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Ram 1500 (DT) vs. F150 Gen 14/14.5

Highway 11

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I recently explored replacing my 2023 2.7 Ecoboost Supercrew XLT due to ongoing quality issues, but ended up keeping it. During this time, I test drove the following vehicles:

2024 Ram 1500 Sport with 5.7L E-Torque
2024 Ford F150 XLT with 3.5L Ecoboost

Additionally, I drove a Powerboost Lariat when I was purchasing my truck. It's an older comparison, but I figured I'd throw it in. Car and Driver constantly raves about the ride in the Ram, and it's frequently mentioned as being a notch above the F150 in interior quality and comfort. I wanted to see what this was all about and to see if the Ram was a decent competitor.

Ram 1500 Likes:
  • It comes with 4A on the Bighorn and Sport trims, where the F150 doesn't have it until the Lariat Trim. I miss this a lot in the grey area between dry roads and full blizzard.
  • I found the seats in it much nicer than the F150. If my XLT's seats aren't set perfectly I'll know it. I melted into the seats in the Ram.
  • The storage in the back is amazing. The folding storage under the seat and the in-floor storage compartments are things I wish I had in my F150 in lieu of my current setup.
  • Stupid, but I liked the key-fob more. It felt more premium than the F150.
  • It takes rough roads a bit better than the F150. The coils do help, but it is a solid rear axle truck. It felt a bit softer than the F150 and I can see why people would say it's more car-like.
  • The interior does feel more premium. The dash was soft-touch where on my XLT it was hard plastic.
  • The centre console packaging is better. Every F150 with a console should come with the work surface, or the lid should split into 2 for additional storage. The Ram spanks the F150 here.
  • It came with full LED lighting. The XLT *still* comes with halogen rears.
Ram 1500 neutral opinions/thoughts:
  • I preferred the hybrid analog and digital setup in the previous Rams. The Ram I drove came with the new digital cluster... and I found some of the ideas behind it great but the execution lacking. There's a screen where navigation replaces the gauges, and the customizability is up there. But in its default state, I found it a bit lacking design wise. Ford on the 21-23 digital cluster and the 24+ cluster took inspiration from analog gauges, but didn't replicate them. I love the nice big speedometer inside the faux analog ring on the F150. Ram had digital needles sweeping on a replica gauge. That can work - see the Mustang. But it was in black and white and the white needles and numbers clashed - the needle became translucent to cover the numbers but all I got was a muddled mess of pixels. Meanwhile, the digital speedometer is in the middle of the screen where other stuff could have gone - I felt even the 21-23 analog/digital hybrid on the XLT302A did better. But I'm a snob about this sort of thing and I've always felt CDJR products have been hit or miss. My old Charger Pursuit had the Spiderman font for all of its gauges and the digital screen design wasn't half bad. My Durango Pursuit had an entirely different font (Agency FB) and a laughably bad digital design. There's no consistency, where at least Ford sticks with the same font and colour scheme.

  • On the engine front... Ram needs more engine variety. It feels like there's a huge gap between the 3.6 Pentastar and the 5.7. The 5.7 is fun to rev out. I've always liked it, though it's long in the tooth. The new Hurricane feels like a competitor to the 3.5 Ecoboost. The 3.6 feels anemic in a Durango, so I have no idea why it's in a Ram - it's like Ford's 3.3 V6. I feel like there's a middle ground they haven't targeted - the people that would go for a 2.7 Ecoboost or 2.7 Turbomax. Not everybody needs the power and towing capacity of the Hurricane/Hemi, but they want something more than the base Pentastar. Plus there's so much character to each engine. I can't speak to the 5.0 as I haven't driven one. The 2.7 wants to go and spin its turbos like a race car. It's fast off the line. The 3.5 comes off the line slightly slower but once it gets going it's like a freight train. The Powerboost advances effortlessly like physics is a joke. With Ram you get V8 roar or U-Haul Fleet.

  • For two trucks that are roughly the same size, the Ram feels a lot smaller. My wife likened it to being in the cockpit of a fighter jet vs. passenger jet. The dash on the F150 feels further away. Some people like the fighter jet feel, some like the flight deck feel.

