It is no secret that the American market loves trucks. However, recent world events have driven both the price of vehicles and fuel through the roof. This means that more and more buyers are looking to move out of their huge gas-guzzling truck-bed beasts and into smaller and more sensible vehicles.
This, however, doesn’t mean that one must lose the convenience of a truck. Manufacturers like Ford and Hyundai have recently introduced the compact truck. The compact truck is basically a unibody crossover with a body that features a bed. This means that the vehicle is economical, comfortable, and maneuverable but also very practical.
As of now, the most popular compact truck is the Ford Maverick, but this may be changing soon. Ram has recently introduced the Rampage for the South American market and rumors suggest that it may be coming to the U.S. Will it be able to compete? Let’s take a look.
Ram Rampage Vs. Ford Maverick: Trims
The Ram Rebel trim is the starting point for the model. Here, buyers get a turbo diesel paired with a nine-speed auto transmission with an all-wheel-drive and lots of safety features A 12.3-inch infotainment system and 17-inch wheels are also standard.
Ford’s equivalent XL trim has steel wheels, automatic led headlights, a wifi hotspot, and a smaller infotainment system. It is safe to say that the base model of the Maverick is much more bare-bones than that of the Rampage.
More premium options for the Ram include the Laramie trim which adds leather seats, a chrome external finish, and 18-inch diamond-cut wheels. This competes against the XLT Maverick which features 17-inch aluminum wheels and body-colored bumpers.
The Ram Rampage R/T is the top-of-the-line model and it’s all about being sporty. Inside the seats are covered in leather and swade with ruby red stitching along with a sport suspension and dual exhaust. Nineteen-inch gloss black wheels, R/T side badges, and hood graphics enhance the sporty look.
In the Maverick’s case, the Lariat is the most luxurious trim before the off-road-oriented Tremor. With the Lariat, buyers get leather seats, ambient lighting, keyless entry, 18-inch wheels, driver and passenger power seat controls, dual-zone climate control, and a leather steering wheel. Worth mentioning is that the Tremor Maverick features great off-road upgrades.
These Upgrades Include:
- One inch of suspension lift
- Rear locker
- Bedside graphics
- Smoked headlights and taillights
- Orange accents
- Dark-painted 17-inch wheels.
Comparing the bed capacity of both models, the Rampage does have a slight edge over the Maverick with a capacity of 34.6 cubic-feet against the Ford's 33.3 cubic-feet.
Which Compact Pickup Has The Better Interior?
It is safe to say that the Ram is the more premium vehicle here with more expensive materials and an upmarket design. Also, all trim levels get the big 12.3-inch infotainment system and a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Every Rampage has dual-zone climate control and an optional 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with a 6.0-inch subwoofer.
The Ford Maverick looks more like a budget-friendly vehicle with cheaper materials like hard plastics and a smaller eight-inch touch screen. That being said, it is still unique and very outdoor-oriented thanks to textures and colors, useful storage pockets, storage under the second row, and an off-road trim level like the Tremor. Worth noting is that an eight-speaker sound system with a woofer is also available in the Ford.
Which Small Truck Looks Better?
Well, looks are subjective, so here goes a subjective opinion. The Maverick looks bland but sticks to Ford’s current design language, so it does look like a Ford truck. It is cool to see the correlation in the design language of the bigger Ford trucks with the Maverick. It makes the vehicle feel like it belongs in the company’s truck segment even though it is a more light-duty product.
Ford Maverick Vs. Ram Rampage Drivetrain Specs
Rampage R/T | Maverick Tremor |
All-Wheel Drive standard | All-Wheel-Drive Standard |
Payload: 2,237 pounds | Payload: 1,200 pounds |
Approach Angle: 25 degrees | Approach Angle: 30.7 degrees |
Departure angle 24.5 degrees | Departure angle 19.9 degrees |
Break Over Angle 23.1 degrees | Break Over Angle 22.2 degrees |
The Rampage looks more aggressive than the Ford but is much of the same story when compared to other models of the company. It is unmistakably a Ram and that is a good thing. Now, which one of the two looks best is up to your specific opinion. However, it is safe to say that the Rampage is a bit sportier while the Maverick looks more rugged.
The Ford Has The Edge In Performance
The Ram Rebel and Laramie come standard with a 2.0-liter turbo diesel that produces 170 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine is built for efficiency and economy, so performance isn’t amazing. That being said, its diesel characteristics (low-down torque) will be great for towing. With this powerplant and standard nine-speed transmission, 0-60 in the Rampage happens in 10.9 seconds.
All Rampage models also offer the option of a 2.0-liter hurricane turbo with 272 horsepower and 292-pound feet of torque. There is a good chance that U.S. models will only get this engine as diesel powertrains in smaller family-oriented vehicles (especially when underpowered) don’t sell well in the U.S. Furthermore, it is easy for Ram to pair the 2.0 liter with a hybrid system as it has been done on Jeeps before. As you might expect from a turbo gas engine, mileage isn’t all that great with 19 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. In this instance, 0-60 happens in 6.9 seconds.
The base Maverick engine is a 2.5-liter hybrid paired with a CVT transmission which can sometimes feel unrefined. The combined output for the hybrid is 191 horsepower and 155-pound feet of torque. Fuel economy is an outstanding 42 MPG city and 32 MPG highway and the stint from 0-60 is done in 7.6 seconds.
The Maverick also offers a second optional powerplant in the form of a 2.0 liter EcoBoost with 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. This engine is paired with a much more pleasant eight-speed automatic. The best-performing Maverick is faster than the Ram with a 0-60 of 6.5 seconds. The fuel economy for the EcoBoost is 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.
Can The Rampage Match The Ford?
There is a good chance that the Ram Rampage could be brought to the U.S. market. In comparison to the Maverick, the Rampage does seem to give the Ford a run for its money as it is a more luxurious option. Ram has managed to hit a segment within the compact truck niche that hasn’t been fulfilled yet.
Although a Rampage for the U.S. hasn’t been confirmed yet, it might be safe to assume that an American version of the vehicle could feature slightly different power plants. Also, an off-road-oriented trim level would be much appreciated in the United States. This would also give the Maverick Tremor further competition from a company that shares Jeep's lifeblood.