The compact pickup truck market is growing with the Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and new Ram Rampage hitting the streets.
Ford reopened the possibilities of small trucks with the Maverick and Ram wasted no time providing adequate competition with the new Rampage. Eventually, the Rampage will hit North American shores, but it has already debuted in South America as a direct competitor to some of the most dominant trucks on this continent. We might see a slightly different version in the United States when it arrives, but its still fun to compare these pickups and guess what will arrive on our roads.
What features are included in each truck?
If we’re trying to get a handle on what the North American Ram Rampage might be, we have to skip over the diesel powertrains that won’t be allowed in the US. This means reviewing some of the features offered. The Rampage Rebel includes a range of advanced safety features, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and a set of 17-inch wheels. The Ford Maverick XL has steel wheels, automatic LED headlights, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. This trim isn’t nearly as feature-rich as the Rampage Rebel, but it brings practicality and quality to the mix.
When you want more in either truck, the Ram Rampage R/T and Ford Maverick Lariat are where you’ll find those items. The Rampage R/T includes leather and suede seats with ruby red stitching, a sport suspension, and dual-exhaust ports. This truck rides on 19-inch gloss black wheels and includes special R/T badges and graphics. Turning to the Maverick Lariat, you’ll find leather seats, al leather steering wheel, ambient cabin lighting, keyless entry, dual-zone climate controls, the Ford Co-Pilot360 safety package, and hill descent control.
Which truck has more power?
The only way to consider these compact trucks for the North American market is to discount the diesel engine offered in the Rampage. This leaves the small Ram with a 2.0-liter hurricane turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that delivers 272 horsepower and 292 lb-ft of torque. Ram offers a mild hybrid system in this pickup to improve acceleration and towing.
The Ford Maverick has a base hybrid engine with a 2.5-liter 4-cylidner engine that returns 191 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. The more powerful Maverick uses a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that returns 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
The Ram Rampage is more powerful than the Ford Maverick, giving the Ram the edge in this category.
Is the Ford truck more efficient than the Ram pickup?
The hybrid version of the Ford Maverick might not provide much power, but it is the fuel mileage champion. This Maverick delivers 42 city/32 hwy mpg. If you want to compare non-hybrid powertrains we see the Hurricane powertrain in the Ram Rampage returns 19 city/23 hwy mpg compared to 23 city/30 hwy mpg for the EcoBoost Ford Maverick.
The Ford Maverick is more efficient than the Ram Rampage, giving the small Ford an edge.
Is one truck safer than the other?
Advanced safety features are expected in most new vehicles and both companies offer trucks with an impressive package of great safety features. The Rampage boasts excellent standard safety items including Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind-Spot Monitoring, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alerts at all trims. The Ford Maverick includes the benefits of automatic LED headlights to provide excellent visibility during nighttime driving.
In addition to collision avoidance features, both compact trucks provide drivers with stability control systems to ensure a smooth and confident drive when the road conditions turn sour.
When it comes to safety, both the Ram Rampage and Ford Maverick are useful trucks and help keep passengers safe in case of a crash.
Which of these compact trucks is the best?
Until we know what the US version of the Rampage will include, this comparison isn’t complete. Comparing these two trucks in their current forms gives the Rampage the edge in power, but the Ford Maverick leads the way in terms of fuel mileage and useful features. The current version of the Rampage starts with more luxury items in the base model than the starting point for the Maverick, which could be the case for a US version of the Rampage.
Will the new Ram Rampage head to North America to take on the Ford Maverick? Is Stellantis waiting to see how many new compact trucks hit this market before introducing the Rampage? The Rampage could provide a worth competitor to the Maverick, but it hasn’t been confirmed for this market. Still, its hard to imagine a truck from one of the Detroit Big Three brands that isn’t offered in the United States.
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