When Sihoo reached out to me to test out its C300 Pro office chair, I thought, why not? So what if it’s not a motorcycle? The truth is, I spend more hours sitting in a chair in my study than on the saddle of my motorcycle.

So naturally, I’d like to have my chair comfort sorted. But here’s the thing: Spending hours on motorcycles, a good chunk of which are absolutely uncomfortable beyond an hour, my baseline expectations from my office chairs have been relatively low.

That is, until I tried the C300 Pro. Well-built, sturdy, sleek, and most importantly, extremely adjustable. I was spoiled. I sat on it for a day and thought, “not bad.” At the end of the second day, I said to myself, “This is actually good.” By the third day, I had put my older office chair in the trunk of my car to pass it on to a friend. I had bought into what Sihoo had done with its chair.

It came nicely packed with clear instructions alongside. It took me an hour to put the whole thing together and roll it into my study, and here I am a week from then sharing my two cents on it.

Now Sihoo has been producing ergonomic office and gaming furniture for the better part of the last 15 years. Apparently, the C300 – the chair on which the newer Pro version is based – has sold in big numbers. And I can see why. The Pro now adds quite a fair bit of extras on top for around $70 more at the time of writing.

Let’s quickly go through the specifications. So the C300 Pro weighs 55.34 lb (25 kg) and has a weight capacity of 300 lb (136 kg). It features an automatic lumbar support, flexible headrest and seat depth, alongside 6D armrests. It features a mesh back, a mesh seat, and PU-coated armrests.

Those armrests move up and down, left and right, forward and back, and in and out. That’s wild for someone who was used to a chair that had pretty much fixed armrests.

Apart from the armrests, the chair offers a lot of adjustments to configure, and funnily enough, not all were apparent when I first started using the chair. There’s a small master handle on the right side just below the seat, which controls the recline angle, the seat depth, and the overall chair height.

I’m a 6-foot-tall (183-cm), 195-lb (89 kg) guy, and the chair feels extremely comfortable for my broad build. The backrest offers 105, 120, and 135-degree options of an incremental locking function – a feature I personally have next to no use for. But still, it’s good to have it.

Speaking of recline, I found the recline angle of 135 degrees the best of all the chairs I’ve ever owned – perfect for small breaks to lean back and relax. It’s so comfortable that I ended up taking a nap the other day.

The seat depth varies from 16.81 to 17.76 inches (426.9 to 451.1 mm), while the seat height can be adjusted from 18.11 to 22.32 inches (459.74 to 566.9 mm). As for the seat itself, it is 20.28 inches (515.1 mm) wide – plenty wide for my fat bottom.

The only thing I found missing was support for legs for leaning all the way back. Well, apparently, Sihoo already thought of that. There’s a “footrest” version of the C300 Pro that adds a pull-out footrest to the same chair. Although you’ll have to shell out $80 more. Yikes.

While seated, I do find the mesh better than a traditional padded seat. The lumbar automatically moves as per your build, thanks to something that Sihoo calls the Body Movement (BM) Tracking System.

Without the need for manual adjustments, this system automatically adapts to your spine's contours to provide constant support. I have to admit, it’s a feature I took a few days to get used to. But now that I have, I don't think I can ever go back to a manual lumbar ever.

Another thing I like about this chair is the flexible backrest, which also moves organically with you. It easily adjusts to every change in my posture, in contrast to typical chairs, where you have to manually tinker with them to suit various situations.

I like what Sihoo has done with the seat cushion as well. Because of its waterfall design, my weight is distributed evenly, relieving pressure on my legs and avoiding discomfort when I sit for extended periods of time. No numb buttocks anymore!

As for the design, I think it looks quite nice for how it’s priced. It isn’t bulky like gaming chairs, but neither does it give a sales office vibe at the same time. It doesn’t look out of place in my study, and I can definitely see it being at home in executive suites and co-working spaces.

For US$349.99, I think the C300 Pro offers an exceptional value for money. It's well-built, good-looking, comfortable, and most importantly, packed with all the features you’d want out of an office chair.

