Ford F-250 Super Duty Platinum vs RAM 1500 Limited

The 2019 RAM 1500 had a design evolution that was both smart and pragmatic. Its big-rig styling, which dated back decades, gave it a commanding presence without making it cumbersome. The headlights dropped down on either side of the hood, enhancing sight lines and making the truck feel manageable. Unlike the exaggerated size of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the RAM struck a balance of presence and practicality.

The new design moved past the signature crosshair grille long associated with RAM. This change aimed to distance the brand from Dodge, allowing for individual growth. Each trim of the RAM 1500 offered a unique grille design. The Tradesman, Big Horn, Rebel, and Laramie trims had larger headlights, while the Laramie, Longhorn, and Limited trims featured thinner, more rakish headlights.

Inside, the RAM 1500 continued its tradition of outstanding design. Previous models had distinct sections for different controls, but the new interior placed these sections on varying planes, creating a dramatic, contoured look.

The Tradesman was a workhorse featuring heavy-duty shock absorbers, coil-spring rear suspension, black bumpers, tinted windows, and 18-inch steel wheels. The Big Horn introduced chrome elements and 18-inch cast-aluminum wheels. The Rebel trim added aggressive styling with fender flares, an electronically locking differential, and off-road skid plates.

The Laramie trim, which we drove, offered more upscale features like power side mirrors with integrated turn signals, upgraded LED taillights, leather seating with heated front seats, and LED ambient interior lighting. The Longhorn and Limited trims upped the luxury quotient significantly, the latter having premium leather front bucket seats and a 12-inch touchscreen.

Conversely, the Ford F-250 Super Duty, redesigned in 2017, retained its massive, imposing stature. It sported a dual-bar grille and bulky, squared-off headlights. Each of the six trims—XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited—had its unique flair.

The base XL trim was all business, with dark plastic for the front bumper and grille and 17-inch steel wheels. The XLT introduced 18-inch painted aluminum wheels and chrome elements. Lariat, our test trim, had a unique black appearance package, while King Ranch presented a standout two-tone paint scheme.

The spacious interior had bins and cupholders aplenty, and the second-row bench could flip up to reveal a self-contained locker. The XL cabin was simple, featuring vinyl seats and crank-up windows, while all other trims had the 8-inch SYNC 3 infotainment system.

The 2019 RAM 1500 offered two primary engine options. The base 3.6-liter V6 included eTorque, a mild-hybrid integration. This engine produced 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, with an additional 90 lb-ft generated by eTorque. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, available with or without eTorque, provided 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, with eTorque adding up to 130 lb-ft extra. An 8-speed automatic transmission delivered power to either the rear wheels or the available 4WD.

Driving the RAM 1500 felt effortless. It had heavily boosted steering and a tight turning radius. The V8's power delivery was both strong and linear, ensuring the truck felt weightless during acceleration. It handled everyday driving exceptionally well, with a smooth ride, responsive steering, and impressive handling in traffic.

The RAM 1500 could tackle big work-truck tasks, especially with the eTorque V8 and proper towing equipment, allowing for a towing capacity of up to 12,750 pounds. Its fuel economy was reasonably efficient, with observed figures averaging 15.2 mpg in combined driving.

The 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, by contrast, had V8 powertrains across the board. The standard 6.2-liter V8 generated 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. Our test truck featured the 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8, making an astounding 450 hp and 935 lb-ft of torque. Despite this impressive power, acceleration was just adequate due to the 6-speed automatic transmission.

Available in either RWD or 4WD, the F-250 could tow up to 18,000 pounds and haul 4,270 pounds in the bed. However, the truck felt over-sprung and top-heavy when not loaded. Its ride was notably bumpy, and it averaged just over 17 mpg in combined city and highway driving as per the trip computer.

The 2019 RAM 1500 excelled in practical features, both for workers and families. Our Laramie test truck had a power-release tailgate, although it was manual on the closing. Unlike rivals such as the GMC Sierra, the RAM 1500 didn't come with a bed step-up. However, the available Ram Box utility system was highly usable.

The truck's rear doors opened nearly 90 degrees, facilitating easy loading of large items into the cabin. The rear seats flipped up smoothly and reclined by sliding the bottom cushion forward. Dual rear USB ports, power outlets, and Ram Bins provided ample storage options. The massive center console in the front featured a sliding mid-level tray and multiple USB ports.

On the other hand, the Ford F-250 Super Duty was available in various cab styles, including regular, Super Cab, and Crew Cab. The Regular Cab came only with an 8-foot-long bed, while the Super Cab and Crew Cab offered choices between the long bed and the 6.75-foot standard bed. Unlike the F-350, the F-250 came only in a single-rear-wheel setup.

Our Lariat test truck included useful bed features like a spray-in bed liner, bed LED lights, bed-mounted power outlets, and an adjustable tie-down system. Ford also integrated a tailgate step, though some might prefer the side and rear bumper integrated steps found in GMC and Chevy trucks.

The 2019 RAM 1500 was a tech-forward truck with its optional 12-inch touchscreen, arranged in a portrait layout like the Tesla Model S. This screen was customizable for different controls or a full-screen map. Our Laramie test truck had the 8.4-inch screen, featuring the user-friendly Uconnect infotainment system.

Uconnect’s fourth-generation software provided an easy-to-navigate interface. The tablet-like layout included dock icons for quick access to media, radio, climate, apps, seat controls, nav, and phone. Alongside these digital features, many physical buttons replicated frequently used controls.

All trims of the Ford F-250 Super Duty came with SYNC infotainment, but the quality varied among trims. The basic XL and XLT mentioned a 4.2-inch LCD screen with AM/FM radio and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims, starting from Lariat, featured the robust SYNC 3 system with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

SYNC 3 was known for its simplicity, despite lacking a home button at all times. The GMC and Chevy systems had a physical home button, making navigation more intuitive. Lariat and above also included a premium B&O audio system with 10 speakers and a subwoofer. Higher trims added voice control and navigation capabilities.

The 2019 RAM 1500 came equipped with numerous safety features. Standard offerings included a full array of airbags, an electronic parking brake, integrated trailer-sway control, traction control, hill-start assist, and a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines. Higher trims offered a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, dynamic cruise control, and parking sensors.

The Ford F-250 Super Duty also included a comprehensive set of safety features. Standard across all trims were front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, tire pressure monitoring, and trailer-sway control. The XLT and Lariat trims also featured headlights linked to the wipers, while higher trims added automatic high beams. Optional features included lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control for towing, and automatic emergency braking. Our Lariat test truck was fitted with a 360-degree camera system, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring.