Best Cold Air Intakes for 2019-2024 Ram 1500 Guide

A cold air intake for the 2019–2024 Ram 1500 is the single easiest way to unlock more horsepower, sharper throttle response, and a deeper induction growl from your truck — usually for under $500 and in under an hour of wrench time. The factory airbox on the fifth-generation (DT) Ram 1500 is built for quiet, not performance, choking the engine with a restrictive paper filter and narrow ducting. Swapping it for a high-flow intake lets the 5.7L HEMI, 3.6L Pentastar V6, or 3.0L EcoDiesel breathe the way the aftermarket intended. At NLP Performance in Tampa, FL, intakes are one of the first upgrades our Ram customers ship out the door, so we pulled the seven best-selling kits together and broke them down by engine, filter type, claimed power, and price.

How much horsepower does a cold air intake add to a Ram 1500?

A cold air intake typically adds between 10 and 25 horsepower to a 2019–2024 Ram 1500, depending on the kit and engine. The best-performing option we tested, the aFe Magnum FORCE Stage-2 Pro 5R, is dyno-tested by aFe at up to 24 horsepower and 32 lb-ft of torque on the 5.7L HEMI thanks to a 54% increase in airflow over the factory system. K&N publishes a gain of 19.94 horsepower and 19.93 lb-ft for its 5.7L HEMI intake, while aFe's sealed Momentum GT adds roughly 14 horsepower and 13 lb-ft with a 43% airflow bump. Real-world results vary with elevation, fuel, temperature, and whether the truck is tuned, but every kit here flows more air than stock.

Context matters: the 5.7L HEMI V8 leaves the factory rated at 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 at 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft, and the 3.0L EcoDiesel at 260 horsepower and a stout 480 lb-ft. An intake alone will not double your output, but it is the foundation every other bolt-on — tune, exhaust, throttle-body spacer — builds on. Pair an intake with a handheld tuner and the gains compound.

Best cold air intakes for the 5.7L HEMI Ram 1500

The 5.7L HEMI is the engine most Ram 1500 owners want to modify, and it is where the biggest intake gains live. The V8 responds well to reduced intake restriction because its 395-horsepower tune is airflow-limited up top. These four kits are our most popular HEMI intakes, ranging from a $197 budget hero to a fully sealed $420 airbox.

1. aFe Magnum FORCE Stage-2 Pro 5R — Best Overall

The aFe Magnum FORCE Stage-2 Pro 5R is our top pick because it makes the most power of any intake on this list. aFe dyno-tests the kit at up to 24 horsepower and 32 lb-ft of torque with a 54% increase in airflow over the restrictive factory setup. It uses an open-element, 5-layer Pro 5R oiled-cotton conical filter mounted inside a molded heat shield with a large one-piece intake tube. It bolts to the 2019–2024 Ram 1500 5.7L HEMI in about 60 minutes with hand tools, and no tune is required to run it.

2. aFe Momentum GT Pro 5R — Best Sealed Airbox

If you want the cleanest under-hood look and the coldest air charge, the aFe Momentum GT is the sealed-airbox pick. Its one-piece roto-molded housing with a clear lid fully encloses the 5-layer Pro 5R filter and adds an auxiliary air scoop that pulls cooler air from outside the engine bay. aFe rates it at 14 horsepower and 13 lb-ft with a 43% airflow increase, no tune required. A urethane plug is included to block the scoop in cold-weather climates. Premium stainless T-bolt clamps and a reinforced silicone coupler at the throttle body make it feel like factory-plus hardware.

3. K&N 77-1578KP High-Flow — Best Warranty

K&N is the household name in performance air filtration, and the 77-1578KP backs it up with a mandrel-bent aluminum intake tube and the brand's washable High-Flow oiled-cotton filter. K&N publishes a dyno gain of 19.94 horsepower and 19.93 lb-ft on the 5.7L HEMI, no tune needed. The real headline is longevity: the filter is rated for up to 100,000 miles between cleanings, and the entire system is covered by K&N's 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty. If you keep your trucks a long time, this is the intake that pays for itself.

