The full-size pickup truck segment is experiencing major shifts, and the 2025 Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 are at the forefront of these changes. The F-150 was the first to offer a hybrid powertrain and a fully battery electric version (the F-150 Lightning). While the Ram 1500 REV electric truck is slated for a 2026 release, Ram introduced a coil spring rear suspension, transforming trucks from work vehicles to family-friendly cars.
Both trucks feature the spectrum from basic utility models to luxury vehicles, with prices that can exceed $100,000. The 2025 Ford F-150 aims to maintain its decades-long sales leadership, with seven powertrain choices, including a hybrid, nearly a dozen trims and a high-performance Raptor R variant. Not to be outdone, the 2025 Ram 1500 boasts a new twin-turbo engine, luxurious options like a 14.5-inch touchscreen, a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, and even a 10.3-inch passenger touchscreen. A new Tungsten model features a suede-like headliner, leather seats, heated and cooled front seats, and a multifunction tailgate. The RHO edition replaces the TRX to compete against the Raptor R with its own turbo power. While both trucks are capable, which one comes out on top?
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Trims and Prices
The F-150 XLT crew cab with four-wheel drive costs around $55,000, while the Ram 1500 Laramie starts at roughly $62,000. Our top picks are the F-150 XLT and the Ram 1500 Laramie.
2025 Ford F-150
How much does a Ford F-150 cost? With four powertrain options, three cab sizes, three bed lengths, and eight trims, the best-selling vehicle in America—Ford’s flagship pickup truck for decades—can be configured in many ways. Prices start around $40,000 for a basic work truck with a regular cab, and can reach a six-figure price tag for a loaded Raptor R. The Ford F-150 XLT, which excludes the base XL typically reserved for fleet purchases, costs less than $50,000 (including destination). It includes alloy wheels, cloth seats, power windows, a 12.0-inch touchscreen, cruise control, and standard safety features like automatic emergency braking and active lane control. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the F-150 Platinum costs approximately $77,000. It features a twin-turbo V-6 and offers a V-6 hybrid powertrain, with extras ranging from practical (power running boards, an onboard scale) to luxurious (massaging seats, BlueCruise hands-free driving assistance). The F-150 Raptor R, with its 720-hp 5.2-liter supercharged V-8, tops the range, costing around $120,000.
2025 Ram 1500
How much is a Ram 1500? The Ram 1500 Tradesman starts around $42,000. It’s available with an extended cab and a 6-foot-4 bed or a crew cab with the longer bed, or a shorter 5-foot-7 bed. It includes power locks and windows, keyless entry, an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and seating for six in the extended-cab configuration. It also features blind-spot monitoring and automatic emergency braking. The Bighorn with options would be the closest competitor to the F-150 XLT, but the Laramie is the better pick. It features an 8.4-inch touchscreen, a 10-speaker audio system, a crew-cab configuration, and a 420-hp turbo-6 engine. At the highest trim level, the Ram 1500 Tungsten approaches $90,000 with 24-way power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats, leather upholstery, a sunroof, and a 23-speaker Klipsch audio system, with options for a head-up display, hands-free driving assistance, and a 14.5-inch touchscreen.
Advantage: Ford F-150 due to the wider selection of trims and fewer option packages.
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Performance and Towing
The F-150 offers V-6 hybrid, twin-turbo V-6, and V-8 powertrains, while the Ram 1500 provides a V-6 and a choice of turbo-6 engines. The Ford F-150 generally tows more than the Ram 1500.
Focusing on the everyday versions and omitting the F-150 Raptor R, both trucks start with a V-6 engine. The Ram employs a 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6 with an onboard starter generator or mild hybrid technology to reduce electrical load and enhance torque.
Ram 1500 vs. Ford F-150: Powertrains
- Ram 1500: Base models have a 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6 or a turbo-6; top models can tow up to 11,550 pounds.
- Ford F-150: Base models have a 325-hp turbo V-6, which tows up to 10,100 pounds. Ford’s 5.0-liter V-8 produces 400 hp / 410 lb-ft and can tow up to 13,000 pounds, while its twin-turbo V-6 tops that at 13,500 pounds.
Ford’s base engine is a 2.7-liter turbo V-6 generating 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Ford also has a higher-performance 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 that produces 400 hp and 500 lb-ft. It offers rapid acceleration, and with the 10-speed automatic transmission available throughout the F-150 lineup, it balances power with good efficiency, and has the highest tow rating in the lineup at 13,500 pounds. The V-8 engine in the Ford feels like a throwback due to the advancements in turbo-6 truck powertrains. While it has a great exhaust note, reminiscent of muscle cars, Ford’s twin-turbo V-6 has more power. Ram’s new engine is smooth with full acceleration, offering more horsepower and torque than its outgoing V-8s, and works well with its 8-speed automatic.