Right then, time for me to leave the comfort of the cushy chair and hop on my motorcycle’s not-as-comfortable seat.

Source: Sihoo

Our reviews are impartial and our opinions are our own. New Atlas may receive commission if you purchase through our links

You know how your fingertip flushes white when you press it against a hard surface? Well, scientists have now used that phenomenon to place augmented reality (AR) touch panels on real-world surfaces such as walls and desks.

First of all, there are already methods of projecting touch panels and keyboards so that they appear to be hovering in midair in front of AR headset users.

In order to utilize such interfaces, however, those people are typically required to use special handheld controllers or sensor-equipped gloves. Additionally, their arms may get tired after being held up for prolonged periods, plus they don't get the satisfying tactile response of actually tapping anything with their fingers.

That's where the experimental new system comes in.

Designed by Guanghan Zhao and colleagues at Japan's Tohoku University, it uses a headset's existing camera to detect blanching, which is the white-flushing effect that occurs when the user's fingertip is pressed against a hard surface.

When blanching is detected, it lets AI-based algorithms know when and where fingertip contact has occurred relative to a virtual touch panel that is being projected onto that surface. The AR software utilizing that panel can then respond accordingly.

"This research means that ordinary surfaces all around us – walls, desks, or partitions – can be used as a touch input area," says Zhao. "Moreover, this method doesn't require special sensors, markers, or additional devices. Anyone can use it easily."

The team's findings were presented last month in South Korea, at the 33rd IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces.

Source: Tohoku University

Alright Genesis, the time for pussyfooting is over. After its unveiling back in December 2025, we're getting a better look at the G90 Wingback concept at the ongoing 2026 New York International Auto Show – and our desire for this masterpiece has grown even more wanton.

With stunning proportions that make it look a lot longer than it actually is, a brawny powertrain that might come from Genesis' performance-focused Magma line, and heart-stopping styling inside and out, the Wingback has a lot to fall in love with.

This shooting brake, revealed during the Hyundai subsidiary brand's 10th anniversary last year, is based on the flagship G90 sedan with a 126-inch (3.2 m) wheelbase – but with a stretched roofline and sporty tailgate with two spoilers for a distinctive wagon silhouette.

The flared fenders gracing 22-inch wheels give it an assertive stance, and blacked-out bits like the grille and quad exhaust tips add character without being too loud. The shimmering green paint Genesis has developed for this one has plenty of depth you can lose yourself in. It all works in concert with the marque's signature narrow headlights and grille shape.

The plush cabin is upholstered in dark suede-like Chamude, with green embroidered details on the seats, dash, and steering wheel.

We don't yet know exactly what we'll find under the hood, but the two possibilities that seem likely are both exciting. If Genesis drops in a powertrain based on the G90's V6, you're looking at up to 410 horses at your disposal.

On the other hand, there's Magma badging all over this thing, which has Autoblog speculating that it could get a V8 from an upcoming GV70 Magma that'll dish out a whopping 600 hp.

However it chooses to proceed, Genesis is certain to have a winner on its hands that'll attract discerning drivers who want something subtle but powerful – and in good enough shape to compete with the likes of the BMW M5 Touring. The fact that the Wingback is being shown off on a prominent stage a second time gives me hope that this might indeed stop being a concept, and take its rightful place in showrooms everywhere. Go on, Genesis, make my day.

If you want to see more of what Genesis has got cooking, check out this boxy retrofuturistic concept SUV, this outrageous Dakar-inspired dune basher, and this upcoming supercar from the Korean brand.

Source: Genesis

The Katrin tiny house packs a lot of flexibility into its compact frame. Sleeping four adults comfortably, it can be upgraded to run off-grid and features a well-thought-out interior that includes a space-saving folding staircase and underfloor heating.

