North Georgia Ford Compares 2017 Ford F-150 VS 2017 Ram 1500 Near Calhoun, GA

The rear seatbelts optional on the F-150 SuperCrew inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The F-150 Raptor/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum offers an optional collision warning system, which detects an impending crash through forward mounted sensors and flashes a bright light and sounds a loud, distinctive tone to warn the driver to brake or maneuver immediately to avoid a collision. The system also pre-charges the brakes to begin deceleration more quickly. The Ram 1500 doesn't offer a collision warning system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the F-150 4x4’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Ford F-150 has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The F-150 (except XL/XLT)’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The F-150 Lariat/Raptor/King Ranch/Platinum offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ram 1500 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing safer, the F-150 (except XL)’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the F-150 and the Ram 1500 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, available four-wheel drive and blind spot warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford F-150 is safer than the Ram 1500:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Ford F-150 SuperCab is safer than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford F-150 is safer than the Ram 1500:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) performs roof strength tests. In that test the F-150 earned the top rating of “Good” because its roof supported over four times the F-150’s weight before being crushed five inches. The Ram 1500 was rated two rankings lower at “Marginal.”

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the F-150 the rating of “Top Pick” for 2016, a rating granted to only 102 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Ram 1500 is not a “Top Pick” for 2016.

There are over 66 percent more Ford dealers than there are Ram dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the F-150’s warranty.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the F-150 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Ram 1500.

The F-150 has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the F-150’s reliability will be 61% better than the Ram 1500.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2016 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Ram vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 11th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ram is ranked 18th, below the industry average.

The F-150 has more powerful engines than the Ram 1500:

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford F-150 twin turbo V6 is faster than the Ram 1500 V8:

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

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

The F-150’s optional fuel tank has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Ram 1500’s optional fuel tank (36 vs. 32 gallons).

The F-150 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

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

For better traction, the F-150 Raptor’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ram 1500 (315/70R17 vs. 285/45R22).

The Ford F-150’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ram 1500 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the F-150’s wheelbase is longer than on the Ram 1500:

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the F-150 is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Ram 1500.

The F-150 5.5 ft. bed Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 handles at .76 G’s, while the Ram 1500 short bed Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The F-150 6.5 ft. bed SuperCab 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Ram 1500 short bed Rebel Crew Cab 4x4 (28.5 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the F-150 6.5 ft. bed SuperCrew has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Ram 1500 standard bed Regular Cab (9.3 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the F-150 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The F-150 Raptor SuperCab’s minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the Ram 1500 short bed Crew Cab w/Air Suspension (11.5 vs. 10.8 inches).

The Ford F-150 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 450 pounds less than the Ram 1500.

The F-150 8 ft. bed Regular Cab is 3.1 inches shorter than the Ram 1500 long bed Regular Cab, making the F-150 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The F-150 Regular Cab has .9 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front legroom and .7 inches more front shoulder room than the Ram 1500 Regular Cab.

The F-150 SuperCab has 2.9 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ram 1500 Quad Cab.

The F-150 SuperCrew has 2.9 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab.

The F-150 shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Regular Cab shortbed (62.3 vs. 57.5 cubic feet). The F-150 Regular Cab longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Regular Cab longbed (77.4 vs. 74.7 cubic feet).

The F-150 SuperCrew shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab shortbed (52.8 vs. 50.3 cubic feet). The F-150 SuperCrew longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Ram 1500 Crew Cab longbed (62.3 vs. 57.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the F-150 easier. The F-150 Regular Cab’s bed lift-over height is 34.7 inches, while the Ram 1500 Regular Cab’s liftover is 34.8 inches. The F-150 SuperCab’s bed lift-over height is 34.1 inches, while the Ram 1500 Quad Cab’s liftover is 34.6 inches. The F-150 SuperCrew’s bed lift-over height is 34 inches, while the Ram 1500 Crew Cab’s liftover is 34.6 inches.

A standard locking glovebox and optional locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the F-150. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Ford F-150 offers an optional Tailgate Step, which folds out and allows for much easier access to the cargo area. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer a rear cargo step.

The F-150 XLT/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ram 1500 Quad/Crew Cab’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the F-150 XLT/Raptor/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s exterior keypad. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system, and its extra cost UConnect Access can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Intelligent Access optional on the F-150 (except XL/XLT) allows you to unlock the driver’s door, tailgate and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading cargo, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Ram 1500’s available Keyless Enter ‘n Go doesn’t unlock the tailgate.

The F-150’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ram 1500’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the F-150 (except XL/XLT) offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The F-150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s optional Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Ram 1500 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the F-150 is less expensive to operate than the Ram 1500 because typical repairs cost less on the F-150 than the Ram 1500, including $130 less for a water pump and $36 less for front struts.

The Ford F-150 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its February 2015 issue and they ranked the Ford F-150 5.5 ft. bed Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 first. They ranked the Ram 1500 short bed Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 third.

The Ford F-Series outsold the Ram Pickup by 69% during the 2016 model year.