Compare 2017 Ford F-150 vs 2017 RAM 1500

The 2017 Ford F-150 vs 2017 RAM 1500. What's Your Choice?

Serving Chattanooga, Nashville, and Dalton

In the world of half-ton full-size pickup trucks, there’s no pair of vehicles more evenly matched than the Ford F-150 and the RAM 1500. Ride quality, off-road performance, and a nice selection of engines are the main attributes that they share. And each truck has honed such qualities over several decades. Although the 2017 model year does not seem to present much of a difference between the Ford and RAM trucks at a cursory level, there are certain elements that pull the F-150 ahead of its counterpart from Chrysler.

Engine Power

Ford is generous with its F-150 truck, providing four engines to choose from. Considering that this is a large vehicle, output is of utmost importance. And to maximize hauling or acceleration capability, you should go with the Raptor trim, which is the only F-150 model that has a version of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that generates 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. (It otherwise produces 85 less horsepower and 90 less lb-ft of torque.) Even with its much bigger, 5.7-liter HEMI V8, the 2017 RAM 1500 provides 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, which falls 55 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque short of the F-150’s peak.

Reliability

Renowned car research information company J.D. Power evaluates each new vehicle’s likelihood to develop serious need for repairs in the long term based on reported issues during the first 90 days of ownership. The 2017 Ford F-150 gets 3 ½ Power Circles out of a possible 5, which means that J.D. Power puts its projected reliability at a level that is better than most full-size pickup trucks. The 2017 RAM 1500 gets 3 Power Circles, which is not bad at all, but places it at around average—and definitely lower than its Ford counterpart.

Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crowns the 2017 Ford F-150 a “Top Safety Pick.” This is a designation that the IIHS reserves for vehicles that score the best possible rating of “Good” in every crashworthiness test it administers, as well as a “Basic” rating in front crash prevention. The 2017 RAM 1500 does not have such a designation. Indeed, it scores a less-than-impressive “Marginal” rating in two crashworthiness tests: Small Overlap Front and Roof Strength. The Small Overlap Front test replicates what happens when the front corner of the truck smashes another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole. And the Roof Strength test determines whether the roof is strong enough to prevent occupants from being ejected from the vehicle, especially if they are not wearing safety belts. Thus, in those two crucial categories, the RAM 1500 is deemed less safe than the F-150. Also, the RAM truck does not have a front crash prevention rating, which makes it extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to gauge how effective the truck is terms of crash avoidance and mitigation.

Ready to check out the 2017 Ford F-150 for yourself, instead of the 2017 RAM 1500? Give us a call today at our Ford dealership to set an appointment. At our location, we not only serve the residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee, but also customers from surrounding areas like Lookout Mountain, Collegedale, and Ringgold. One of our Ford F-150 experts will be more than happy to assist you with what you are looking for in your pickup truck.

MSRP excludes destination, taxes, title and registration fees. Starting at MSRP refers to the base model, optional equipment not included. Pricing and offers may change at any time without notification. To get full pricing details, see your dealer.

All figures are EPA estimates. Actual mileage may vary.