2023 Ram 2500 v. 2023 Ford F-250
For the majority of their history, heavy-duty trucks were primarily associated with commercial purposes, often used by fleets and on job sites. However, over the past few decades, these exceptionally powerful and capable vehicles have found their way into the driveways and garages of everyday consumers. Various factors drive consumers to choose heavy-duty trucks, whether it’s for hauling sizable horse trailers or campers or meeting the needs of small business owners. This evaluation centers on two prominent contenders within this segment: the 2023 Ford F-250 Super Duty and the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. These trucks are celebrated for their outstanding capabilities. Nevertheless, when considering aspects like pricing, reliability, safety, and more, how do they compare head-to-head?
Pricing
It’s important to grasp that heavy-duty trucks come with impressive performance capabilities, but they typically come at a higher cost compared to their light-duty counterparts. The entry-level trim for the 2023 Ram 2500 is the Tradesman, with a starting price of $46,050*. Moving up the trim levels, the Big Horn begins at $50,780*, followed by the Laramie at $63,480*. If you’re looking for off-road capabilities, both the Rebel and Power Wagon trims start at approximately $70,000*. Stepping into the more luxurious options, the Limited Longhorn has a starting price of $83,920*, while the range-topping Limited begins at $87,765*. (*plus destination fee)
The Ford F-250 kicks things off with the base XL trim, which starts at $43,970*. Moving up, the XLT trim begins at $50,105, while the Lariat starts at $61,410*. For those seeking a higher level of luxury, the King Ranch has a starting price of $75,975*, and the Platinum starts at $76,865*. At the pinnacle of the lineup, the F-250 Super Duty Limited starts at $96,095*. (*plus destination fee)
Off-Roading Chops
The Ram 2500 offers two off-road-oriented trims, namely the Rebel and the Power Wagon. The Rebel is equipped with under-body skid plates, Bilstein off-road shocks, 11 inches of ground clearance, and an electronically locking rear differential. On the other hand, the Power Wagon includes all these features and adds a front-mounted winch for enhanced off-road capability. In the Ford F-250 lineup, buyers will find three off-road packages: the XL Off-Road package, the FX4 Off-Road package, and the Tremor Off-Road package. The Tremor package stands out with its 35-inch tires, performance shocks, and vent tubes designed for water fording, enhancing the truck’s off-road capabilities.
Safety
The Ram 2500 has undergone safety assessments by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), resulting in an overall safety rating of four out of five stars. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) did not conduct tests on the Ram 2500. On the other hand, neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has conducted safety evaluations for Ford’s pickup. Both the Ford and Ram trucks offer a range of optional advanced driver-assistance technologies. They both come equipped with a standard backup camera and offer additional driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert as optional upgrades.
Explore our latest Ram Trucks inventory here at University Dodge and schedule your test drive today! Come see what the industry’s best pickup trucks have to offer, whether you’re looking to hit paths unknown behind the wheel of a Ram 1500 TRX or need a bonafide workhorse like the Ram Heavy Duty.