Compare the2026 Ford F-150VS 2026 Ram 1500

The Ford F-150 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The F-150 has standard Post-Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the F-150 and Ram 1500 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the F-150 has Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ram 1500’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the F-150 and the Ram 1500 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford F-150 is safer than the Ram 1500:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Ford F-150 is safer than the Ram 1500:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 18 percent more Ford dealers than there are Ram dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the F-150’s warranty.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the F-150 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 hybrid in the Ram 1500.

The F-150 has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the F-150 first among large light duty pickups in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Ram 1500 isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Ram vehicles. With 25 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford higher than Ram.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Ram With 34 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Ford higher than Ram.

The F-150 has more powerful engines than the Ram 1500:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford F-150 V8 is faster than the Ram 1500 V6 hybrid gas:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford F-150 3.5 is faster than the Ram 1500 3.6:

On the EPA test cycle the F-150 gets better mileage than the Ram 1500:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford F-150 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 3.5 turbo V6 engine for maximum performance). The Ram 1500 Longhorn/Limited/Tungsten requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The F-150 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 4.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Ram 1500 Short Bed’s standard fuel tank (30.6 vs. 26 gallons). The F-150 Long Bed/SuperCab/SuperCrew’s standard fuel tank has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Ram 1500 Long Bed’s optional fuel tank (36 vs. 33 gallons).

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford F-150, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Ram 1500.

The F-150 stops much shorter than the Ram 1500:

The F-150 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Ram 1500’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the F-150’s wheelbase is longer than on the Ram 1500:

The F-150 5.5-foot XLT SuperCrew 4x4 handles at .76 G’s, while the Ram 1500 Warlock pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The F-150 5.5-foot Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Ram 1500 Warlock (27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the F-150 6.5-foot Regular Cab’s turning circle is 5 feet tighter than the Ram 1500 6-foot Box Quad Cab’s (41.2 feet vs. 46.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the F-150 6.5-foot SuperCrew has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Ram 1500 5.5-foot Box Crew Cab (9.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the F-150 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The F-150 5.5-foot Tremor SuperCrew’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Ram 1500 5.5-foot Box Crew Cab Air Suspension (12 vs. 10.7 inches).

The Ford F-150 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 450 pounds less than the Ram 1500.

The F-150 6.5-foot Regular Cab is 1 foot, 7 inches shorter than the Ram 1500 6-foot Box Quad Cab, making the F-150 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the F-150 5.5-foot Tremor SuperCrew 4x4 is quieter than the Ram 1500 5.5-foot Box Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4 (79 vs. 81 dB).

The F-150 SuperCab has 3 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ram 1500 Quad Cab.

The F-150 SuperCrew has 3 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab.

The F-150 SuperCab has a larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Quad Cab shortbed (62.3 vs. 61.3 cubic feet).

The F-150 SuperCrew longbed has a larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab longbed (62.3 vs. 61.3 cubic feet).

The F-150 has stake post holes, to allow the containment of tall, light loads. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer stake post holes.

The F-150’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ram 1500’s (7400 vs. 6340 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ram 1500 6-foot Box Tradesman Quad Cab is only 11610 pounds. The F-150 6.5-foot SuperCrew 4x4 offers up to a 13500 lbs. towing capacity.

The F-150 has higher optional payload capacities than the Ram 1500:

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the F-150’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost 9-1-1 Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The F-150’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ram 1500’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the F-150 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The F-150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Ford F-150 comes in regular cab, extended cab and crew cab bodystyles; the Ram 1500 isn’t available as a regular cab.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2025 issue and the Ford F-150 5.5-foot XLT SuperCrew 4x4 won out over the Ram 1500 5.5-foot Box Big Horn Crew Cab 4x4.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the F-150 as the 2021 North American Truck of the Year. The Ram 1500 was last chosen in 2019.

The Ford F-Series outsold the Ram Pickup by over three to one during 2024.