There are trucks, and there are tru-uuuu-cks. And if you want the most ridiculous pickups in terms of power, performance and off-road capability, there’s no hotter duo than the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500TRX.
So following the debut of the new V8-powered Raptor R Let’s take a closer look on Monday at how these bad guys compare on paper. Does one truck have a clear advantage over the other, or can these rivals stick together?
Engine and performance
The main difference between the Raptor R and the standard F-150 Raptor is the engine. Instead of using a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, the Raptor R gets a supercharged V8. That makes it a much more formidable foe for the TRX, which also packs mega V8 power.
Powertrain specifications
| Ford F-150 Raptor R | Ram 1500TRX | |
| engine |
Supercharged 5.2L V8 |
Supercharged 6.2L V8 |
| Current |
700 hp |
702 hp |
| Couple |
640 lb.-ft. |
650 lb.-ft. |
| Transfer |
10-speed automatic |
8-speed automatic |
| Motivation |
4WD |
4WD |
| 0-60mph |
To be determined |
4.5 seconds |
Off-road geometry
Given the sheer size and power of these trucks, you probably won’t be using them to tackle extremely technical stretches of tight trails. But when it comes time to hit the rocks or dunes, both the Ford and Ram are well set for success, though the Raptor has a clear advantage here across the board.
Off-road specs
| Ford F-150 Raptor R | Ram 1500TRX | |
| Approach angle |
33.1 gr. |
30.2 gr. |
| Departure corner |
24.9 degrees. |
23.5 gr. |
| Breakthrough corner |
24.4 gr. |
21.9 gr. |
| Ground clearance |
13.1 inches |
11.8 inches |
The Raptor R comes standard with 37-inch tires.
ford
Dimensions
To call these pickups big is an understatement. They are huge in every dimension – so much so that they are required by law to have center amber marker lights because they are so freaking wide. However, as you can see, the dimensions are quite close. No truck really outperforms the other in this category.
Exterior dimensions
| Ford F-150 Raptor R | Ram 1500TRX | |
| wheelbase |
145.4 inches |
145.1 inches |
| Length |
232.6 inches. |
232.9 inches |
| Width |
87.0 inches |
88.0 inches |
| Height |
80.6 inches |
80.9 inches |
| Basic weight |
5,950 pounds (estimated) |
6,350 lbs |
The Ram has slightly less payload and towing capacity than the Ford.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Truck stuff
You can’t talk about pickups without discussing their hauling capabilities. Payload is the amount of weight a truck can carry in its bed, while towing refers to how heavy a trailer can tow. Ford has a small advantage in both categories.
Payload and towing
| Ford F-150 Raptor R | Ram 1500TRX | |
| Maximum payload |
1,400 lbs |
1,310 lbs |
| Maximum drag |
8,700 lbs |
8,100 lbs |
None of these trucks are slow.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Technology
Inside, each truck features a 12-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen running the latest and greatest systems from the respective automakers. For Ford, that means Sync 4 with over-the-air update capability, and for Ram, it’s the easy-to-use Uconnect system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard in both trucks.
These pickups also have many active and passive safety systems. Ford hasn’t specifically detailed anything about the new Raptor R, but since the standard F-150 Raptor comes standard with the Co-Pilot 360 suite of driver assistance technologies, we can’t imagine the R will be any different. Ram offers a similar amount of technology, with things like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and forward collision warning.
Price
So far these crazy pickups seem pretty matched, but when it comes to price, there’s a huge difference. Ford says the Raptor R costs just under $110,000, while the Ram 1500 TRX costs $80,595 including destination. Sure, you can choose a Ram up to a six-digit maximum, but that’s still a pretty steep price to pay.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R will enter production later this year.