Drivers who need reliable, sturdy, and powerful pickups often anxiously await the new year’s offering in the full-size segment from Ram and Ford. They’re something of tastemakers in the full-size pickup market, both putting out terrific pickups year after year. At this point in truck history, this vehicle class has expanded its target market; it’s no longer just for contractors and farmers—many drivers like the feeling of stability and power they get from driving a full-size truck, from parents to entrepreneurs to road trippers.
As a Ram dealer, we see shoppers of every background and lifestyle come to glimpse the Ram 1500 for sale. Appropriately, manufacturers have started tailoring their trim lineup to meet the evolving needs of their customers. One major trend in the truck landscape has been the addition of luxury trims for traditionally work-oriented trucks. Ford has joined the trend with its F-150 King Ranch and Ram with its 1500 Limited.
But shoppers will instantly notice that the Ford F-150 King Ranch is more than $7,000 pricier than the Ram 1500 Limited. The 2024 Ram 1500 Limited has a starting MSRP of $66,055, and the 2024 Ford F-150 King Ranch has a starting MSRP of $73,425.[a] Seeing as that’s no insubstantial price difference, a lot of shoppers ask us if the price tag discrepancy is justified. We looked at these two luxury pickups side by side, assessing and testing out every feature inside and out. Here’s what we found...
Comfort Features
Getting your driver’s seat and pedals into the perfect position is crucial to getting comfortable for long drives. Both of these luxury models boast highly adjustable driver’s seats and power-adjustable pedals, making it easy to get settled before hitting the road. They even both have memory capabilities in the driver’s seat. So, if somebody else drives your truck and adjusts the seat, either one of these models will recall your preferred settings and automatically reset when the engine is turned on.
On the climate front, both vehicles boast automatic dual climate control, so you and a co-pilot can select your respective and preferred temperatures. Both models also offer ventilated and heated front seats, offering full-body climate comfort to you and your front passenger on hot and cold days.
Powertrain Options
This might be one of the most surprising differences between these two trucks: the Ram 1500 Limited has a V8 engine, while the King Ranch has a V6. Given its $7,000+ price hike, many are surprised to learn that the F-150 has what’s considered the less impressive engine. The Ram’s V8 also has eTorque technology, which describes its mild hybrid technology (MHEV), adding a low-voltage battery to the gas engine to boost efficiency. It’s a powertrain that’s getting a lot of buzz, and it’s available at a surprisingly fair price point in the Ram 1500 Limited.
Upholstery & Paneling
Both of these vehicles have upholstery material that’s to be expected of a luxury trim: leather. They also both enjoy a leather-wrapped steering wheel. However, what many drivers like about the Ram 1500 Limited is that it also has beautiful wood accents throughout its interior, adding another level of sophistication you don’t get in the F-150 King Ranch.
Cabin Technology
Today’s drivers expect a lot out of the technology systems in their vehicles. We can confidently say that both of these models deliver. With huge 12.0-inch screens displaying crisp and clear graphics, each one makes it easy for drivers to look at turn-by-turn directions, traffic reports, and more. Plus, they both have smartphone compatibility, so you can load up your favorite apps right there on the screen and control them right there, too. Each vehicle also enjoys voice activation, so you can just speak to the truck and ask it to do things like look up directions or traffic.
On the sound system front, we’ll admit that the F-150 King Ranch has the Ram 1500 Limited beat with a 14-speaker B&O system. Many consider this the best of the best in the sound world. The Ram 1500 Limited has a 10-speaker system, so if you’re serious about your sound system, you might prefer the upscale F-150’s.
Where the Ram does have the Ford truck beat is its keyless entry capabilities. The Ford F-150 has what’s called a keyless entry pad; that means you can open the door without a key, but you’ll need to type in a code on a pad. Meanwhile, the Ram 1500 has a genuine keyless entry function. As long as you have the keyfob on your body, the truck will sense it, and you can just open the door; it will unlock automatically as you approach. Some people appreciate the seamless nature of the Ram’s keyless entry compared to the more hands-on one of the F-150.
Driver Assistance Features
Both of these vehicles do a great job with driver assistance features. Each has a number of features that can help a driver stay in their lane, monitor blind spots, back out of driveways, and more. At first glance, some people might gravitate towards the F-150 King Ranch because it has BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free highway driving technology.
Here’s what drivers should know: BlueCruise only comes with your King Ranch for the first 90 days. After that, you’ll have to pay for it. After the trial ends, drivers can add BlueCruise for $75 a month or $800 a year. So don’t count BlueCruise as one of the “perks” included with the King Ranch’s higher price tag. It’ll be gone before you know it unless you’re willing to pay extra. Alternatively, drivers can choose to add BlueCruise upfront for $2,100, which would bring the King Ranch cost up to almost $76k.
Find Your Ideal Truck at Ruge’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
We do our best to take the guesswork and research out of car shopping for you. We know that there’s a lot to unpack when checking out new vehicles. Most of any model’s best features aren’t apparent at first glance; only when you own and drive the vehicle for a while do you notice all of the things you love (and the things you wish you had), and we want every shopper to know exactly what they’re getting into because a vehicle is a major purchase.
After doing a detailed assessment of the luxury trims of the 2024 Ram 1500 and the 2024 Ford F-150, we can say that they’re both tremendous pickups. However, drivers will need to ask themselves if the added ~$7k is worth it for the F-150 King Ranch. It shares many of the same core luxury features with the Ram 1500 Limited, which costs much less.
If you still aren’t sure which truck fits your needs, just pay us a visit and tell our associates what you want the power to do with your pickup. We have assisted countless drivers in finding the perfect truck for their needs, and we are dedicated to your satisfaction. Our team will know which questions to ask you to get a good sense of what model will work for you. Find your next truck at Ruge’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram today.