The Ram 1500 Struggles to Compete With the Ford F-150

The war over the best full-size truck might be the most hotly contested battleground in the auto industry, particularly for the American market. There’s no denying that despite SUVs becoming increasingly popular over the last few decades, powerful trucks continue to be a favorite for many drivers. With that in mind, the Ford F-150 has held onto its position as the best-selling truck in the country for more than 40 years, making it an absolute legend in the industry. Once you start to look at what it offers, it becomes no surprise that so many people are looking for a Ford F-150 for sale year after year. Even with heavy competition from other trucks out there, like the Ram 1500 pickup, the F-150 remains the proverbial top dog and holds onto a seemingly unassailable position in the industry. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why the F-150 can’t be topped and how it delivers more than the Ram 1500.

More Engines, More Power

The heart of any great truck is its engine-a weak engine leaves you with a weak truck, and there’s just about nothing worse. This is why we love to see that Ford gives you an incredible number of options for the F-150’s powertrain and engines that deliver power beyond just about anything else out there. The 2024 Ram 1500 has just three engines available, and one of them is only offered on the TRX model. If you’re not interested in the TRX, then the Ram 1500 starts with a 3.6L V6 with 305 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, which is good horsepower but underwhelming torque. The available 5.7L HEMI V8 boosts performance up to 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, which is better, but it still falls short of the F-150.

With the Ford F-150, you have six different engines to choose from, giving you far greater freedom to get the kind of power you want. We’ll put aside the available High-Output Supercharged V8 engine since it’s only available on the Raptor R model, which is similar to the TRX in terms of capability. The other five engines still give you excellent options, including the standard turbocharged V6 with its 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, far more torque than the Ram 1500’s standard engine. For incredible performance, the available turbocharged V6 hybrid engine delivers 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque, giving you a fantastic driving experience that blows away what Ram can offer.

Greater Towing and Payload Capacity

Not only does the Ford F-150 give you much more power to enjoy when you’re on the road compared to the Ram 1500, but that power also translates into far greater capability. While horsepower and torque add to a fun ride, the actual work your truck can do is often of greater importance, especially when trying to get a job done. The Ram 1500’s standard engine can handle just 7,730 lbs of towing and up to 2,300 lbs of payload. The available V8 boosts that to 12,750 lbs of maximum towing but a payload rating of just 1,940 lbs.

It’s easy to see a significant problem with the Ram 1500-your choice of engine can either get you good towing or good payload, but not both. The standard engine for the Ford F-150 gives you far greater towing at up to 8,400 lbs, so even if you don’t choose any extra options, you have a powerful truck that can get some serious work done. What makes the F-150 exceptional is that its available EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine can handle up to 13,500 lbs of towing or up to 2,445 lbs of maximum payload. A single engine has the best ratings for the F-150, so you don’t have to compromise, and both of these numbers are greater capability than what the Ram 1500 is capable of in the best situation possible. This is something you simply can’t beat.

Longer Bed Options

The Ford F-150 not only gives you a greater payload rating but can also handle more behind the cab thanks to a longer available bed. The 2024 Ram 1500 has just two options for the bed length: either a 5.6-foot bed with 53.9 cu.ft. of total cargo volume or a 6.4-foot bed with just over 61 cu.ft. of cargo space in it. With the Ford F-150, you have two options that are similar in size: a 5.5-foot bed with about 52.8 cu.ft. of cargo volume or a 6.5-foot bed with more than 62 cu.ft. of cargo space. However, Ford gives you a third option: an 8.0-foot bed with more than 77 cu.ft. of cargo volume. This means you have a far superior option for loading up with long items like lumber or sheets of drywall, plus more overall room inside the bed on top of the greater payload capacity that leaves Ram wanting.

Superior Tech Features

For many years now, Ram trucks have been known for sophisticated interiors that offer impressive features and advanced technology. We’ll admit that in years past, the features you could find in the Ram 1500 were among the best on the road, and other brands were fighting to catch up. At this point, though, Ford has caught up and surpassed what Ram offers. Consider this: the 2024 Ram 1500 has a 5.0-inch Infotainment display as standard, with an 8.0-inch screen available on higher trims or a 12-inch screen on the highest trim levels. Similarly, four-way manually-adjustable seating is standard in the Ram 1500 along with a 3.5-inch instrument cluster display; features like a full-speed forward-collision warning and blind-spot detection are available options but not standard.

Looking at the 2024 Ford F-150, the tech features that come standard on every model simply put the Ram 1500 to shame. For starters, every F-150 comes with a gorgeous 12-inch Infotainment display; compared to the standard 5.0-inch screen in the Ram 1500, the F-150 is on another level. This is joined by a 12-inch Digital Productivity Screen for you as the driver. Again, the Ram 1500 has a standard 3.5-inch instrument cluster display. You also get the Ford Co-Pilot360 technology standard in every F-150, which includes a forward collision warning, a lane-keeping system, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, a Blind Spot Information System, and much more. All of these impressive driver assist features come together to provide you with a fantastic driving experience every time you hit the road, and they make it easier to reach your destination and enjoy the journey along the way.

More Great Features to Enjoy

In everything we’ve looked at, we didn’t mention some of the extra features Ford offers on the F-150 to take things even further. The Pro Access Tailgate, for example, swings outward easily, giving you superior access to items in your truck bed by putting you up to 19 inches closer to them than with a traditional tailgate. Similarly, the Pro Power Onboard system from Ford provides you with numerous power outlets you can use for external equipment like power tools, TVs, small appliances, and much more, letting you take power with you wherever you go. And when you add in options like the available BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, you get an experience that the Ram 1500 can’t hope to match.

Ready to Experience the F-150 for Yourself?

When you stack them up against each other, it’s not only easy to see why so many people choose the Ford F-150 but also that making such a comparison almost feels unfair. We won’t deny that the Ram 1500 is a fine truck in its own right, but it falls short of what you can get with the F-150 in so many ways that Ford’s truck is just on another level. This is why the F-150 is such a legend and why it has maintained its position at the top of the market for more than four decades, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. Now, all you have to do is decide on the features and options you’re looking for, then let us take care of everything else. We’ll help you find what you need in the Ford F-150 and ensure you have the perfect truck for work, play, and everything in between.

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