2026 Ram 1500 vs 2026 Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T wins clearly, 94.5 to 53.7, on fuel & range, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo.
2026 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-…
2026 Rivian R1T
The 2026 Rivian R1T is sold in the U.S. as an electric large pickup truck with 25 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the R1T Dual Max (22in), …
2026 Rivian R1T
Clear winThe Rivian R1T wins clearly, 94.5 to 53.7, on fuel & range, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo.
| Category · weight | 2026 Rivian R1Toverall 94.5 | 2026 Ram 1500overall 53.7 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 27 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 93.3 | 48.7 | |||||||||
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 | 83.3 | 100 | |||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 57.2 | |||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 94.5 | 53.7 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 4 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Rivian R1T
Rivian R1T: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available) · Ram 1500: base trim Tradesman 4X2. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Rivian R1T wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (3 against 103 filed with NHTSA).
- It is rated 87 combined against 22 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $2,200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($850 against $3,050).
Where the 2026 Ram 1500 answers
- It seats 6 against 5.
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
41 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | — | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | — | 6 |
| Engine displacement | — | 3,604 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | — | 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 eTorque |
| Fuel injection system | — | Sequential multiport electronic returnless |
| Valve configuration | — | DOHC 24-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | — | 305 hp |
| Torque | — | 271 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 |
| Transmission type | — | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | — | 7.8 in |
| Overall height | — | 77.5 in |
| Overall length | — | 228 in |
| Overall width | — | 81.2 in |
| Wheelbase | — | 141 in |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 6 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | — | 40.9 in |
| Second-row headroom | — | 39.2 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | — | 40.9 in |
| Second-row legroom | — | 35.3 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 |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | — | Upper and lower A-arms, twin-tube shock absorbers and stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension type | — | Five-link with track bar, stabilizer bar, twin-tube shock absorbers, solid axle |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | — | Electric power steering |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | — | 45.1 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | — | 378 mm |
| Front brake type | — | vented disc |
| Rear brake diameter | — | 375 mm |
| Rear brake type | — | solid disc |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | — | 275/55R20 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | — | 26 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | — | 66 in |
| Second-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
31 features · differences first, then sharedSafety6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Blind-spot Monitoring with trailer coverage and Rear Cross Path detection | — | std |
| ParkSense front/rear park assist with automatic reverse stop | — | std |
| ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic gridlines and center lines | — | std |
Infotainment3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Base — six-speaker sound system | — | std |
| Uconnect 12-in. Radio | — | opt |
| Uconnect 8.4 AM/FM/Bluetooth/SiriusXM Radio | — | std |
Exterior5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 Off-road Group — tow hooks, skid plates, rear electronic locking axle, off-road 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 |
| 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 |
Powertrain12 differ · 12 listed
| Feature | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
Cargo5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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, NCAPRivian R1T
Top recalls
- moderate Exterior Lighting 26V508000 · 3,829 vehicles
- minor Back Over Prevention 26V597000 · 98,828 vehicles
Ram 1500
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 Electrical System 26V059000 · 456,287 vehicles
- moderate Back Over Prevention 26V560000 · 239,130 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Rivian R1T | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | — (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — | — 14 trims |
| Powertrains | BEV | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | R1T Dual Max (22in) | 1500 2WD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 87 | 22 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $850 | $3,050 |
| EV range | 420 mi | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Rivian R1T or the 2026 Ram 1500?
The Rivian R1T wins clearly, 94.5 to 53.7, on fuel & range, safety, performance. The Ram 1500 is ahead on space & cargo. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Rivian R1T scores 94.5 and the 2026 Ram 1500 53.7. 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 Rivian R1T or the 2026 Ram 1500?
2026 Rivian R1T: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 2 recalls. 2026 Ram 1500: 5 NHTSA stars, grade D, 9 recalls. 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 Rivian R1T and the 2026 Ram 1500?
Where the 2026 Rivian R1T wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (3 against 103 filed with NHTSA), is rated 87 combined against 22 (EPA mpg or MPGe), and costs $2,200 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($850 against $3,050). Where the 2026 Ram 1500 answers: it seats 6 against 5.