We all know that brand loyalty is a thing. Especially when it comes to pickup trucks most have a favorite… and many have a brand that they claim they wouldn’t ever buy. In fact, some Ford fans might have said that about Ram pickup trucks at some point or another. However, the release of the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX could change things. Will Ford loyalists pass on the Raptor for the Ram TRX?

Is the Ram 1500 TRX Better Than the Ford F-150 Raptor?

This is a bit of a loaded question. No doubt, Ram Trucks is flexing with its new halo truck. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the first pickup in the segment that actually competes with the Ford F-150 Raptor. In most aspects, the two trucks look a lot alike on paper. For example, the Ram 1500 TRX has a 30.2 degree approach, and a 21.9 degree break over. The Raptor’s numbers in this respect are 30.2 and 21.8 degrees.

To further extrapolate that these trucks are the same on paper, we see that the Ram 1500 TRX has a 23.5 degree departure with an 11.8 inch ground clearance. The Ford F-150 Raptor has a 23 degree departure angle with an 11.5 inch ground clearance. So, these beefy Baja monsters are almost like comparing apples to apples.

In this respect, it’s hard to say which truck is better. They also each come standard with incredible designated off-road tires, enhanced off-road suspension, and beastly drive modes. The Raptor and the TRX each have a drive mode named “Baja.” But the Raptor does fall way short of the horsepower and torque of the TRX Hellcat V8 engine. Plus, it has a state-of-the-art air filtration system with four times the amount of air filtering efficiency.

No replacement for displacement

We’ve all definitely heard this saying. People do not want to give up those high displacement V8 engines. The Ford Raptor sounds ready to rumble. But the Ram TRX will shake you down from your backwards trucker hat all the way to your camo Boggs. The 6.2 liter Hellcat V8 engine in the 2021 TRX is what absolutely sets this truck apart.

We are looking at 702 horsepower for the TRX compared to the Raptor’s 450 and 650 pound-feet of torque compared to 510 for the Raptor. The Raptor is far lighter with Ford’s aluminum frame technology. But the TRX still giddy ups a bit better than the Ford. For this reason, we could see some die-hard Ford loyalists go googly-eyed over the TRX.

Who will choose the TRX instead of the Raptor?

One of the biggest differences in the two pickup trucks is pricing. the Ford F-150 Raptor isn’t a “halo car.” It’s just an amazing off-road companion with a lot of experience. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is a truck for the hype beasts out there.

If you don’t mind spending at least 20 grand more for the Hellcat V8 engine and all the stares you’ll get when you pull up to work in the TRX, then the Ram is your perfect truck. And if you are a Ford loyalist that trusts Ford pickup truck reliability and understands that the Raptor will still dominate the desert whether it has a Hellcat or not, you probably won’t pass on the Raptor for the Ram TRX.