Ford F-150 vs Ram 2500: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (July 2026), the Ford F-150 typically lists for $50,243 against $49,496 for the Ram 2500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Ford F-150 leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.0★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the SUPERCREW at $42,370 vs the BIG HORN at $45,995; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Verdict: for most used-car buyers the Ram 2500 is the stronger pick right now — it wins 2 of the scored dimensions below (prices judged on the same model years, 2024–2026). Choose the Ford F-150 if you care most about higher NCAP safety scores.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)Ram 2500
Ford F-150$50,243
Ram 2500$49,496
EPA combined (typical version)
Ford F-15017 MPG
Ram 2500
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)Ford F-150
Ford F-1504.8★
Ram 25004.0★
NHTSA recalls / model yearRam 2500
Ford F-15011.9
Ram 250010.7
For sale on VehiSales now
Ford F-15073,000
Ram 250013,231

Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)

A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford F-150 SUPERCREW ($42,370) faces the Ram 2500 BIG HORN ($45,995); the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW (40.3% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN (48.0% of Ram 2500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($80,814) faces the LARAMIE ($55,988). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.

Ford F-150 Ram 2500
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
SUPERCREWMost popularCheapest $42,370 40.3% BIG HORNMost popularCheapest $45,995 48.0%
STX $43,000 7.0% TRADESMAN $45,998 11.2%
XLT $45,386 26.4% BIG HORN/LONESTAR $48,500 11.7%
LARIAT $58,975 8.6% LARAMIEPriciest $55,988 24.1%
TREMOR $61,898 2.8% LONGHORN $66,450 1.0%
PLATINUM $65,499 2.5% LIMITED $70,325 2.4%
SUPERCREW-RAPTOR $69,290 2.6% POWER WAGON/REBEL $70,560 1.2%
RAPTORPriciest $80,814 4.1% LIMITED/LONGHORN $79,728 0.5%

Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford F-150 prices · Ram 2500 prices.

Used price by model year

YearFord F-150 typicalRam 2500 typicalDifferenceFord F-150 MPGRam 2500 MPG
2026 $59,502 $49,496 Ford F-150 +$10,006 12–24 MPG
2025 $50,243 $49,988 Ford F-150 +$255 12–23 MPG
2024 $45,687 $47,998 Ram 2500 +$2,311 12–23 MPG
2023 $42,298 $46,763 Ram 2500 +$4,465 12–25 MPG
2022 $38,749 $41,999 Ram 2500 +$3,250 15–25 MPG
2021 $33,995 $40,995 Ram 2500 +$7,000 15–25 MPG
2020 $28,945 $39,964 Ram 2500 +$11,019 16–24 MPG
2019 $26,384 $37,823 Ram 2500 +$11,439 16–25 MPG
2018 $23,995 $31,999 Ram 2500 +$8,004 16–25 MPG
2017 $21,500 $31,248 Ram 2500 +$9,748 16–22 MPG
2016 $18,999 $26,990 Ram 2500 +$7,991 16–21 MPG
2015 $17,993 $25,970 Ram 2500 +$7,977 17–22 MPG
2014 $15,145 $24,993 Ram 2500 +$9,848 13–19 MPG
2013 $14,323 $24,885 Ram 2500 +$10,562 13–19 MPG

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ram 2500 is cheaper: it typically lists for $49,496 versus $50,243 for the Ford F-150 (national medians, July 2026).

Which is safer — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford F-150 averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.0 for the Ram 2500. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

NHTSA lists an average of 11.9 recalls per model year for the Ford F-150 and 10.7 for the Ram 2500 — an edge for the Ram 2500. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.

Which trims should I actually compare?

Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford F-150 SUPERCREW typically lists for $42,370 vs $45,995 for a Ram 2500 BIG HORN; the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW ($42,370, 40.3% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN ($45,995, 48.0% of Ram 2500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($80,814) faces the LARAMIE ($55,988). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.

About this data: prices and availability are national aggregates of live VehiSales inventory (July 2026), refreshed daily. Fuel economy: U.S. EPA/DOE (fueleconomy.gov). Safety & recalls: NHTSA. How to cite: “VehiSales Research, Ford F-150 vs Ram 2500” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/f-150/vs/ram/2500.

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See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.

© 2026 VehiSales · Data from live US vehicle listings · Methodology · Editorial policy · About · Press: cite as “VehiSales Used Car Price Index” with a link to this page.