Head-to-head
2026 Ford F-150 vs 2026 Ram 1500
The Ford F-150 wins clearly, 87.9 to 68.9, on tech & comfort, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo.
F
2026 Ford F-150
The 2026 Ford F-150 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large pickup truck with 12 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the F150 Pickup 2WD…
vs
D2026 Ram 1500
The 2026 Ram 1500 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large pickup truck with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 1500 2WD, is EPA-…
Verdict · default weights
2026 Ford F-150
Clear winThe Ford F-150 wins clearly, 87.9 to 68.9, on tech & comfort, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo.
Tech & comfort 2026 Ford F-150 leads by 82.4
Space & cargo 2026 Ram 1500 leads by 50
Safety 2026 Ford F-150 leads by 16.1
| Category · weight | 2026 Ram 1500overall 68.9 | 2026 Ford F-150overall 87.9 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 91.8 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 66.7 | 82.8 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 100 | 50 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 85.1 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 17.6 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 68.9 | 87.9 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 5 of 7 categories compared
Ram 1500: base trim Tradesman 4X2 · Ford F-150: base trim XL 4X2. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Ford F-150 wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (18 against 103 filed with NHTSA).
- It lists 21 standard driver-assist features against 5.
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (17 points against 3 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
Where the 2026 Ram 1500 answers
- It seats 6 against 3.
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 64 against 54).
What they share
- 5 NHTSA stars.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
47 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | — | $39,585 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | twin turbo |
| Cylinder count | 6 | 6 |
| Engine displacement | 3,604 cc | 2,700 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar eTorque | 2.7L EcoBoost V6 |
| Fuel injection system | Sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless | PFDI |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 24-Valve | DOHC |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 305 hp | 325 hp |
| Torque | 271 lb-ft | 400 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 20 mpg | — |
| MPG (combined) | 22 mpg | — |
| MPG (highway) | 25 mpg | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 3.21, 3.55 | — |
| Transmission speeds | 8 | 10 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 8.3 in | 8.3 in |
| Overall height | 77.4 in | 75.4 in |
| Overall length | 232 in | 228 in |
| Overall width | 81.2 in | 79.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 145 in | 142 in |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 6 | 3 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40.9 in | 40.8 in |
| Third-row headroom | 39.9 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 40.9 in | 43.9 in |
| Third-row legroom | 44.8 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 5,253 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 4,836 lbs | — |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 7,200 lbs | — |
| Payload capacity | 2,360 lbs | 1,775 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Upper and lower A-arms, twin-tube shock absorbers and stabilizer bar | Independent double-wishbone with coil-over shock and stamped lower control arm |
| Rear suspension type | Five-link with track bar, stabilizer bar, twin-tube shock absorbers, solid axle | Leaf spring with solid axle |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Electric power steering | Electronic power-assisted |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 46.2 ft | 46.4 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 378 mm | 350 mm |
| Front brake type | vented disc | Sliding-caliper, dual-piston, vented disc |
| Parking brake type | — | Electric integrated parking/emergency brake |
| Rear brake diameter | 375 mm | 336 mm |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | Sliding-caliper, single-piston, vented disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 20 in | 17 in |
| Wheel material | — | steel |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 275/55R20 | 245/70R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 26 gal | 23 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | FordPass Connect |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | — | 12 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 66 in | 66.7 in |
| Third-row shoulder room | 65.7 in | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
87 features · differences first, then sharedSafety26 differ · 27 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | — | std |
| Airbags - Front, Driver and Passenger | — | std |
| Airbags - Front, Driver and Passenger Seat-Mounted Side | — | std |
| Airbags - Safety Canopy® Side Curtains | — | std |
| Trailer Sway Control | — | std |
| Active Lane Management system | std | — |
| Adaptive Cruise Control | std | — |
| Advanced Safety Group (surround 360-degree camera, Evasive Steer Assist, Intersection Collision Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Drowsy Driver Detection, Hands-free Active Driving Assist) | opt | — |
| Advanced Security Pack | — | opt |
| AdvanceTrac™ With Roll Stability Control™ (RSC®) | — | std |
| Auto Hold | — | std |
| Curve Control | — | std |
| Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist 2.0 | — | std |
| Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes | — | std |
| Hill Start Assist | — | std |
| Intersection Assist 2.0 | — | std |
| Lane-Keeping System | — | std |
| ParkSense front/rear park assist with automatic reverse stop | std | — |
| ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic gridlines and center lines | std | — |
| Perimeter Anti-Theft Alarm | — | std |
| Post-Collision Braking | — | std |
| Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking | — | std |
| Reverse Sensing System | — | std |
| SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ | — | std |
| SecuriLock® Passive Anti-Theft System | — | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | — | std |
| BLIS® with Cross-Traffic Alert and Trailer Tow Coverage | std | std |
Infotainment11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| FordPass™ Connect 5G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot | — | std |
| Steering Wheel-Mounted Bluetooth Hands-Free | — | std |
| 12" Capacitive Touchscreen | — | std |
| 4" Cluster Display | — | std |
| Base — six-speaker sound system | std | — |
