Ford Ranger vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Ford Ranger typically lists for $38,900 against $43,378 for the Ram 1500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ram 1500 takes fuel economy (19 MPG combined vs 18 MPG); the Ram 1500 leads on NCAP safety (4.4★ vs 3.8★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT SUPERCREW at $33,592 vs the SLT at $29,917; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
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 Ranger XLT SUPERCREW ($33,592) faces the Ram 1500 SLT ($29,917); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.7% of Ford Ranger listings) and the LARAMIE (25.1% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($53,999) faces the LIMITED ($53,299). 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 Ranger | Ram 1500 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLT SUPERCREWCheapest | $33,592 | 26.5% | SLTCheapest | $29,917 | 3.3% |
| XL | $34,245 | 12.8% | TRADESMAN | $34,185 | 8.3% |
| XLTMost popular | $37,994 | 34.7% | BIG HORN | $35,999 | 15.9% |
| LARIAT | $42,829 | 13.0% | BIG HORN/LONESTAR | $42,995 | 24.2% |
| RAPTORPriciest | $53,999 | 13.0% | LARAMIEMost popular | $43,995 | 25.1% |
| — | REBEL | $49,342 | 10.6% | ||
| — | LIMITEDPriciest | $53,299 | 6.1% | ||
| — | RHO | $71,717 | 2.4% | ||
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 Ranger prices · Ram 1500 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Ranger typical | Ram 1500 typical | Difference | Ford Ranger MPG | Ram 1500 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,520 | $53,900 | Ram 1500 +$12,380 | 17–23 MPG | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,023 | $43,378 | Ram 1500 +$3,355 | 17–23 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $38,900 | $34,491 | Ford Ranger +$4,409 | 17–22 MPG | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $32,947 | $37,451 | Ram 1500 +$4,504 | 19–23 MPG | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $30,253 | $34,398 | Ram 1500 +$4,145 | 19–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $27,489 | $31,182 | Ram 1500 +$3,693 | 18–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $25,393 | $28,995 | Ram 1500 +$3,602 | 18–23 MPG | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $23,376 | $25,237 | Ram 1500 +$1,861 | 18–23 MPG | 17–23 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 Ranger or Ram 1500?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ford Ranger is cheaper: it typically lists for $38,900 versus $43,378 for the Ram 1500 (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Ranger or Ram 1500?
The Ram 1500: its typical rated version returns 19 MPG combined versus 18 MPG for the Ford Ranger (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford Ranger or Ram 1500?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ram 1500 averages 4.4 of 5 stars across rated years versus 3.8 for the Ford Ranger. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Ranger or Ram 1500?
NHTSA lists an average of 8.2 recalls per model year for the Ford Ranger and 13.4 for the Ram 1500 — an edge for the Ford Ranger. 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 Ranger XLT SUPERCREW typically lists for $33,592 vs $29,917 for a Ram 1500 SLT; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($37,994, 34.7% of Ford Ranger listings) and the LARAMIE ($43,995, 25.1% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($53,999) faces the LIMITED ($53,299). 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.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/ranger/vs/ram/1500.
Dig deeper
Ford Ranger — live listings & specs Ram 1500 — live listings & specs Ford Ranger prices by year Ram 1500 prices by year Ford Ranger MPG by year Ram 1500 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.