2025 Ford F-350 vs 2025 Ram 3500
One-ton trucks like the Ford F-350 are the apex predator of the pickup world. While they might not be the right choice for every driver and every driving scenario, these heavy-duty trucks offer the kind of performance that can be so crucial when it comes to completing your next project on time and on budget. Ford’s F-150 might be America’s best-selling truck, but its heavy-duty counterparts, such as the Ram 3500, offer fierce competition.
A stalwart of jobsites, livestock paddocks, and agricultural events, the F-350 can often be seen towing heavy equipment and bulky RVs that would leave lesser trucks gasping for breath. With a robust lineup of potent powertrains and a 38,000-lb max towing capacity, it’s hard to imagine a truck that could hope to compete with the F-350.
The Ram 3500 puts up a good fight and offers some premium details that give the truck a bit of a niche in the one-ton market, but does it have what it takes to dethrone the Ford F-350? Let’s walk through some of the highlights of each model and learn how they compare in terms of their engine roster, towing ability, and interior comfort, safety, and convenience tech as we pit the Ford F-350 vs 2025 Ram 3500. We’re confident that you’ll see the F-350 is the clear winner in this heavy-duty battle.
| 2025 Ford F-350 | VS | 2025 Ram 3500 |
|---|---|---|
| $46,970[a] | MSRP | $46,570 |
| 500 | Horsepower | 470 |
| 1,200 lb-ft | Torque | 1,075 lb-ft |
| 38,000 lbs | Towing | 36,610 lbs |
Engines
At first glance, it might seem like the F-350 and Ram 3500 are pretty similar when it comes to the goods you’ll find under the hood. Both heavy-duty pickups offer a brawny V8 base engine that, while differing in displacement, provides the exact same 405 hp. The F-350 is powered by a 6.8-liter model, while the Ram 3500 is working with a 6.4-liter HEMI engine that loses some power with 429 lb-ft of torque to the Ford’s 445 lb-ft.
It’s a solid start for the full-size models, but Ford really unleashes the beast with its second engine in the 7.3-liter Godzilla V8. It might not be able to knock over tall buildings and terrorize island nations, but the Godzilla V8 will provide all the power you’ll need for a hard day’s work with 430 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque to its name. Ram follows suit with its range-topping 6.7-liter turbo-diesel inline-six that matches the Ford’s horsepower stats to the number.
It’s almost uncanny how closely the two trucks are aligned, but this is where the parallels come to an end. While the Ram 3500 is only available with two engines, Ford doubles that figure with four motors on the market for the 2025 model year. When designing a heavy-duty pickup there’s simply no substitute for a diesel, which can generate far more torque than a typical gas engine thanks to its longer stroke length and higher compression ratio. A diesel engine also operates at a lower RPM and is built with longevity in mind, which means that it can significantly improve a truck’s resale value when you’re looking to upgrade to the latest model.
The F-350’s 6.7 Power Stroke turbo-diesel comes in two varieties: the standard 475-hp version and a High Output upgrade that allows the truck to churn out 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. Ford’s top engine easily outpaces Ram’s own turbo-diesel in terms of not only horsepower and torque but also cylinder count. The design is sure to appeal to drivers who believe that every full-size pickup—especially a heavy-duty model—deserves all the advantages that a diesel V8 can offer.
Towing
Ultimately, a truck’s raw numbers don’t matter nearly as much as what you can do with them. A 500-hp pickup might sound promising, but you really have to drill into the towing and payload stats if you want to learn which model is the best buy for your own driving needs. The F-350’s base engine trends well above average to deliver 18,900 lbs of maximum towing capacity and 8,000 lbs of payload, topping the Ram’s entry-level offering in both categories to make the truck a ready-made towing machine regardless of your budget.
The Ford’s Godzilla V8 tops out at 22,500 lbs, but the Power Stroke turbo-diesels are the obvious option if you need to move mountains, a fully-loaded trailer, or some of the largest RVs on the market. The Ram 3500 can pull as much as 36,610 lbs if you decide to invest in the 6.7-liter turbo-diesel, and while that’s pretty close to the F-350’s standard Power Stroke engine, the High Output version is another story altogether. The basic Power Stroke boasts 36,400 lbs of max towing, and has the Ram beat in payload capacity by about 400 lbs, but the High Output model takes the cake with the ability to tow 38,000 lbs.
The F-350 backs up its impressive towing resume with a full arsenal of advanced equipment that allows drivers to take advantage of every pound while also significantly reducing their stress behind the wheel. From heated, power-folding, and power-telescoping towing mirrors to an integrated trailer hitch receiver and wiring harness, trailer brake controller, and a surround-view camera system that makes it easy to maneuver the truck through tight spaces, no matter how bulky your cargo, Ford has left no stone unturned.