The Katrin is designed by Craft House – which operates across Poland, Austria, and Ireland – and has a length of 7.2 m (23.7 ft), which is on the compact side even for a European tiny house, so it could make a good candidate for a nomadic lifestyle. It's based on a double-axle trailer and is finished in engineered wood and standing-seam sheet metal.

Its interior measures 18 sq m (194 sq ft) and is finished in Scandinavian spruce, which works very well in the small footprint, lending it an almost log-cabin-like feel. Generous glazing helps make the interior feel light and open, including sliding glass doors in the living room. This area has space for a sofa and some seating. The model shown also features a wood-burning stove, plus a mini-split air-conditioning unit, alongside the underfloor heating mentioned.

The kitchen is nearby and is equipped with a sink, an induction cooktop, an oven, and a fridge. Additionally, it has a useful breakfast bar seating area for two that can double as a workspace.

The bathroom is positioned at the opposite side of the home to the living room. It contains a glass-enclosed shower, a flushing toilet, and a floating vanity sink, plus a washer/dryer.

Both of the Katrin's bedrooms are lofts with low ceilings, allowing it to sleep up to four adults (or even six with an optional sofa bed). The main bedroom is reached by a storage-integrated staircase and has ample space for a double bed and some storage. The secondary bedroom, meanwhile, is accessed by a neat folding staircase, like the one seen on the Jordy, that's stowed against the wall when not in use, freeing up space in the living room.

The Katrin is up for sale for PLN 199,000 (US$53,400). The firm builds the homes to suit individual specifications but notable options include an off-grid setup with solar panels and batteries, and a terrace area. We've no word on delivery, so those interested are advised to contact Craft House directly.

Source: Craft House

Platform pedals with traction pins are great for keeping your feet in place, but they can cause joint injuries by restricting your natural foot movements. The 8 Degree Pedal is made to help, as it's the first platform pedal that's designed to float.

If you've used clipless pedals, you'll know that they float – and no, not on the water.

Even though the shoe is mechanically locked onto the pedal, it's still free to passively pivot inward or outward a bit without releasing. This allows the foot to self-center on every pedal revolution, staying in natural alignment with the knee. As a result, there's less strain on the knee – and on the hip and ankle – reducing the likelihood of joint injuries.

While float has long been considered important with clipless pedals, it hasn't been much of a consideration with platform pedals, as the shoe isn't locked onto them. However, on platforms with traction pins, the shoe does stay unyieldingly in one position as long as downward foot pressure is applied.

That's where the 8 Degree Pedal comes in. It's designed mainly for mountain biking and BMX, although it's also being marketed towards commuters.

While the 6061-aluminum-bodied pedal may look like a regular platform from the outside, it contains a self-centering, spring-loaded mechanism on the inside. This allows it to move by up to eight degrees with the foot relative to the crank, automatically returning to a center position.

Not only is the pedal claimed to reduce joint strain, it also reportedly improves stability and control, since the need to constantly reposition the foot is also reduced.

The 8 Degree Pedal comes with one set of medium-tension springs preinstalled, which are catered towards most riders. That said, also included are sets of lighter- and heavier-resistance springs, which users may swap in with a metric Allen wrench.

Buyers can choose between two models.

There's the large-platform X8-2, which offers 108 x 111 mm of foot space, 12 adjustable-height pins per side, 8 degrees of float, and a weight of 554 g (19. 5 oz) per pair. It's currently on sale for US$170.

Riders who are looking to go smaller can go with the X8-3, which has a 100 x 100-mm platform and a weight of 537 g (18.9 oz). It also sells for $170. Both models are available in a choice of eight colors.

8 Degree Pedal inventor Kenneth Belknap tells us that a thinner, lighter model – the X8-4 – is currently in development.

Source: 8 Degree Pedal

We've covered Verge Motorcycles extensively for years, as the Estonian brand has been hard at work developing a novel electric motorcycle that looks – and runs – like nothing else out there. The company says it's now shipped its first bike with a world-first solid-state battery.

The Gen 2 TS Pro features a prominent hub motor located where the rear wheel would be. It makes a healthy 137 hp and can tap into 737 lb.ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. That's good for a 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 3.5 seconds.

