The 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX are two of the wildest, fastest, and most go-anywhere examples of full-size pickup trucks. Few vehicles short of a desert dune buggy or military-grade vehicle come close to matching the capabilities of these audacious machines.
Ford gave the F-150 a welcome refresh this model year. The exterior and interior are updated, though the same basic formula has kept the F-150 so popular for so long. Ford said it streamlined the F-150’s ordering process, though considering the Raptor is the top dog of the range, it’s pretty easy to spec.
That holds true with the mighty Ram 1500 TRX. It has the most ferocious engine available in this crowd-pleasing pickup. We’ve always raved about the Ram 1500’s supple ride and high-quality cabin appointments. Is that enough to fend off the updated Ford F-150 Raptor?
Let’s compare them to find out.
2024 Ford F-150 Raptor
With a truck like the Ford F-150 Raptor, you can’t be shy about making big entrances. It has been designed and engineered to handle all types of surfaces, especially desert dune driving. Pricing starts at $80,325, including destination fees.
Ford F-150 Raptor Highlights
Twin-turbo V6: Beneath the Raptor’s helipad-size hood is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that produces 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. Four-wheel drive is standard. This engine gets the Ford F-150 Raptor down the road (or off the road) with authority and provides 8,200 pounds of towing capacity.
Infotainment: Ford did its homework when updating the 12-inch touchscreen now found on every F-150. It’s intuitive and comes with sought-after features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also features over-the-air updates and advanced voice recognition.
Raptor R: Oh, did we almost forget to mention the Raptor with more bite? The Ford F-150 Raptor R comes with a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 that sends 720 hp to all four wheels. This cranks up performance considerably, and the acoustics of this engine are even better than those of the twin-turbo V6. Just understand that this engine swap costs about $20,000 extra.
Ride quality: Believe it or not, the Raptor (and Raptor R) are very comfortable in all types of everyday driving situations. Getting in or out might require a trampoline, and forget about trying to slot this beast into curbside parking spots. But all in all, the suspension of the Ford F-150 Raptor proves very impressive.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the F-150 models near you.
2024 Ram 1500 TRX
You’re going to have to move fast if you want to put a Ram 1500 TRX in your garage or driveway. That’s because this marks the final model year for this oversized muscle car with a cargo bed out back. Much like the V8-powered Dodge Challenger coupe and Charger sedan have driven off into the sunset, so goes the 1500 TRX. To mark the occasion, Ram is offering the 2024 model as the TRX Final Edition, which features new colors and unique interior trim. Pricing starts at $98,335.
Ram 1500 TRX Highlights
Supercharged Hellcat engine: How could the star of the show be anything other than the bonkers 702-hp supercharged “Hellcat” V8? We’ve loved this engine in the Challenger and Charger, and we still love it here when it’s tasked with moving more than three tons of truck down the road. Accelerating from a standstill to 60 mph takes about 4.5 seconds.
Upscale interior: True to tradition, the TRX benefits from the Ram brand’s propensity for creating classy and luxurious truck cabins. A couple of cool features in the TRX include a flat-bottom steering wheel and manual shift mode for the transmission.
Two-tone exterior colors: We think TRX Final Edition buyers will love the eight two-tone color schemes available. These schemes basically contrast the truck’s body with its chunky black fender flares, black bumpers, and get-out-of-my-way black grille.
UConnect infotainment: Like the Ford F-150, the 1500 TRX is gifted with one of our favorite infotainment systems. The 12-inch screen is simple to navigate while driving and has especially large and clear menus.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Ram 1500 models near you.
Similarities
These two extroverted silly-fast pickups are aimed at the exact same type of truck buyer. Granted, the Ford F-150 Raptor in non-R format is slightly less insane (and less pricey). Their spacious 5-passenger cabins offer loads of stretch-out space, plus they have nearly identical cargo bed lengths.
Conclusion
We think you should test drive both simply because each is hilariously fun to drive. However, you might be less enamored with navigating tight traffic and narrow parking lanes. And let’s not talk about fuel economy — spoiler alert: It’s not great.
The updated Ford F-150 is already a great truck and one that has a trophy cabinet full of our awards. So you can’t go wrong if the Raptor is your pick. On the other hand, the Ram 1500 TRX is going away soon, and this version is not only awesome in terms of performance, but it could also prove to be a future collectible.
| 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor | 2024 Ram 1500 TRX | |
| Starting Price | $80,325 | $98,335 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | Twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 | Supercharged 6.2-liter V8 |
| Horsepower | 450 hp @ 5,850 rpm | 702 hp @ 6,100 rpm |
| Torque | 510 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm | 650 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Fuel economy | 14 city/18 highway/16 combined mpg | 10 city/14 highway/12 combined mpg |
| Also Available | Supercharged 5.2-liter V8 | |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 star | 5 star |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 145.4 inches | 145.1 inches |
| Overall Length | 232.6 inches | 232.9 inches |
| Width | 86.6 inches | 88.0 inches |
| Height | 79.8 inches | 80.9 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 48.0 feet | 48.3 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 40.8 inches | 40.9 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 40.4 inches | 39.8 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 43.9 inches | 40.9 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 43.6 inches | 45.2 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 66.6 inches | 66.0 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 65.8 inches | 65.7 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 52.8 cubic feet | 53.9 cubic feet |