  • The Ram I looked at has been on the lot for 271 days. Another truck I looked at has been on the lot for 290 days. Just what the heck is going on?
Ram 1500 dislikes:
  • I can't believe Ram is allowed to sell the E-Torque the way it's currently set up. The gas pedal was super twitchy starting off, and when I'd coast to a stop I could feel it activating and slowing me down before I touched the brake pedal. When I test drove the Powerboost, I had to ask my sales rep how to tell it was switching back and forth because it was that smooth. It wasn't twitchy and yet it would get up and go when asked.
  • It's still made of steel and not aluminum. I live in the land of Maple Syrup and road brine.
  • I was busy driving, so this one is from my wife. UConnect was extremely laggy and she managed to lock it up changing the climate controls. She commented on how much she likes the buttons on the F150 and the aspect ratio of the screen - The Ram screen seems smaller than it actually is. Android Auto only runs on half the screen and it's laughably small.
  • The gear shift knob is easy to reach and I prefer it over the folding gear shift. But why does it feel so cheap?
  • I've been spoiled by the F150. Boxlink might be useless, but it exists and I can bolt something there. I can also get into my bed using the tailgate step. Ram has a few tie-downs and a bumper step. It felt very downmarket.
  • There's no steering feel. The power steering is over-boosted. It's precise, but I had no feedback.
  • Tech-wise, it's far behind. The dealership I was at scoured their entire inventory and didn't have a model with 360 cameras, trailer brake control, or trailer backup assist. Their hybrid system is a larger alternator... vs. a hybrid that can power your entire house.
  • RamConnect is 200 CAD+ a year. Fordpass is free.
  • This is going to sound petty, but this bothered me the most. The turn signal stalk is mounted 1/2 to 1 inch forward of where it is on the F150. I had to break my grip on the steering wheel and twist around the back to use the turn signal, where on the F150 I straighten my fingers out and flick the turn signal.
  • I'm annoyed by how much I like the keypad on my F150 and how heartbroken I'd be if I had to give it up.
In sum, the Ram does certain things well, but there's a reason I'm in an F150. That said, every coworker I know with a Ram loves it, so it's not like it's a bad truck by any means.
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nomarhits400

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I recently explored replacing my 2023 2.7 Ecoboost Supercrew XLT due to ongoing quality issues, but ended up keeping it. During this time, I test drove the following vehicles:

2024 Ram 1500 Sport with 5.7L E-Torque
2024 Ford F150 XLT with 3.5L Ecoboost

Additionally, I drove a Powerboost Lariat when I was purchasing my truck. It's an older comparison, but I figured I'd throw it in. Car and Driver constantly raves about the ride in the Ram, and it's frequently mentioned as being a notch above the F150 in interior quality and comfort. I wanted to see what this was all about and to see if the Ram was a decent competitor.

Ram 1500 Likes:
  • It comes with 4A on the Bighorn and Sport trims, where the F150 doesn't have it until the Lariat Trim. I miss this a lot in the grey area between dry roads and full blizzard.
  • I found the seats in it much nicer than the F150. If my XLT's seats aren't set perfectly I'll know it. I melted into the seats in the Ram.
  • The storage in the back is amazing. The folding storage under the seat and the in-floor storage compartments are things I wish I had in my F150 in lieu of my current setup.
  • Stupid, but I liked the key-fob more. It felt more premium than the F150.
  • It takes rough roads a bit better than the F150. The coils do help, but it is a solid rear axle truck. It felt a bit softer than the F150 and I can see why people would say it's more car-like.
  • The interior does feel more premium. The dash was soft-touch where on my XLT it was hard plastic.
  • The centre console packaging is better. Every F150 with a console should come with the work surface, or the lid should split into 2 for additional storage. The Ram spanks the F150 here.
  • It came with full LED lighting. The XLT *still* comes with halogen rears.
Ram 1500 neutral opinions/thoughts:
  • I preferred the hybrid analog and digital setup in the previous Rams. The Ram I drove came with the new digital cluster... and I found some of the ideas behind it great but the execution lacking. There's a screen where navigation replaces the gauges, and the customizability is up there. But in its default state, I found it a bit lacking design wise. Ford on the 21-23 digital cluster and the 24+ cluster took inspiration from analog gauges, but didn't replicate them. I love the nice big speedometer inside the faux analog ring on the F150. Ram had digital needles sweeping on a replica gauge. That can work - see the Mustang. But it was in black and white and the white needles and numbers clashed - the needle became translucent to cover the numbers but all I got was a muddled mess of pixels. Meanwhile, the digital speedometer is in the middle of the screen where other stuff could have gone - I felt even the 21-23 analog/digital hybrid on the XLT302A did better. But I'm a snob about this sort of thing and I've always felt CDJR products have been hit or miss. My old Charger Pursuit had the Spiderman font for all of its gauges and the digital screen design wasn't half bad. My Durango Pursuit had an entirely different font (Agency FB) and a laughably bad digital design. There's no consistency, where at least Ford sticks with the same font and colour scheme.

