big Horn Gives You

The Big Horn is the trim a lot of prairie buyers land on, and for good reason. It is a proper step up from the work truck trims without pushing into luxury money.

Ram Canada lists the Big Horn with these as standard:

Engine. The 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 with eTorque, at 305 horsepower and 269 lb ft. The 5.7 litre HEMI V8 with eTorque is listed as available.

Wheels and tires. 18 inch silver aluminum wheels on all season tires.

Screen. Uconnect 5 with an 8.4 inch touchscreen.

Seating. Cloth, with a five passenger layout on the standard configuration.

Driver assistance. Adaptive cruise control with stop and go, and the Level 1 Safety Group.

The Big Horn's real strength is what comes after that list. Equipment groups and packages let you add a bigger screen, more comfort features and larger wheels. Exactly which items sit in which package changes with the model year and the Canadian order guide, so when you are building one we will go through the current guide with you rather than guess. Our full post on the Ram 1500 Big Horn covers the trim in more depth.

What the Sport Adds

The Sport is Ram Canada's answer to the buyer who wants a sharper looking, better equipped truck without going all the way to a Laramie. Ram Canada lists these on the Sport:

Engine. The 3.0 litre Hurricane Standard Output twin turbo inline six, at 420 horsepower and 469 lb ft, standard.

Towing. Up to 11,560 lb (about 5,240 kg) when properly equipped.

Wheels and tires. 20 inch black painted aluminum wheels on 275/55R20 all season tires.

Screens. A 12 inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with navigation, and a 12 inch full colour customizable cluster display.

Camera. A 360 degree surround view camera system.

Comfort. Heated front seats.

Look. Body colour styling that gives the truck its cleaner, monochrome appearance.

A HEMI V8 version of the Canadian Sport has also been reported for recent model years. What you can actually order changes with allocation, so ask us what is available when you are ready to build one. Our post on the Ram 1500 Sport goes deeper on the trim itself.

The Engine Is the Real Decision

Most trim comparisons spend their time on wheels and trim pieces. Between these two, the powertrain matters more than all of it.

The V6 eTorque in the Big Horn is a smooth, proven engine that handles commuting, errands, a snowmobile trailer or a small utility trailer without complaint. The eTorque system helps the truck get moving from a stop.

The Hurricane Standard Output in the Sport is a different kind of truck to drive. The twin turbo six makes much more torque, and it makes it low in the rev range. Merging onto Highway 1 with a camper behind you, passing on a two lane road, or pulling into a stiff prairie headwind all feel easier. If you want the background on how that engine works, our post on the Ram Hurricane engine explains it.

The honest trade is that more engine is more truck to pay for. If you rarely tow and mostly drive empty, the V6 Big Horn may be all the truck you need, and the money stays in your pocket.

Where the Big Horn Puts the Money Instead

This is the case for the Big Horn, and it is a strong one.

You pay for what you use. The Sport bundles the big screen, the cluster display, the camera and the Hurricane together. If you only care about one or two of those, a Big Horn with the packages you want can make more sense.

Smaller wheels are cheaper to live with. A set of winter tires for 18 inch wheels generally costs less than a set for 20 inch wheels, and on our roads most trucks run two sets. Taller sidewalls also take gravel road potholes and frost heaves a little more kindly.

Cloth is not a downgrade out here. Cloth seats are warm to sit on at minus 30 and easy to live with for a truck that sees work boots and wet dogs.

Which One Fits a Manitoba Buyer

Here is how we would match them across the desk.

The farm and work daily driver. Gravel roads, short trips, a light trailer now and then. The Big Horn with the V6, maybe with a package or two, is usually the smart buy.

The highway commuter who tows a camper. Long runs to Winnipeg or Brandon through the week, and a travel trailer to the lake on the weekend. The Sport's Hurricane and its surround camera for hitching up earn their keep.

The family truck that needs to feel upscale. The Sport's screens and look get you most of the way to a Laramie feel at a lower step.

The buyer watching the monthly payment. Start with the Big Horn and add only what matters. If you are trading in, get a number first with our instant cash offer on your trade, and you can start the paperwork from home with our finance application.

What About Price

Incentives on the Ram 1500 change month to month, and the gap between these two trucks moves with them, so we are not going to print a number that will be stale by the time you read this. Check our current pricing here for the most up to date pricing information on both trims.

Every new Ram 1500 we sell also carries Dunn's Eh+ value stack, so ask us how the current offer applies to the Big Horn or Sport you are looking at.

FAQs

What is the difference between the Ram 1500 Big Horn and Sport?

The biggest difference is the engine. Ram Canada lists the Big Horn with the 3.6 litre V6 eTorque as standard and the Sport with the 3.0 litre Hurricane Standard Output twin turbo inline six. The Sport also includes a 12 inch touchscreen, a 12 inch cluster display, a 360 degree camera and 20 inch wheels.

Is the Ram 1500 Sport available in the United States?

No. The Sport is a Canada only Ram 1500 trim, which is why most American trim guides do not include it.

Which is better for towing, the Big Horn or the Sport?

For regular towing, the Sport's Hurricane Standard Output is the stronger choice, and Ram Canada lists up to 11,560 lb of towing when properly equipped. A Big Horn can be equipped for towing too, so match the truck to your trailer with us.

Can I get a Big Horn with a big touchscreen?

Yes. Big Horn equipment groups can add a larger screen and more features. Package content changes by model year, so we will walk through the current Canadian order guide with you.

Is the Sport worth the extra money?

If you want the Hurricane, the big screens and the surround camera, the Sport is usually better value than building a Big Horn up to match. If you only want one or two of those, a Big Horn often makes more sense.

The Bottom Line

The Big Horn and the Sport are closer in looks than in how they drive. The Big Horn is the flexible, sensible crew cab that lets you spend only on what you use. The Sport is the Canada only truck that bundles the Hurricane, the big screens and the surround camera into one step. Tow and drive a lot of highway, and the Sport usually wins. Keep it simple and watch the budget, and the Big Horn does.

The best way to decide is to drive both. Browse our new Ram 1500 inventory, pick one of each, and we will line them up on the lot for you.