The big deal, of course is the first ever production-ready all-solid-state battery that Verge says it's just shipped with the latest TS Pro. It comes from the company's spinoff firm, Donut Lab. You can get it in a Standard 20.2-kWh flavor for 217 miles (350 km) of range, or opt for the 33.3-kWh version that promises 372 miles (600 km). Charging speeds of 200 kW allow for topping up 80% of its capacity in 10 minutes.

The battery is the most exciting bit because it features an entirely different chemistry than we've seen in electric vehicles until now. Unlike a regular battery with a gel electrolyte between a lithium and a graphite electrode, a solid-state battery has a solid material (such as a ceramic or special polymer) to conduct electricity between its positive and negative sides.

That makes it better in all sorts of ways. It can be far more energy-dense (Donut claims 180 Wh/lb or 400 Wh/kg), which means you can get a whole lot of range in a light and small battery. It's also likely to last longer before seeing its capacity reduce, resist catching fire, and charge a lot quicker as it can run at higher temperatures than lithium-ion batteries.

If it's for real, Donut Lab's battery tech could upend the automotive industry and provide a path to more energy-dense, longer lasting, and safer batteries for all kinds of EVs, including cars.

Assuming my notes are correct, the closest we've got to that is this Chinese electric crossover from MG that runs on semi-solid-state batteries. Mercedes and BMW began testing their own solid-state battery-equipped cars last year, so we could indeed be close to seeing this tech arrive on our roads in the near future.

Critics have raised eyebrows about the solid-state battery breakthrough, because it's proven difficult for a number of reasons – finding the right electrolyte and other materials, managing temperature sensitivity, and achieving cost-effective manufacturing at scale. Donut Lab has been putting out a series of videos demonstrating its battery in action for scrutiny, but there's still stuff we don't know about it, like what materials it uses and how it'll fare in the long run.

The rollout is a big moment for Verge, as it's now gearing up to receive feedback from riders out in the real world. The TS Pro with the larger battery retails at US$34,900 before taxes and fees. It'll naturally put Donut Lab's bold claims to the test as well, and that could signal the start of a major shift in vehicle battery tech across the globe. We'll keep an eye on this learn more about how Verge and Donut Lab fare out on actual asphalt.

Source: Verge Motorcycles (LinkedIn)

Drastically shifting from experimental film and costly hardware, Lomography is taking on the digital world of photography. Its new reloadable LomoChrome Classicolor camera – costing less than US$28 – captures images that don't need any filters.

While I love my original "Lomo," the camera itself wasn't cheap or that user-friendly for novices, and developing rolls of film got more expensive over time – enough to make the switch from "experimental" but fun to reliable and digital. So while I have a large set of photos from that time, now 20 years ago, the results were hard to justify the cost, effort and expectation.

However, in 2017, the Lomography team launched its Simple Use Reloadable Film Camera – which has become a range that has steadily but deliberately moved more toward everyday use without the previous wild color filters and unpredictable (and costly) results.

This new model has me a little excited to re-enter this old-school photography world as it not only comes with the more use-friendly Classicolor film loaded inside it, but it might be the most "normal" Lomography release yet. While normal sounds dull, it should be anything but – promising results that capture natural skin tones (in a good way), clean blues and greens, and dazzling pops of color, with results differing depending on light and environments. And all with the warmth of film and the "look" that Lomography has made its own, but in away that's more accessible and affordable.

Of course, the film still leans into the quirks of analog shooting, but results will subtly change depending on light and location – for example, you can expect to capture soft and slightly glowing images in the sun, and warmer, more muted pictures in less bright environments. And the company’s Simple Use Reloadable model – which is stripped back to be an effective and affordable point-and-shoot device – can be then used with any 35-mm film you like after you finish the preloaded roll. However, the company has made the Classicolor film pretty cheap too, at around $11 a roll.

