Head to head: RAM 1500 TRX v Ford F-150 Raptor

The closest thing to a monster truck you can buy straight off the showroom floor in Australia right now is the steroidal 2022 RAM 1500 TRX, which has both the grunt and towering stance to steamroll almost anything that stands in its path.

But the unchallenged king of full-size American pick-up trucks may soon face some stiff competition from the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor, which could follow in the wheel tracks of the Ford F-150 XLT and Lariat, both of which – like the RAM TRX – will be converted to right-hand drive and officially available in Australia for the first time from mid-2023.

But does Tyrannosaurus Rex (1500 TRX) beat the Velociraptor (F-150 Raptor)? We recently drove both, back to back on similar roads and tracks in the Middle East, so here’s our verdict…

The 2022 RAM 1500 TRX recently went on sale locally, priced from $199,950 plus on-road costs. But how much will the F-150 Raptor cost, provided it gets the green light for Oz?

We can’t offer an exact figure but – given that the TRX costs around $US72K in the States and the Ford comes in just below $US70K – we’d suggest the latter could be pegged around $190K locally, if it makes it Down Under.

If Ford Australia imports and ‘remanufactures’ the even hotter F-150 Raptor R, it will be even more expensive. Clearly, neither vehicle is a bargain-basement special, but you do at least get a helluva lot of metal and kit for your money.

We won’t nominate a value winner at this stage, as we don’t know exactly how much the F-150 Raptor will cost if it comes here.

Both vehicles come as standard with a generous mod-con quota and are a far cry from utilitarian American pick-ups of even a decade ago.

The Raptor’s kit list includes an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather upholstery, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, cruise control and single-zone climate control.

Dominating the Raptor’s dashboard is a huge 12.0-inch touch-screen that supports the truck’s standard SYNC4 infotainment system. Also standard is an 18-speaker B&O sound system, a slide-out work table, heated steering wheel, upgraded headlights, wireless charging and more.

Meanwhile, the TRX’s cabin is trimmed in sumptuous black leather, Alcantara and suede with red stitching and TRX logos. The seats are heated and ventilated, and the driver’s seat is eight-way power-adjustable.

The focal point of the centre console is a large portrait-style 12-inch touch-screen with Uconnect infotainment and additional info is provided by a 10.1-inch colour head-up display and 7.0-inch colour digital instrument cluster.

A 19-speaker Harman Kardon 900-Watt premium sound system is standard, and there are USB ports galore, as well as an electrical socket in the centre console storage bin.

The TRX is the first RAM truck to get a flat-bottom steering wheel with aluminium shift paddles, plus Alcantara suede accents. There’s also a driving mode selector and launch control.

Although both trucks are comprehensively fitted out, we have to give the RAM the victory in this category as its cabin ambience is head and shoulders above that of the F-150 Raptor, which has too much hard plastic for this price point.

SCORE:
RAM 1500 TRX: 1
Ford F-150 Raptor: 0

Both vehicles are surprisingly comfortable and refined but, needless to say, the fact that they’re approximately 6m long and 2.2m wide means neither can be hustled around like a compact hatchback, and nor are they great for tight shopping mall car parks.

Even so, the F-150 Raptor feels nimbler than the TRX, and there’s greater crispness to its steering and responses. This makes it feel easier to accurately manoeuvre than the RAM and it’s therefore the nicer vehicle to pootle around town in.

As comfortable and refined as the RAM is, victory in this domain goes to the F-150 Raptor.

SCORE:
RAM 1500 TRX: 1
Ford F-150 Raptor: 1

Both vehicles come as standard with knobbly 35-inch all-terrain tyres, but the Raptor has a slight edge as 37s are offered as a factory option.

The Ford’s standard features include an electronic locking rear differential, FOX adaptive dampers, a 4.10 axle ratio, electronic two-speed transfer case and seven drive modes, including Baja, for rapid progress across loose surfaces.

Like the Raptor, the RAM 1500 TRX also comes with a bespoke suspension set-up with class-exclusive Bilstein Black Hawk adaptive dampers, which are claimed to be the most sophisticated ever offered on a production pick-up truck.

The rear-end is dominated by a Dana 60 solid rear axle with a 3.55 gear ratio, two-speed transfer case and electronic locking rear differential.

Traction is provided by 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tyres developed specifically for the TRX. These are wrapped around gloss-black 18-inch cast aluminium wheels that can be optioned with beadlocks.

In the right hands, both vehicles are highly capable off-road, although their gargantuan dimensions and modest approach and departure angles limit their capabilities in some situations.

There’s not much to choose between the Raptor and TRX in terms of off-road prowess, but we’d give the RAM a slight edge as its mountainous torque makes easier work of scrambling up big sand dunes.

SCORE:
RAM 1500 TRX: 2
Ford F-150 Raptor: 1

It’s not hard to figure out which of the two dominates in this facet – as the old cliché goes, you can’t beat cubic inches.

We already knew the 6.2-litre supercharged V8 well from the likes of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but the 524kW/881Nm motor obviously has more work to do here as the RAM 1500 TRX tips the scales at a sumo-esque 2880kg.

Even so, the monstrous RAM bolts to 100km/h in 4.5sec and every prod of the throttle elicits a healthy shove in the back. It sounds simply epic, too, with a Mad Max Interceptor-mimicking supercharger whine supplementing the intoxicating roar of the V8.

By comparison, the F-150 Raptor’s 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine feels and sounds a bit tame. However, judged in isolation, the twin-turbo V6 is a perfectly adequate powerplant and outputs of 336kW and 691Nm are hardly shabby.

The Raptor is a willing performer both on and off-road, but there can only be one winner here, and the RAM is the clear victor in the grunt stakes.

That said, the F-150 Raptor R is almost lineball with the TRX for engine outputs, thanks to its 522kW/868Nm 5.2-litre blown V8 – and it rides on 37s as standard.

So this one could go either way, but the Raptor R doesn’t enter production until late 2022 and we’re yet to drive it, so for now the TRX claims performance honours.

SCORE:
RAM 1500 TRX: 3
Ford F-150 Raptor: 1

There’s no doubt the 2022 RAM 1500 TRX has tons of wow factor and, of the two, it’s the truck that bystanders are more likely to ogle whenever you pull up at the petrol station (which will be often).

The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor has a bit more subtlety about it (if that term can be applied to such an OTT truck), and there’s a little more sophistication in the way it drives.

As we alluded to earlier, the Ford is the nicer of the two to pootle around town in (which is where most driving is typically done), and your bank balance won’t go into overdraft on account of your monthly fuel bills.

What it boils down to is this: if you’re ruled by the heart, you’ll probably opt for the 1500 TRX, but if it’s the grey matter that shapes your decisions, the F-150 Raptor is the more sensible and practical choice.

OVERALL SCORE:
RAM 1500 TRX: 3
Ford F-150 Raptor: 2