4. Corsa MaxFlow 5 & Spectre 9090 — Filtration and Budget Picks

Two more HEMI kits round out the field. The Corsa 2019–2024 Ram 1500 MaxFlow 5 Closed Box ($410.64, marked down from $479.99) pairs a fully enclosed airbox with Volant's 5-layer MaxFlow 5 oiled-cotton filter, prioritizing maximum filtration and a cool air charge — ideal for dusty Florida job sites or trail duty. On the other end, the Spectre 9090 is the value champion at just $197.40, with polished aluminum tubing, a black powder-coated heat shield, and a washable, reusable filter. It is the intake to buy when you want the induction sound and a modest bump without spending over $200. Enthusiasts chasing looks should also consider the Injen PF8056 ($489.92) with its wrinkle-black tuned tube.

Best cold air intake for the 3.6L V6 Pentastar Ram 1500

The best cold air intake for the 2019–2021 Ram 1500 3.6L V6 Pentastar is the K&N 77-1586KC. It is one of the few high-flow intakes engineered specifically for the naturally aspirated V6 — not a HEMI kit forced to fit — so the tube geometry and filter sizing match the 305-horsepower Pentastar. Do not install a 5.7L HEMI intake on a V6 truck; the airbox, tube diameter, and mounting points are different between engines.

K&N guarantees an increase in horsepower and torque with the 77-1586KC, which features a mandrel-bent aluminum intake tube and an oversized conical High-Flow oiled-cotton filter. Like K&N's V8 kit, the filter is washable, reusable, and rated for up to 100,000 miles between services, and the system carries the 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty. For Pentastar owners who tow, commute, or just want crisper throttle response and a little more induction character, this is the direct-fit answer at $381.21.

Best cold air intake for the 3.0L EcoDiesel Ram 1500

Diesel owners are not left out. The best intake for the 2020–2021 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel is the aFe Momentum HD Pro 10R, built specifically for turbo-diesel airflow and filtration demands. The 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 makes 260 horsepower and a massive 480 lb-ft of torque, and diesels are especially sensitive to airflow and filter quality.

The Momentum HD is aFe's heavy-duty diesel intake. It uses a 9-inch-tall, pre-oiled 360-degree radial-flow Pro 10R filter with ten progressively finer layers of cotton gauze for maximum filtration and long service intervals — exactly what a turbo-diesel wants. A one-piece sealed housing isolates the filter from hot engine-bay air, and the large surface area extends the time between cleanings. At $420 it is the premium EcoDiesel choice, and the extra filtration is cheap insurance for an expensive diesel long-block.

Sealed airbox vs. open-element intake: which is better?

A sealed-airbox intake usually delivers a cooler, more consistent air charge, while an open-element intake typically makes slightly more peak power and a louder induction note. Sealed boxes like the aFe Momentum GT and Corsa MaxFlow 5 enclose the filter so it draws air from a scoop or fender duct instead of the hot engine bay, which helps on long highway pulls and in stop-and-go traffic. Open-element kits like the aFe Magnum FORCE Stage-2 expose the filter to more airflow and, in aFe's testing, produce the biggest peak numbers — but they can heat-soak in traffic. For a daily-driven, occasionally-towing Ram, a sealed box is the safe long-term choice; for maximum bragging-rights power and sound, go open-element.

Are Ram 1500 cold air intakes hard to install?

No — a Ram 1500 cold air intake is a beginner-friendly install that takes 45 to 60 minutes with basic hand tools. Every kit here is a direct bolt-on that reuses factory mounting points: you unclip the stock airbox, disconnect the mass-air-flow (MAF) sensor, remove a few 8mm and 10mm bolts, then transfer the MAF into the new tube and clamp everything down. None of these intakes require a tune to run safely, and all use washable filters you clean rather than replace. Our one tip: when re-oiling an oiled-cotton filter, apply the oil sparingly and let it wick in for 20 minutes — over-oiling can foul the MAF sensor and trigger a check-engine light. If you would rather have it done, our Tampa, FL shop installs customer intakes while you wait.