This week, the BBC wrote about the resurgence of film photography among everyday casual shooters, which felt lost for good once smartphones and filters came along. Even instant cameras have been part of the revival, with the most well-known makers Polaroid going from bankruptcy in 2001 to a multimillion-dollar empire today. Part of it has been reported to be generational, but it also feels like some of the change is experiencing and capturing things in a simpler and more "real" way in an increasingly digital world.

So while most LomoChrome films so far – such as Purple, Turquoise, Metropolis types – have held onto the company's preference for experimental distorted color palettes, this new model and film strips that away while still offering stylized results that you don't need to create in digital post-production. Classicolor is a general-purpose color-negative 35-mm film (ISO 200), ideal for daily use, portraits or capturing travel experiences.

The finer details

Film Format: 35 mm
Lens Focal Length: 31 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/120 s
Aperture: f/9
Focusing: 1 m to Infinity
Flash: Built-in flash (press & hold to charge), 15-second recharge time
Battery: 1 × AA battery (included)
Classicolor Exposures: 27
Processing: C-41

While the days of walking into a store and getting film processed might still be over for people on a budget (and outside of large cities), there are more online "mail-in" developing companies popping up, such as The Darkroom in the US. Some offer developing and digital scans, others go with additional printing options, but prices generally range from around $10 to $15 a roll, depending on where you're located. Which, yes, is more expensive and time-consuming than snapping 100 images on your cellphone, but cheaper than instant camera film with arguably better results.

I'm particularly interested in this new release, and hope the Taipei store has some in stock so I can put my money where my mouth is and test out the promise of both the camera and film myself.

Source: Lomography

Tiny houses typically require major compromises when it comes to home comforts, but this extra-wide model takes a different approach. Its spacious interior features an open layout with a large living room and kitchen, plus a bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower.

The Daphne is designed by Canada's Teacup Tiny Homes. It's based on a triple-axle trailer and clad in horizontal lap siding, with cedar accenting. It has a length of 36 ft (almost 11 m) and an increased width of 10.6 ft (3.2 m). This means it requires a permit to tow on a public road but also ensures a more open interior that looks closer to a small apartment than a typical tiny house, which can often seem overly narrow, like a corridor.

The home's interior is finished in painted wood paneling and measures 378 sq ft (35 sq m) on one floor. Much of that floorspace is taken up by the open kitchen and living area. The kitchen looks notably spacious and has a fridge, an oven and four-burner propane-powered cooktop, a farmhouse-style sink, cabinetry, and a breakfast bar seating area with some integrated storage.

The living room has ample space for a large sofa, plus there's a wood-burning stove. There's also a lot of natural light in here thanks to the impressive number of windows – a total of 26 in the entire home – and high ceiling.

A small passage leads to the bathroom. This is pretty luxurious and, as mentioned, has a separate shower and a freestanding bathtub, along with a vanity sink and a composting toilet.

Further down the passage lies the Daphne's bedroom. Thanks to the single-floor layout, it has enough headroom to stand upright, which is always a nice benefit in a tiny house. Additionally, it has a double bed, built-in wardrobe space, and its own door connecting directly to the outside.

The Daphne starts at CAD 200,000 (roughly US$140,000), though pricing will of course differ depending on the options chosen. These include having the home installed on foundations instead of wheels, reconfiguring its layout, the use of different materials, and more. We've no word on delivery, so those interested are advised to contact Teacup Tiny Homes directly.

Source: Teacup Tiny Homes

Finnish-Estonian bikemaker Verge has been in plenty of headlines in the past few years. Now, it’s time for its spin-off partner company, Donut Lab, to get its fair share of eyeballs. The company has been working on solid-state battery tech for a while, and it seems it’s finally seeing some worthwhile results.

Donut Lab recently released its first pack-level charging test results – its fourth battery test with Verge Motorcycles. Its 18 -kWh battery pack maintained over 100 kW of charging power at a 5C rate for five minutes on the Verge TS Pro electric motorcycle.