  • On the engine front... Ram needs more engine variety. It feels like there's a huge gap between the 3.6 Pentastar and the 5.7. The 5.7 is fun to rev out. I've always liked it, though it's long in the tooth. The new Hurricane feels like a competitor to the 3.5 Ecoboost. The 3.6 feels anemic in a Durango, so I have no idea why it's in a Ram - it's like Ford's 3.3 V6. I feel like there's a middle ground they haven't targeted - the people that would go for a 2.7 Ecoboost or 2.7 Turbomax. Not everybody needs the power and towing capacity of the Hurricane/Hemi, but they want something more than the base Pentastar. Plus there's so much character to each engine. I can't speak to the 5.0 as I haven't driven one. The 2.7 wants to go and spin its turbos like a race car. It's fast off the line. The 3.5 comes off the line slightly slower but once it gets going it's like a freight train. The Powerboost advances effortlessly like physics is a joke. With Ram you get V8 roar or U-Haul Fleet.

  • For two trucks that are roughly the same size, the Ram feels a lot smaller. My wife likened it to being in the cockpit of a fighter jet vs. passenger jet. The dash on the F150 feels further away. Some people like the fighter jet feel, some like the flight deck feel.

  • The Ram I looked at has been on the lot for 271 days. Another truck I looked at has been on the lot for 290 days. Just what the heck is going on?
Ram 1500 dislikes:
  • I can't believe Ram is allowed to sell the E-Torque the way it's currently set up. The gas pedal was super twitchy starting off, and when I'd coast to a stop I could feel it activating and slowing me down before I touched the brake pedal. When I test drove the Powerboost, I had to ask my sales rep how to tell it was switching back and forth because it was that smooth. It wasn't twitchy and yet it would get up and go when asked.
  • It's still made of steel and not aluminum. I live in the land of Maple Syrup and road brine.
  • I was busy driving, so this one is from my wife. UConnect was extremely laggy and she managed to lock it up changing the climate controls. She commented on how much she likes the buttons on the F150 and the aspect ratio of the screen - The Ram screen seems smaller than it actually is. Android Auto only runs on half the screen and it's laughably small.
  • The gear shift knob is easy to reach and I prefer it over the folding gear shift. But why does it feel so cheap?
  • I've been spoiled by the F150. Boxlink might be useless, but it exists and I can bolt something there. I can also get into my bed using the tailgate step. Ram has a few tie-downs and a bumper step. It felt very downmarket.
  • There's no steering feel. The power steering is over-boosted. It's precise, but I had no feedback.
  • Tech-wise, it's far behind. The dealership I was at scoured their entire inventory and didn't have a model with 360 cameras, trailer brake control, or trailer backup assist. Their hybrid system is a larger alternator... vs. a hybrid that can power your entire house.
  • RamConnect is 200 CAD+ a year. Fordpass is free.
  • This is going to sound petty, but this bothered me the most. The turn signal stalk is mounted 1/2 to 1 inch forward of where it is on the F150. I had to break my grip on the steering wheel and twist around the back to use the turn signal, where on the F150 I straighten my fingers out and flick the turn signal.
  • I'm annoyed by how much I like the keypad on my F150 and how heartbroken I'd be if I had to give it up.
In sum, the Ram does certain things well, but there's a reason I'm in an F150. That said, every coworker I know with a Ram loves it, so it's not like it's a bad truck by any means.
Very nicely done- Great write up…. I’m really interested to see how their new engines stack up over the next few years- and how Ford responds.
 
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Highway 11

Highway 11

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Not quite a direct response, but more a tangential rant.

I think, based on inflation in pricing, that battle is going to be fought in the lower trims.

I make decent money compared to most Canadians and my monthly payment is roughly 500 CAD. I can't in good conscience justify a Lariat. In the middle of the COVID shortages I was able to swing a significant discount on my 2023 XLT. If you put me in the circumstances I had in late 2022, and told me to go buy the same truck today, my payment would be 700 CAD. That's a 76,000 CAD XLT. A Lariat can hit six figures and earn itself a 20% luxury tax on top of a 13% sales tax (Yeah our government doesn't like us very much.)

So what option does your average blue-collar Canadian or American have? I would say that an XLT is now out of his reach. He's going to be looking at an XL or an STX if he's not buying used.

That is where the battle will be fought. If Ford can bring value to those lower trims, then they'll have an edge over the other companies. If Ram can pull the same magic they did with the Ram Classic, then they'll have the edge.
 

