Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500: Which Full-Size Truck to Buy

The F-150 is the stronger work truck on paper: Ford rates it at up to 13,500 lb of towing versus 11,610 lb for the Ram 1500, and it still offers a regular cab and a V8. The Ram 1500 counters with a coil-spring rear suspension and a 540-hp Hurricane six. Base 2026 prices start at $37,290 and $42,025.

By CarWhere Research · Updated November 3, 2026

F-150 vs Ram 1500 engines and capability

2026 Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500 engines: horsepower and torque
Engine	Truck	Output
2.7L EcoBoost V6	F-150	325 hp / 400 lb-ft
3.5L EcoBoost V6	F-150	400 hp / 500 lb-ft
5.0L V8	F-150	400 hp / 410 lb-ft
3.5L PowerBoost full hybrid V6	F-150	430 hp / 570 lb-ft
5.2L supercharged V8 (Raptor R)	F-150	720 hp / 640 lb-ft
5.7L HEMI V8 with eTorque	Ram 1500	395 hp / 410 lb-ft
3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 (standard output)	Ram 1500	420 hp / 469 lb-ft
3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 (high output)	Ram 1500	540 hp / 521 lb-ft

Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500: manufacturer maximum towing and payload, cabs and rear suspension
Measure	Ford F-150 (2026)	Ram 1500 (2026)
Max conventional towing (lb)	13,500	11,610
Max payload (lb)	2,440	2,360
Cabs	Regular, SuperCab, SuperCrew	Quad Cab, Crew Cab
Rear suspension	Leaf springs, solid axle (5-link coil on Raptor)	Five-link coil springs; air suspension available

Ford: 2026 F-150 technical specifications. Ram: ramtrucks.com 2026 Ram 1500 pages, read November 2026. Ratings vary by cab, bed, axle and options — confirm on the door-jamb label of the exact truck.

The 5.7L HEMI returned to the Ram 1500 for 2026 after a one-year absence. The F-150 keeps the widest choice: a naturally aspirated V8, two EcoBoost V6s and a full hybrid with up to 7.2 kW of exportable power. Engine-by-engine detail lives in Ford research.

F-150 vs Ram 1500 price

2026 base MSRP, Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500, excluding destination
Configuration	Ford F-150 (USD)	Ram 1500 (USD)
Cheapest truck	$37,290 (XL Regular Cab 4x2)	$42,025 (Tradesman Quad Cab 4x2)
Cheapest crew cab 4x4	$47,820 (XL SuperCrew)	$48,175 (Tradesman Crew Cab)
Luxury crew 4x4	$72,600 (Platinum)	$76,405 (Limited)
Performance off-roader	$79,005 (Raptor)	$73,795 (RHO)

2026 model-year base MSRPs before options and destination, compiled by CarWhere on November 2, 2026.

Dealer cost context for each trim is on the F-150 dealer invoice price pages; your target price depends on trim, region and current incentives.

F-150 vs Ram 1500 depreciation

Median asking price by age from CarWhere's live-listing study.

F-150 vs Ram 1500: median used asking price and percent below new, by age
Age	F-150 median price (USD)	F-150 below new (%)	Ram 1500 median price (USD)	Ram 1500 below new (%)
New (2026)	$66,338	—	$63,944	—
1 year old	$44,865	32.4%	$41,210	35.6%
3 years old	$39,968	39.8%	$36,754	42.5%
5 years old	$31,977	51.8%	$31,148	51.3%
8 years old	$23,199	65%	$19,163	70%

CarWhere live-listing depreciation study, data as of 2026-10-25. “Below new” compares the median asking price of that model year with the median price of a new one today; model-level medians mix trims, cabs and options. Full curves: F-150 depreciation and Ram 1500 depreciation.

F-150 vs Ram 1500 reliability and mileage

CarWhere’s NHTSA owner-complaint analysis flags these model years to avoid — F-150: 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023; Ram 1500: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022. In live listings, 38.2% of used F-150s and 35% of used Ram 1500s show more than 100,000 miles. Details: F-150 years to avoid, Ram 1500 years to avoid.

Which should you buy?

F-150 — for maximum towing and payload, a regular cab or 8-ft box, the V8 or the hybrid. See the F-150 build sheet page for which packages matter.
Ram 1500 — for ride comfort, the Hurricane high-output six and cabin finish.
Also comparing — F-150 vs Chevy Silverado, or transaction prices on the F-150 vs Ram price comparison.

Shopping a used F-150? Check what it left the factory with

Check the exact factory options and packages of the F-150 you are looking at before you buy — engine, axle ratio, tow package and equipment group. Enter the VIN on the Ford build sheet page: the availability check is free, and you pay $9.99 only if detailed build data exists for that truck.

Ford build sheet by VIN

Free availability check first · $9.99 one-time only if detailed build data exists for the VIN · no subscription

FAQ

Does the F-150 or Ram 1500 tow more?

The F-150. Ford rates the 2026 F-150 at up to 13,500 lb (3.5L EcoBoost SuperCrew 4x4 with the Max Trailer Tow Package); Ram rates the 2026 Ram 1500 at up to 11,610 lb with the standard-output 3.0L Hurricane when properly equipped. Ford also lists a higher maximum payload, 2,440 lb versus Ram’s 2,360 lb.

Does the Ram 1500 ride better than the F-150?

The Ram 1500 uses a five-link coil-spring rear suspension, with air suspension available, while the F-150 uses leaf springs and a solid axle on every trim except the Raptor. Coil springs generally give a smoother unladen ride; leaf springs are simpler and suit heavy loads. Test-drive both with the load you carry.

Is the Ram 1500 more expensive than the F-150?

At the entry level, yes. The cheapest 2026 Ram 1500 (Tradesman Quad Cab 4x2) starts around $42,025 versus $37,290 for an F-150 XL Regular Cab 4x2, because Ram no longer sells a regular-cab 1500. Crew-cab 4x4 trucks start within a few hundred dollars of each other.

Which holds value better, the F-150 or Ram 1500?

About the same through five years. In CarWhere’s live-listing study (data as of 2026-10-25), five-year-old F-150s listed a median 51.8% below the new-truck median and five-year-old Ram 1500s 51.3% below. The gap widens at eight years.

Which is more reliable, the F-150 or the Ram 1500?

It depends on the model year. CarWhere’s NHTSA complaint analysis flags 7 F-150 years and 6 Ram 1500 years to avoid. Use the year-by-year pages before you choose a specific truck.

Sources

Ford — 2026 F-150 Technical Specifications (03/31/26 v1.1) — engines, towing, payload, suspension
Ram — 2026 Ram 1500 frequently asked questions — max towing 11,610 lb, max payload 2,360 lb
Ram — 2026 Ram 1500 RHO engine performance — Hurricane high-output 540 hp / 521 lb-ft
Ram — 2026 Ram 1500 4x4 engine performance — Hurricane standard output 420 hp / 469 lb-ft; 5.7L HEMI
CarWhere — Car depreciation by model (live-listing study)
CarWhere — Ford reliability by model (NHTSA complaints)

Towing, payload and output are manufacturer maximums for properly equipped trucks and are not achievable simultaneously. Base MSRPs are 2026 model-year manufacturer prices excluding destination, compiled by CarWhere on November 2, 2026. Used-market figures come from licensed vehicle-data providers, aggregated by CarWhere.