The brand’s Pro Trailer Hitch Assist makes the old trial-and-error approach to towing a thing of the past, leveraging the pickup’s rearview camera and sensors to help complete that tricky trailer connection while Pro Trailer Backup Assist gives drives the ability to steer the F-350 into the perfect position using a simple rotary knob located directly on the dashboard. Ford’s heavy-duty pickup rounds out its trailering tech with a trailer sway damping system, a smart hitch, and an innovative set of onboard scales that ensure you’re never exceeding the recommended weight limit.
The Ram 3500 also offers a Surround View Camera system, trailer sway control, a rearview camera, and a Trailer Reverse Steering Control feature that’s similar to the F-350’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, but limits many of these features to higher trims or optional equipment packages. The Ram does deserve a little credit for its Digital Rearview Mirror with a Tow Mode that effectively eliminates blind spots, a smart diesel exhaust brake that’s useful when descending steep grades, and a smart trailer routing system that’ll provide GPS directions specifically tailored to the height and weight of your load. It’s a well-rounded package, and could be worth the high entry price, but it’s hard to recommend the Ram when the F-350 provides such an alluring alternative.
Interior
The F-350’s power and towing ability are only matched by its cutting-edge interior. The heavy-duty pickup offers all the comfort, convenience and infotainment features a driver could ask for, plus plenty of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that provide priceless peace of mind. The F-350’s base XL trim punches well above its modest starting price to offer everything from wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot to a remote engine starter and 8-inch infotainment display.
The XLT doesn’t just up the truck’s performance credentials by adding 4WD as a standard feature, it also introduces some crucial tech into the mix, like a Forward Collision Warning system, Automatic Emergency Braking, and two household-style 120-volt outlets that enable drivers to charge their phone or tablet and even power small tools and appliances when they’re on the go.
The Lariat edges the F-350 into luxury territory with rain-sensing wipers and ambient interior lighting and prioritizes comfort with Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control, heated and ventilated front seats, and synthetic leather upholstery, but it is the trim’s suite of advanced tech features that really caught our eye. The Lariat gains a 12-inch digital instrument panel and 12-inch infotainment display, not to mention a premium eight-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, wireless charging pad, and a long list of additional ADAS.
The King Ranch trim sees Ford go country with an enhanced interior that would be at home on the range, plus massaging front seats, genuine leather upholstery, a heads-up display, and an available Pro Power Onboard feature that allows the truck to power tools and other devices. The F-350 Platinum earns its place atop the 2025 trim ladder with an exclusive leather interior as well as exterior trim and styling. Those choosing the truck’s High Output diesel can also set their F-350 apart from the crowd with a Platinum Plus package that adds a twin panel moon roof, premium leather interior, upgraded front seats, and some proprietary exterior enhancements.
The Ram 3500 starts off pretty basic with vinyl upholstery and some of the last remaining manual windows and mirrors on today’s market. It might offer an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, but these tech features don’t quite make up for the spartan trim.
The Big Horn falls more in line with what we’d expect from a base model with heated, power-folding and power-adjustable mirrors, a rear window defroster, and handy parking sensors, but the Laramie is probably the most well-rounded option on offer for 2025 with its digital instrument panel, Dual-Zone Auto Temperature Control, leather upholstery, dual 115-volt electrical outlets and built-in navigation system. The Laramie also embraces automation in a way that the lower trims can’t match with power mirrors, rear windows and front seats.
The top Limited and Limited Longhorn are basically identical aside from some western-themed styling upgrades like wood trim and Filigree leather on the latter. The two models are packed with the automaker’s RamBox cargo management, but it’s the comfort and tech features that really inflate the price tag with the Limited and Limited Longhorn offering ventilated front bucket seats, heated second-row seats, a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 17-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Check Out the 2025 Ford F-350 With Us Today
The Ram 3500 simply can’t compete with the F-350 from a performance standpoint, and it can be a bit limiting if you’re seeking some flexibility when it comes to picking an engine. The Ford has as many diesel options as the Ram does engines in general, which just goes to illustrate the enhanced customization potential of the F-350. The truck’s Power Stroke turbo-diesels live up to their name, delivering plenty of ponies and both breaking the 1,000 lb-ft mark in terms of torque.
With up to 38,000 lbs of maximum towing capacity on offer, the F-350 won’t wimp out when you need it most. The Ram 3500 isn’t far behind at 36,610 lbs, but lacks some of the modern towing tech that makes the F-350 such an enticing prospect. Most experienced pickup drivers know their way around a trailer hitch and can confidently handle most towing projects, but features like Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup Assist ease the learning curve for those who are newer to the segment.
Factor in a refreshingly contemporary interior that doesn’t limit some of its best features to the higher trims, and it’s easy to understand why the F-350 consistently ranks as one of the industry’s best-selling one-ton models. If you’re ready to put in some work and need a heavy-duty pickup that can log some serious overtime, it’s time to experience the 2025 Ford F-350 for yourself at DePaula Ford.