JExpedition07

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100% with you, pricing is beyond crazy. The fact my STX was $51,000 sticker with manual seats is bizzare. I love the truck but critical analysis tells me even with my X-Plan I overpaid.
 

fordhouston

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i miss my Ram.. i would have ordered a nice one during the 2021/2022 vehicle shortage if they were easier to come across.
 

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STM

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Very detailed and nuanced review! Thank you for sharing!
I guess there is a good reason why the f150 way out sells the competition! While no truck, including the f150 is perfect, the f150s have it more right than wrong!
 

TDHAWKS

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I currently have a 22 Laramie and I’m thinking about switching over to a 24 lariat or platinum. Nothing wrong with my ram whatsoever, just like the looks of the F150.

What confuses me about Ford is they have their different trims but also different equipment packages. The lariat has the 502 a package where the platinum has the 701 a package. What is the main difference between the two?

My ram is fully loaded and I do not want to switch vehicles to something that doesn’t have everything that I already have .
 
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Highway 11

Highway 11

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So the first number states the trim (XL=1, STX=2, XLT=3, Tremor=4, Lariat=5, King Ranch=6, Platinum=7, Raptor=8, etc.) The last number states the level within that trim. I think you can safely ignore the A and middle digit.

I currently have a 302A. In 2023, XLTs were available in 300A, 301A, 302A. 300A would be the most spartan XLT while 302A would be the nicest XLT.

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/2024-f-150-order-guide-updated-with-job-2-guide.19560/

There's a document in that post stating exactly what you get with each trim.
 

Calson

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In terms of the Hi-lock type of transfer case there are also two models from Chevy with the AT4 in the lineup. The Chevy trucks with the Z71 off-road package come with hill descent control, heavy duty air filter, and a transfer case that provide 4WD Auto mode, Hi mode, and Lo mode. In 4WD Low the transfer case clutch maintains a high preemptive coupling torque to maximize traction and improve wheel control when climbing or descending steep grades or obstacles.

This is available with the Chevy RST 4WD and with the much less expensive Chevy WT 4WD and both models come with a 36-gallon gas tank standard.
 

Chili

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Ford absolutely needs to start putting 4a in XLT trucks. Next gen I'd like to see that and bumper steps. I like my tailgate do-dad but the bumper step just makes sense.
 

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In terms of the Hi-lock type of transfer case there are also two models from Chevy with the AT4 in the lineup. The Chevy trucks with the Z71 off-road package come with hill descent control, heavy duty air filter, and a transfer case that provide 4WD Auto mode, Hi mode, and Lo mode. In 4WD Low the transfer case clutch maintains a high preemptive coupling torque to maximize traction and improve wheel control when climbing or descending steep grades or obstacles.

This is available with the Chevy RST 4WD and with the much less expensive Chevy WT 4WD and both models come with a 36-gallon gas tank standard.
You can install the hi-loc transfer case on any trim but the PB due to the drive shaft length difference (though you can have yours shortened vs buying the proper length). Hi-loc case needs a shorter drive shaft. I don't believe ANY GM truck has a hi-loc case option. They're all just clutch based TOD 2 speeds like every lariat/plat/limited has and they do give up in heavy off roading reverting into 2WD. I believe getting the GMs to fail is as simple as exceeding 50% throttle.

If you're heavy into off-roading, the XLT case is a better option lacking the clutch, only having locked 4WD.
 

Calson

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The Chevy and GM Z71 package provides 4A along with hill descent control and an Eaton auto locking rear differential. The truck also gets a 2" lift and Rancho monotube shocks and skid plates. A very good value at less than $1,000 for the Z71 package.
 

Samson16

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With 570 lb/ft of torque available I attached a complete GMC Canyon to each wheel hub and now rule over truckdom with kindness and compassion for all.
 

HammaMan

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The Chevy and GM Z71 package provides 4A along with hill descent control and an Eaton auto locking rear differential. The truck also gets a 2" lift and Rancho monotube shocks and skid plates. A very good value at less than $1,000 for the Z71 package.
Tremor / raptor have torsen optional in front (members self install in any trim), FX4 as well as any truck can get a rear locker, it's standard on many packages. Shocks are nothing special, nor are spacer blocks. I mean, it sounds like their marketing is effective for you at least. Reality is they're meh offroad performers.
 
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Highway 11

Highway 11

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Honest question: How many people with off road packages actually use them?

(I say that as someone who bought the FX4 for shits and giggles.)
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