Compare the2022 Ram 1500VS 2021 Ford F-150

Both the Ram 1500 and the F-150 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ram 1500 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 130 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The F-150 has not been tested, yet.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Ram 1500’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the F-150’s camshafts. If the F-150’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Ram 1500 has a standard 730-amp battery. The F-150’s 610-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Ram 1500 second among large light duty pickups in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The F-150 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ram vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ram first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ram 16th in reliability. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ram 15 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Ram 1500’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 10 more horsepower (260 vs. 250) and 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (480 vs. 440) than the F-150’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel.

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Ram 1500 V8’s fuel efficiency. The F-150 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Ram 1500 eTORQUE/Diesel and the F-150 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All Ram 1500 eTORQUE/Diesels have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch costs extra on the F-150.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ram 1500 uses regular unleaded gasoline (mid-grade octane recommended with the 5.7 V8 engine for maximum performance). The F-150 with the 3.5 turbo V6 engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

For better stopping power the Ram 1500’s brake rotors are larger than those on the F-150:

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

For better traction, the Ram 1500 has larger standard tires than the F-150 (275/65R18 vs. 245/70R17). The Ram 1500’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the F-150 (285/45R22 vs. 275/60R20).

The Ram 1500’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the F-150’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ram 1500 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the F-150.

The Ram 1500 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The F-150 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Ram 1500 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Ram 1500 flat and controlled during cornering. The F-150’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The front and rear suspension of the Ram 1500 uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the F-150, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Ram 1500 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The F-150 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Ram 1500’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions that would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The F-150 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Ram 1500 short bed Limited Crew Cab Pickup 4x4 handles at .77 G’s, while the F-150 5.5-foot Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Ram 1500’s turning circle is tighter than the F-150’s:

For greater off-road capability the Ram 1500 short bed Crew Cab Pickup w/Air Suspension has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the F-150 6.5-foot Regular Cab (10.8 vs. 9.4 inches), allowing the Ram 1500 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ram 1500 is shorter than the F-150, making the Ram 1500 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces:

The front grille of the Ram 1500 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The F-150 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Ram 1500 offers available computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The F-150 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Ram 1500 Quad Cab has .1 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear hip room than the F-150 SuperCab.

The Ram 1500 Crew Cab Pickup has .1 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front hip room and 1.6 inches more rear legroom than the F-150 SuperCrew.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ram 1500 Crew Cab’s available rear seats recline. The F-150’s optional rear seats don’t recline.

The Ram 1500 Crew Cab Pickup shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the F-150 SuperCrew shortbed (53.9 vs. 52.8 cubic feet).

The Ram 1500 has an all welded cargo box to eliminate possible corrosion spots and to provide better chassis stiffness. The cargo box in the F-150 is bolted through the bed to the frame with large bolts. These bolts are a prime area for corrosion to start as the normal flexing of the truck’s chassis causes them to eat through the finish; they can also snag cargo as it slides in and out.

The Ram 1500’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the F-150’s (6120 vs. 5000 pounds).

The Ram 1500 has a higher standard payload capacity than the F-150:

The Ram 1500 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The F-150 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Ram 1500’s standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted. Power windows cost extra on the F-150.

The Ram 1500’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The F-150’s basic optional power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them. The F-150 XLT/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

The Ram 1500’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over. Power locks cost extra on the F-150.

The Ram 1500 has standard power remote mirrors. The F-150 only comes with remote mirrors at extra cost. Without them the driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Ram 1500’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the F-150.

When the Ram 1500 Laramie/Longhorn/Limited is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The F-150’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Ram 1500 Laramie/Longhorn/Limited has standard front air-conditioned seats and the Ram 1500 Longhorn/Limited offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The F-150 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Ram 1500, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the F-150.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 3 of the last 3 years. The F-150 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” in 2019. The F-150 hasn’t been picked since 2018.

Motor Trend selected the Ram 1500 as their 2019 Truck of the Year. The F-150 was Truck of the Year in 2018.

The Ram 1500 was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” for 4 of the last 12 years. The F-150 hasn’t been picked since 1998.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Ram 1500 as the 2013 North American Truck of the Year. The F-150 was Truck of the Year in 2009.