These are some of the first real-world test numbers we’ve seen from Donut Lab’s battery in an electric motorcycle. The company presented a 400-Wh/kg solid-state cell at CES 2026 with claims of a 370-mile range, 100,000-cycle life, and a five-minute charging time, and most importantly, it was claimed to be cheaper to produce than lithium-ion batteries.

So it was about time Donut Lab got to supporting its bold claims with real-world numbers.

Donut Lab revealed that it was producing a solid-state EV battery back in January, and that deliveries would begin by the end of the quarter. That would effectively make the new Verge TS Pro the "world's first production vehicle with an all-solid-state battery." However, skepticism greeted these announcements right away.

What followed were three important tests with Finland's state-run VTT Technical Research Centre. The first test verified that the battery's cells do, in fact, support quick charge. The second test suggested that the battery cells could remain within a safe temperature range as long as there are sufficient heat sinks. The third test showed that the Donut Lab battery was not a supercapacitor as many were suggesting, but rather has a self-discharge rate comparable to a genuine battery.

What follows now is the fourth, and perhaps the most important test so far. Donut Lab connected a Verge TS Pro to a public fast-charger, which produced 100–103 kW of electricity for five minutes.

In this test, the battery pack charged from 10% to 50% in five minutes, reaching 70% in little over nine minutes, and subsequently reaching 80% in 12 minutes. This is all while using an air-cooled design instead of liquid cooling. That part is especially important because the majority of electric car battery packs (which are about five times bigger) use liquid cooling systems to maintain similar charging rates without thermal throttling.

What’s even more impressive is that these figures put the system among the fastest-charging electric motorcycles ever. And to see this on a real motorcycle makes this test even more instrumental – in contrast to previous experiments that concentrated on single cells in carefully regulated laboratory settings.

Anyone who knows anything about battery tech will tell you just how complicated fast charging on a motorcycle is, compared to cars. Due to tighter temperature limits and fewer cells sharing the load, and smaller battery packs typically limit charging speeds.

"The high energy density of our battery technology enables flexible battery pack design and superior performance even in more challenging applications, such as motorcycles, where space is limited, and system simplicity is key," says Ville Piippo, CTO at Donut Lab. "We are able to offer vehicle manufacturers packs with different energy capacities in the same physical size, with even the smallest packs having very high capacities."

Donut Lab's technology seems to maintain over 100 kW of charging power in such a compact architecture. But that’s not to say that the company has achieved all its goals. That’s because this test reaches only around half of the peak charging rates (of up to 200 kW) that the company had previously hinted at. As of this time, it’s uncertain if system design, charger constraints, or continuous optimization are to blame.

Donut Lab has also published another test conducted by VTT that evaluates the cell’s ability to operate safely after sustaining damage. A damaged cell was used, and it underwent 50 fast-charge cycles at 5C and five 1C cycles. There was no reported risk of fire or temperature rises. In this case, the damaged Donut Battery failed "gracefully," continuing to function safely at a lower capacity instead.

The company’s I Donut Believe webpage (pun intended, most probably) shows that more test results are about to be revealed.

You could argue it’s more a PR stunt than anything else, but it does, however, validate something perhaps more significant: the company's technology can produce significant performance gains on a real motorcycle, and not only in the lab.

Maybe we’re not too far away from a real mass-market 5-minute charging electric motorcycle.

Source: Donut Lab

Since its inception, the Ram Truck brand has tried to be the most truck of all the trucks. “Best-in-Class” this and “Segment-leading” that headlined every press release and advertisement. Not anymore.

At a glance

• Ram has the best interior experience of all truck brands
• Hemi V8 returns because Boomers hate Millennials
• There’s little for the Ram 1500 to boast about other than its interior

Today’s trucks are basically really, really large sedans. Advertisements and country music videos might look back with rosy glasses at the good ol’ days when pickups had bench seats and gun racks and parked next to near-ripe corn fields in the sunset. But the reality is that those trucks were uncomfortable, bouncy, unreliable horror shows of utilitarianism. Today’s trucks aren’t even close when compared. They’re powerful, cushy, and tech-filled. Every pickup truck brand is like this now. Ram has, however, somehow taken this to a new level.

