Compare · Heavy-duty pickups
The two best-known three-quarter-ton pickups, compared with gas engines: how they ride, what they put under the hood, which off-road builds each one offers, and what those cost.
At a glance
| Ram 2500 | Ford F-250 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gas engine | 6.4-liter HEMI V8, 405 hp, 429 lb-ft | 6.8-liter V8, 405 hp, 445 lb-ft; 7.3-liter V8, 430 hp, 485 lb-ft, available |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Rear suspension | Coil springs | Leaf springs |
| Off-road trims | Warlock, Rebel, Power Wagon | Tremor Off-Road Package, on trims including the XLT |
| Front bench | Tradesman, Big Horn, Lone Star, Laramie, Warlock, Rebel, Power Wagon | XL, XLT, Lariat |
| Lockers | Warlock: limited-slip rear. Rebel: locking rear. Power Wagon: front and rear | Tremor: electronic locking rear |
| Tires | Warlock: 34-inch all-terrains | Tremor: 35-inch all-terrains |
| Off-road price | Warlock about $59,195 with destination | XLT about $59,595 with destination, plus $4,450 for Tremor |
2026 model year, gas engines. Prices as listed in November 2026; your No-Haggle Price is set on the exact build you order.
Where they differ
Ride
The Ram 2500 rides on coil springs at the back, and the F-250 on leaf springs. Coils usually ride smoother with an empty bed; leaf springs are the traditional setup for heavy loads. If the truck is mostly a daily driver, drive both empty.
Engine
Ram gives the 2500 one gas engine, the 6.4-liter HEMI. Ford offers two: the standard 6.8-liter V8 and the bigger 7.3-liter V8. Neither truck carries an EPA mileage rating; road tests of both gas engines run about 15 mpg on the highway.
Off-road
Ram builds three off-road 2500s: the Warlock, the Rebel and the Power Wagon, which locks front and rear and carries a winch. Ford puts its off-road gear in one package, Tremor, with 35-inch tires, a lift, a locking rear and Rock Crawl Mode, offered on trims including the XLT.
Seats
Both trucks offer a 40/20/40 front bench on their work and mid trims and on their off-road builds, so a crew cab seats six. Trucks with bench seats.
Which one fits you
Pick the Ram if
You want the smoother empty-bed ride and a choice of three off-road trims, from the Warlock up to the Power Wagon.
Pick the Ford if
You want Tremor’s 35-inch tires and Rock Crawl Mode, or the 7.3-liter V8.
Drive both
The Ram 2500 Warlock and the F-250 XLT with Tremor are both in our lineup. Half a day on the Carova beach and on North Carolina Highway 12, the two-lane road up the Outer Banks, settles it. How it works.
Ram 2500 vs. F-250 questions
The Ram 2500 uses coil springs at the back and the F-250 uses leaf springs. Coil springs usually ride smoother with an empty bed. Drive both empty to judge for yourself.
For 2026, the Ram 2500 has the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 with 405 horsepower. The F-250 has a 6.8-liter V8 with 405 horsepower as standard and a 7.3-liter V8 with 430 horsepower as an option.
Yes. Both offer a 40/20/40 front bench, including on the Ram 2500 Warlock, Rebel and Power Wagon and on the F-250 XLT with the Tremor package, so a crew cab seats six.
Order alerts · Drive it first
We email you when factory ordering opens or changes for the vehicle you pick, and only about that vehicle. It is not a reservation.
Five and a half hours in the off-road trim, about three of them on the Carova 4x4 beach, then one No-Haggle Price in writing. $325 a vehicle. Already built one on the maker’s site? Send us your build.