When shopping for a full-size pickup truck, the choice often comes down to half-ton models from Ford and Ram. As the longtime leader at the top of the proverbial hill, the Ford F-150 offers excellent value with iterations that offer luxury-level interiors, class-leading fuel economy and excellent consumer ratings. In recent years, Ram’s continuous improvement efforts paid off, with the Ram 1500 matching or surpassing the top-ranked Ford in areas such as driving dynamics, comfort and utility.
Edmunds presented a side-by-side comparison of features and ratings for popular full-size pickup trucks, including the 2023 Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab with a 78-inch truck bed and the 2022 Ram 1500 Tradesman Quad Cab with a 76 inch cab. bed. While both brands offer several models in various cab and bed configurations, which we’ll cover in other sections, these two represent a solid basis for comparison.
2023 Ford F-150 XL Overview
According to Ford’s online price and build tool, the 2023 Ford F-150 XL 78-inch standard two-door regular cab mentioned in Edmunds’ comparison has an estimated net price of $35,590 before any incentives . This model features a 3.3-liter V6 that delivers up to 290 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque with Auto Start/Stop technology for improved fuel efficiency and Flex-Fuel capability. In addition, a 10-speed electronic automatic transmission provides smooth shifting to deliver optimal power to the rear two-wheel drive system in any situation.
Other standard features of the F-150 XL in the “XL Standard Equipment Group” include:
- cruise control
- Automatic headlights: on/off and high beam
- Electric locks: doors and tailgate
- Electric windows
- Air conditioning
- Pre-collision assistance with automatic emergency braking (PCA-AEB)
- Gauges and meters: oil pressure, transmission temperature, engine coolant temperature and tachometer, in addition to the typical set
- intermittent wipers
- Tilt/telescopic steering wheel column
- Fabric upholstery
- Six user-selectable driving modes
While the 2023 Ford F-150 XL regular cab is well-equipped for the price, it’s also available in Super Cab and Crew Cab models and short and long bed configurations. Other F-150 trims include XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, Tremor and Raptor, each with varying degrees of luxury, performance and rugged off-road utility.
2022 Ram 1500 Tradesman Specifications
According to Ram’s online price and build tool, the 2022 Ram 1500 Tradesman mentioned in the Edmunds comparison has an estimated net price of $38,985. The 1500 Tradesman features a 305-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 with auto start/stop and 269 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, an eight-speed automatic transmission requires fewer shift points to deliver power to the Tradesman’s standard two-wheel-drive rear differential.
The standard equipment list for the 2022 Ram 1500 Tradesman includes:
- Automatic headlights: on/off
- Heated and electrically adjustable side mirrors
- Air conditioning
- Electric locks – doors
- Electric windows
- variable intermittent wipers
- cruise control
- Gauges and meters: oil pressure, engine coolant temperature, engine hour meter, voltmeter and tachometer in addition to the typical set
- Tilt/telescopic steering wheel column
- Vinyl upholstery
In addition to two-wheel or four-wheel drive options, the Ram 1500 Tradesman comes in a double cab configuration with a choice between the 67-inch short bed and the 76-inch standard bed. Other versions of the 2022 Ram 1500 include the Tradesman HFE, Big Horn, Laramie, Rebel, Limited Longhorn, Limited and TRX, each with various cab/bed configurations and transmission options.
Ford F-150 2023 vs. Ram 1500 2022
Despite its higher estimated net price of $3,395, the 2022 Ram 1500 offers fewer standard features, making the Ford a better value. The F-150 also enjoys other advantages, winning categories such as:
- Highest ratings from Edmunds and consumers
- Pre-collision assistance with AEB
- Standard parking assistance
- Compatible with flex-fuel
- Longer truck bed
- Less depreciation
- Lower costs of ownership
Ram 1500 benefits include:
- Keyless ignition
- Horsepower
- Fuel economy
- Seating capacity
- Lower expected maintenance costs
While the Ram 1500, by comparison, is more expensive, it also features a larger four-door cabin configuration with seating for six. Ford’s standard driver assistance features and lower ownership costs make it the most valuable base model. However, if you’re shopping for either of these models as a daily driver family vehicle, consider comparing the Ford F-150 XLT and the Ram 1500 Big Horn for a little more comfort and style.