The 2026 Ram 1500 isn’t much changed from last year’s model, which saw a pretty significant update. While most of the focus was on the newly-minted RHO model, the speedster replacing the ridiculous(ly awesome) TRX, the 1500 lineup got some pretty strong changes. Mostly to its interior. The layout in a Ram Truck hasn’t changed too much in years because that layout is really well done.

There’s plenty of places for phones, gadgets, drinks, and the other assorted junk we tend to pile into our vehicles. The crew cab model boasts more than a dozen cup holders throughout (16+ in some models). Upgrades were mostly small things like materials choices, added small item storage, and a slight tweak to where buttons and dials were placed.

For 2026, the biggest changes to the Ram 1500 are the re-introduction of the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and a bid by Ram to remedy its growing reputation for unreliability with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty for the North American market. The V8 engine, which I drove in the Tradesman model Ram 1500 labeled a “Warlock,” is nothing special.

Other than it being gone for a year of V6-only options, it’s still the same throaty eight-cylinder mid-performing, mild hybrid engine setup it was before. The turbo-six options are still better in almost every respect, including capability for towing and hauling. But a lot of truck buyers like that 8-count and really don’t like turbochargers. So Ram will oblige.

There’s a subtle thing happening in the pickup truck market in general and at Ram Truck specifically: capability is taking a back seat to ergonomics, comfort, and a car-like driving feel. Blame it on today’s buyers being spoiled or on the rise of the cushy SUV replacing the car or on Millennials being whatever it is Boomers think they are. It doesn’t matter. What it amounts to, though, is that the 2026 model year Ram 1500 is not the best-in-class for anything measurable. It tows less, hauls less, and gets lower fuel economy than pretty much all of its rivals.

What Ram has, and should be pushing harder, is a superior interior experience in its lower-end trim points. I’d drive a Ram Tradesman with its low-end upholstery and highly ergonomic layout anytime over a Ford XL/STX or a Chevrolet WT/Custom. It’s not until higher-cost trims that the Ford and Chevy interiors begin to compete with Ram. Sure, they’ll out-tow and out-haul the Ram most of the time, but those bragging rights don’t trump the daily use experience.

Couple that interior experience with the smooth ride quality that all of today’s trucks now have and you might understand what’s going on here. Today’s trucks are not just comfortable; they’re composed. Almost aloof sometimes. Especially the Ram 1500.

That composure extends into daily usability. Whether you’re commuting, hauling, or just crossing state lines for the sake of it, the 1500 feels less like a tool and more like a companion. It’s as comfortable as any sedan or SUV during road trips or just daily commutes.

Sure, it’ll do truck things. But it doesn’t feel like a truck most of the time.

Truck traditionalists and forum gladiators will argue this, of course. The reality is that, like most enthusiasts, they’re either all bluster or they don’t buy new vehicles anyway. They fail to realize their own irrelevance to the market. Today’s buyers, going by the numbers of high-end trim levels being sold across the full-sized truck segment in the US, want to be comfortable in their truck. The traditional downsides of a pickup, namely an uncomfortable ride quality and a lack of amenities, are now a liability rather than an expectation.

The 2026 Ram 1500 definitely obliges in that comfort. And, like its rivals, the 2026 Ram 1500 has several powertrain options (a V6, a turbo-6, and a V8). Like other pickup trucks, the Ram 1500 comes in various cabin and bed sizes too. Like the others, its fuel economy ranges from the teens to the mid-20s. And like all full-sized pickups, its price tag looks pretty reasonable to start (about $US42,000 plus destination) to downright ridiculous as it pushes six figures at the top levels.

Until those expensive higher-end trims, however, the 2026 Ram 1500 delivers an unrivaled interior experience, ride quality, and cabin comfort. That’s really its strongest selling point.

Product page: 2026 Ram 1500