In recent times the sales of one particular automotive market have been surging onwards and upwards. Pickup trucks, once seen as large and ugly vehicles appear to be taking over the roads. They can be practical for people who need a dual purpose vehicle, merging work capabilities with strength and comfort for leisure activities.For some reason, even through the year 2020, when the world seemed to stop, pick up sales did not slow down and even surpassed the sales of/for passenger cars in April.
Why the change from cars to pickups?
In countries with poor infrastructure they may be seen as a necessity as there could be bad roads where a normal passenger car would not cope with the wear and tear. However, in developed countries, especially in the cities, what is the need for these big vehicles? From construction workers to mums bringing their kids to school, people from all walks of life seem to be buying them. Sometimes, it can be a symbol of status. For example, the bigger the truck, the higher the cost. The richer you look. People like to be seen in big vehicles. Varying models and sizes make this an interesting market to choose from. Two of the most celebrated American car manufacturers, Ford and Dodge, have both made forays into this market, with the production of the F-150 and Ram, respectively. Let’s have a look at these two automotive giant’s efforts.
Ford F-150
The brand of Ford F-Series refers to trucks mass produced and sold by Ford. The F-150 has proved to be the most popular model of that line. Recognised as the number one pickup truck sales wise in America since the late 70’s, it is in its fourteenth generation and has cemented its place in the history of the pickup market.
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram, or The Ram, which it has been known as since 2010 is currently in its fifth generation of manufacture. Currently owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the name change came about when Chrysler decided to rebrand the Dodge models. Passenger cars and minivans remained under the Dodge name, whereas its trucks went under the name Ram. Yet, they remain separate parts of the same company.
Specifications
While there are currently six different choices, with another on the way, the standard engine size of a basic Ford F-150 is 3.3L. Powered by a gas engine through a V6 cylinder block. This pushes out 290 horsepower. The truck measurements are as follows, length – 231.9 inches, height – 77.2 inches and width – 79.9 inches. Its maximum towing capacity is 12,700 lbs. Its maximum payload is 1680 lbs.
The Dodge Ram offers three choices of engine. The basic model, the Ram 1500, comes with a 3.6L engine. The Ram also has a V6 cylinder block which is powered by a hybrid engine. This gives 305 horsepower. The measurements of the Ram are, length – 232.9 inches, height – 77.6 inches and width – 82.1 inches. Its maximum towing capacity is 6280 lbs and maximum payload is 1670 lbs.
Cost, safety and reliability
In the case of reliability, both standard vehicles come with the same warranties on offer. Choices of a 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty or, for gas engines a 5 year / 60,000 mile powertrain warranty. Some dealerships offer an outstanding deal when you purchase the Ram, with a 5 year / 100,000 mile warranty, which is only for the diesel engine version.
As regards safety, both trucks have a broad range of safety features, with the Dodge Ram slightly coming out on top. A park assist system and rear back up camera being two advantages over the Ford. However the Dodge does not have the function of adaptive cruise control, which on long drives, enables you to set what speed you would like to drive at and if you would like to keep a certain distance from vehicles ahead of you. Both trucks make use of Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, more commonly known as LATCH, which is designed to make the installation of child restraints easier and can give you more peace of mind when travelling with young children.
The Ford F-150 starts off around nearly $4000 cheaper than its challenger the Dodge Ram. This price is for the very basic models and higher spec, better trimmed versions of both could cost between $50,000 and $80,000. At your dealership, check is there any incentives on offer such as zero percent financing or the rescheduling of repayments.