One of the (numerous) advantages of having a 2021 Ram 1500 TRX in our long-term test fleet is the freedom to jump on any idea we can cook up, no matter how tenuously linked to real work it may be. It’s this reason why our TRX lapped Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course, and has a sticker to prove it.
A few months back, when a Ford F-150 Raptor showed up for testing outfitted with its optional 37-inch tires, we decided to head north with both trucks to an off-road park to explore their similarities and differences. Or maybe it was just to have fun. As we found out, the two concepts aren’t mutually exclusive.
At the outset, the comparison seemed lopsided due to the F-150 Raptor’s roughly $10,000 lower as-tested price and lack of a V-8 engine. Despite these differences, we found the Raptor and TRX remarkably similar in many areas. Not only are both trucks only available in crew-cab, short-bed configurations, both have independent rear suspensions, driver-adjustable adaptive dampers, laughably loud exhausts, and four-wheel-drive systems with center differentials that allow selectable all-wheel drive.
During our test, the only real challenges either truck faced was the narrowness of some trails, not the obstacles in their paths. The dimensions of both trucks proved the biggest challenge, not traction. The Ford may be narrower than the Ram, but at 86.8 inches, it’s still wider than a Hummer H1. The size means both trucks are better suited to open outdoor environments, like open desert.
What about the differences? The lighter and smaller Ford felt more toy-like, where the Ram behaved like a ballistic missile, per Connor Hoffman. We also found it fitting that both dinosaur-themed trucks are likely the last of their kind, as future versions will likely incorporate some form of electrification (though Ford has one last hurrah planned with the supercharged V8-powered Raptor R). Watch the video for more detail.
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Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com