Hybrid F-150s and Plug-in Ram 1500s
Ford and Ram use differing approaches to improve efficiency without sacrificing capability. The F-150 Hybrid combines a turbo V-6 with a 47-hp electric motor powered by a 1.5-kwh lithium-ion battery, increasing output to 430 hp and 570 lb-ft, though this reduces towing capacity to 13,000 pounds. It can run solely on electric power at low speeds (up to approximately 10 mph), but the transition from electric to gasoline power is not as seamless as when using the turbo V-6. A key advantage is an onboard generator that can power four 120-volt and one 240-volt outlets for up to 32 hours. The Hybrid is only available on the Lariat grade and above and costs $3,300 more than the 2.7-liter V-6. Ram will soon introduce a plug-in Ramcharger hybrid truck and, subsequently, a fully electric Ram 1500 Rev. The latter is a direct competitor to Ford’s F-150 Lightning, promising greater range and quicker charging.
Towing and Handling
The base Ford truck tows up to 8,400 pounds, while the top F-150 can tow up to 13,500 pounds. The Ram 1500’s V-6 has a tow rating of 6,720 pounds with a Quad Cab long-bed, which rises to 11,550 pounds with the turbo-6.
Since the F-150 comes with a wide array of powertrains and options, it’s challenging to make a broad statement about which handles best. Both Ram and Ford feature a double wishbone suspension that keeps the front of the truck stable on the road. The difference arises in the back. The F-150 uses two different leaf-spring suspension systems with a solid rear axle, leading to noticeable bounce over road surfaces, even when the bed is loaded. Bumps and road seams are easily felt. The adaptive suspension available on the Max Tow package provides more stability while towing. The Ram provides a softer, more comfortable ride because of its standard coil springs on the rear suspension. Opting for the available four-corner air suspension further smooths out the ride, but it does not yet approach the comfort of a luxury SUV.
Advantage: Ford F-150 due to its wide selection of options and superior tow rating; however, the Ram has a more comfortable ride.
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Fuel Economy
While Ram is introducing mostly new powertrains but lacks plug-ins currently, the Ford F-150 Hybrid gets 23 mpg combined when equipped with 4WD. The Ram 1500’s base-model gas mileage is similar to the F-150 Hybrid.
- Ram’s base V-6 gets up to 20/26/23 mpg, or 21 mpg combined with 4WD.
- Ram’s turbo-6 returns 17/24/19 mpg with 4WD.
- The RHO guzzles fuel at a rate of 14/16/15 mpg.
Ford’s higher-power models have better ratings than those from Ram.
- Twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 gets 19/25/21 mpg (with 4WD, 18/23/20 mpg).
- 5.0-liter V-8 gets 16/24/19 mpg, with RWD or 4WD.
- 3.5-liter hybrid V-6, 22/24/23 mpg
- Twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 gets 17/25/20 mpg, dropping to 16/24/19 mpg with 4WD.
- Supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 (Raptor) gets 14/18/16 mpg
Advantage: The Ram 1500 is a bit better in base versions, and it’s nearly as good as Ford’s hybrid, but Ford’s trucks generally return better fuel mileage when output increases.
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Cabs, Cargo Space, and Bed Sizes
The Ram 1500 is available with a 5-foot-7 or a 6-foot-4 bed, whereas the Ford F-150 offers 5-foot-6, 6-foot-6, or an 8-foot bed (but not with a crew cab).
Cab Configurations
The Ram Classic is the only Ram truck with a regular cab. The Ram 1500 Tradesman starts with an extended cab made for six passengers, and its bed measures 6-foot-4. The interior cargo measures out to 53.3 cubic feet, plus 35.6 inches of legroom in the back. The extended cab has a short-bottomed bench seat in the back that flips up, and the backrests can be uncomfortable for long trips. An extended cab can also get a crew cab with the same bed size or a 5-foot-7 short box.
The Ram 1500 crew cab seats six passengers with excellent legroom in the back (44.8 inches) as a result of its 68.5 cubic feet of space. The Ram makes practical use of interior space with multiple glove boxes and a reconfigurable center console. The in-floor storage boxes at the rear add even more utility.
The F-150 can be configured with regular, extended, or crew cabs. Each offers at least two or three bed lengths, with the regular and extended cabs getting either a 6-foot-6 or an 8-foot bed; the crew cab offers 5-foot-6 or 6-foot-5 beds. The base regular cab has a split bench seat with cloth upholstery, while XLTs get a locking center console. Extended cabs get a choice of bucket seats, a front console, rear-hinged doors, and a rear bench seat. The rear is smaller than the Ram 1500, having only 33.5 inches of legroom.
With the F-150 crew cab there is ample space, but less than the Ram 1500. There is 43.6 inches of legroom in the back, and F-150 has a similar design as the Ram 1500’s top trims, using leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats, and reclining front seats. Ford does in-truck storage slightly better. The center console can be fitted with a fold-down gear shift and a fold-out work table. The pockets, bins, and cubbies under the seats work as cargo pants. Cab sizes affect the fuel tank size, with regular and extended cab F-150s and Ram 1500s having a 23-gallon tank. Crew cab models have a 26-gallon tank. A 36-gallon tank can be had on some extended F-150 models.
Which Truck Has the Better Bed?
Both trucks offer spray-in or drop-in bedliners, cargo tie-downs, bed lighting, a power-sliding rear window, and a power tailgate. Ford offers a bed-mounted generator, power outlets, built-in rulers, bottle openers, and a bed step with a retractable handle. Ram offers a multipurpose tailgate that drops open, swings on a side hinge, or splits in the middle.
- Ram’s 5-foot-7 box has 53.9 cubic feet of volume.
- Ford’s 5-foot-6 box has 52.8 cubic feet.
- Ram’s 6-foot-4 box has 61.5 cubic feet.
- Ford’s 6-foot-6 box has 62.3 cubic feet.
- Ford’s 8-foot box has 77.4 cubic feet.
Advantage: Ram 1500 for a more spacious interior.
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Styling
The Ram 1500 has a more streamlined look to appeal to a broader range of buyers. A hood with a wider variety of grilles gleams with chrome or is done in black, with five looks for its seven trim lines, most of which have giant Ram lettering expanded across their fronts. The Ram plays the role of the boss inside, with Laramie Longhorns and Limited showing off leather trimmings and open-pore wood trims. The F-150 has a more functional, utilitarian interior, although higher trim aspires to Ram’s finer fittings. Ford’s dash is bolder and has a 12.0-inch touchscreen. Ram’s 8.4-inch touchscreen is better integrated than the vertically oriented 12.0-inch touchscreen that extends down to the center console. (There’s a 14.5-inch touchscreen on the options list, too.) Visually, the F-150 has exterior choices in dozens of wheel and color options, and many grille options. Classic F-150 details are the C-clamp running lights and the window step on the front doors.
Advantage: Ford for the exterior; Ram for the interior.
Ford F-150 vs. Ram 1500: Safety
The NHTSA gives crew cabs a five-star rating. The F-150 comes with driver-assist technology as a standard inclusion. The Ram 1500 is not yet rated, but now has automatic emergency braking.
Ford F-150 Safety
The F-150 earns a five-star rating from the NHTSA in its three cab sizes. Both extended and crew cab models obtain an IIHS Top Safety Pick (in Lariat and above grades with a 502A package that upgrades the headlights to LED projector lights). Driver-assist features like standard automatic emergency braking and active lane control are also included. Blind-spot monitors, parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and adaptive cruise control are offered on most trims. Ford’s BlueCruise, which allows limited hands-off driving on the highway, is also available.
Ram 1500 Safety
Only the Ram 1500 crew cab has earned the NHTSA’s five-star rating; the extended cab has received four stars. The Ram 1500 crew cab earns a Top Safety Pick but only on top trims equipped with automatic emergency braking and LED projector headlights; the extended cab has good crash ratings but no special accolades. Ram fits automatic emergency braking in models above the Big Horn and charges about $600 for the Tradesman and Big Horn trims. Options include blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, and active lane control, but Ram doesn’t offer hands-free driver assistance.
Advantage: Ford F-150.
Which Truck Is Better: Ford F-150 or Ram 1500?
The Ford F-150’s sales volume suggests that the F-150 is the winning selection, and it also scores higher in the TCC Rating metric. Its 6.7/10 score is very close to the Ram’s 6.6/10, and the main factor is the Ram’s lower safety ratings. The main deciding factor in this comparison boils down to choice—in powertrains, cab sizes, colors, customization, and bed sizes—and in these areas, Ford clearly holds the advantage. The Ram 1500 has advantages such as better road manners and a bit more refinement in the upper trims, however, the F-150 has better gas option and engine choices.
Winner: The Ford F-150 for the numerous choices it gives buyers, but the Ram 1500 if cabin quality ultimately sways you.