| Ford Connectivity Package (1-Year Incl.) | — | std |
| SiriusXM® with 360L (3-Month Prepaid Subscription) | — | std |
| Steering Wheel-Mounted Audio Controls | — | std |
| Sync® 4 | — | std |
| Uconnect 12-in. Radio | opt | — |
| Uconnect 8.4 AM/FM/Bluetooth/SiriusXM Radio | std | — |
Convenience2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Fuel® Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| Remote Keyless Entry System | — | std |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control | — | opt |
| Manual Air Conditioning, Single Zone | — | std |
Seating3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 8-way power passenger seat | opt | — |
| Seats - Front - 40/20/40, Cloth | — | std |
| Seats - Rear - 60/40 Flip Up Split Bench with Elongated Cushion (SuperCrew®) | — | std |
Interior4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Console Work Surface | — | opt |
| Rearview Mirror, Day/Night | — | std |
| Steering Wheel, Manual Tilt/Telescoping | — | std |
| Color-Coordinated Carpet with Carpeted Floor Mats | — | std |
Exterior11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 Off-road Group (standard on Warlock and Rebel models) — tow hooks, skid plates, rear electronic locking axle, off-road calibrated shocks, Hill-descent Control, all-terrain tires | opt | — |
| Crew Cab 5-ft. 7-in. box — 144.5-in. wheelbase | opt | — |
| Crew Cab 6-ft. 4-in. box — 153.5-in. wheelbase | opt | — |
| Daytime Running Lamps | — | std |
| Exhaust - Dual with Dual Tailpipes Under Rear Bumper | — | opt |
| LED Box Lighting | — | opt |
| LED Mirror-Mounted Spotlights | — | opt |
| Protection Group (4x4 models only) — tow hooks, front suspension skid plate, transfer case skid plate, electronic power steering skid plate, fuel tank skid plate | opt | — |
| Quad Cab 6-ft. 4-in. box — 140.5-in. wheelbase | std | — |
| Skid Plates - Fuel Tank, Transfer Case and Front Differential (4x4) | — | opt |
| Autolamp - Automatic on/off Headlamps with Rainlamp Wiper Activated Headlamps | — | std |
Powertrain19 differ · 19 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | — | opt |
| 26-gallon fuel tank | std | — |
| 3.0-liter Twin Turbo, Standard Output (SST), eight-speed automatic transmission | opt | — |
| 3.21 axle ratio | std | — |
| 3.55 axle ratio | opt | — |
| 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar eTorque, eight-speed automatic transmission | std | — |
| 3.92 axle ratio | opt | — |
| 33-gallon fuel tank | opt | — |
| 4x2 | std | — |
| 4x4 | opt | — |
| 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 eTorque, eight-speed automatic transmission | opt | — |
| Anti-spin differential (electronic locking and anti-spin are mutually exclusive) | opt | — |
| Auto Start-Stop Technology | — | std |
| Axle Upgrade | — | opt |
| Electronic part-time transfer case | std | — |
| Electronic-locking differential (raised ride height available on all axle ratios; standard ride height available only on 3.92 axle ratio; included with 4x4 Off-road Group) | opt | — |
| Electronic-Locking Rear Differential | — | opt |
| FX4 Off-Road Package (4x4 Only) | — | opt |
| Selectable Drive Modes | — | std |
Cargo8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Class IV Trailer Hitch | — | std |
| Tow/Haul Package | — | std |
| Bed Utility Group (upper adjustable tie downs, bed extender, bed step, bed lighting, spray-in bed liner) | opt | — |
| Integrated electronic trailer brake controller (requires Class IV trailer hitch; included with Trailer-tow Group) | opt | — |
| Integrated Trailer Brake Controller | — | opt |
| Trailer reverse steering control | opt | — |
| Trailer Technology Package (trailer hitch line-up assist, integrated trailer health monitor, trailer reverse guidance, surround 360-degree trailer camera, tow-specific navigation, digital rearview mirror with tow mode) | opt | — |
| Trailer-tow Group (integrated trailer brake controller, trailer tire-pressure monitoring system, trailer reverse steering control, trailer light check, trailer tow mirror) | opt | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPRam 1500
Safety Signal 64 D
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls 9
Owner complaints 103 · 3 crashes · 1 fires
Most complained about Electrical System (51), Unspecified (16), Engine (13)
Top recalls
- high Air Bags 26V622000 · 5 vehicles
- high Tires 26V623000 · 16,385 vehicles
- high Seat Belts 26V495000 · 1,271,294 vehicles
- high Electrical System 26V225000 · 65,348 vehicles
- high Exterior Lighting 26V059000 · 456,287 vehicles
- moderate Back Over Prevention 26V560000 · 239,130 vehicles
Ford F-150
Safety Signal 54 F
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★★ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls 8 · 1 critical · 1 filed unfixed
Owner complaints 18 · 0 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained about Forward Collision Avoidance (7), Service Brakes (6), Engine (4)
Top recalls
- critical Power Train 26V576000 · 37 vehicles
- high Electrical System 26V653000 · 102,159 vehicles · filed unfixed
- high Seats 26V655000 · 2,276 vehicles
- high Suspension 26V577000 · 17 vehicles
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 26V578000 · 223,472 vehicles
- high Structure 26V550000 · 23 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | Ford F-150XL 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — (base trim) | $39,585 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — 14 trims | $39,585 – $79,005 25 trims |
| Powertrains | HEV, GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | 1500 2WD | F150 Pickup 2WD HEV |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 22 | 24 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,050 | $2,800 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | 3 yr / 36,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | 5 yr / 60,000 mi |
| Roadside assistance | — | 5 yr |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Ram 1500 or the 2026 Ford F-150?
The Ford F-150 wins clearly, 87.9 to 68.9, on tech & comfort, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Ford F-150 scores 87.9 and the 2026 Ram 1500 68.9. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Ram 1500 or the 2026 Ford F-150?
2026 Ram 1500: 5 NHTSA stars, grade D, 9 recalls. 2026 Ford F-150: 5 NHTSA stars, grade F, 8 recalls (1 filed with no repair available). Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Ram 1500 and the 2026 Ford F-150?
Where the 2026 Ford F-150 wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (18 against 103 filed with NHTSA), lists 21 standard driver-assist features against 5, and lists more comfort and tech equipment (17 points against 3 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½). Where the 2026 Ram 1500 answers: it seats 6 against 3 and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 64 against 54). What they share: 5 NHTSA stars.