Some buyers walk into a truck dealership with ninety thousand dollars and no interest in a work truck. They want the leather, the quiet, the massaging seats — and they still want a bed, a hitch, and the ability to pull a boat to Lake Erie.
Ford's flagship is a hybrid. The Platinum Plus is not even a separate trim — it is Equipment Group 703A, a package bolted onto the Platinum that fills the hole left when Ford discontinued the Limited after 2024. Its PowerBoost V6 pairs twin turbos with an electric motor for the best fuel economy of any full-size luxury truck. Ram's flagship is a statement. The Tungsten is a brand-new trim for 2025, the most expensive and most indulgent Ram 1500 ever built, and its Hurricane High-Output six makes 540 horsepower — more than any V8 Ram has ever sold in a half-ton. The early verdict: the Ford is the smarter truck, the Ram is the more seductive one, and the right choice depends on whether you shop with a calculator or with your senses.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
| Performance | Ram 1500 Tungsten | 540 hp and a 4.7-second 0–60 run (Edmunds tested) beat the Ford's 430 hp hybrid |
| Fuel economy | Ford F-150 Platinum Plus | 23 mpg combined vs 17 for the Ram — a gap you feel at every fill-up |
| Towing | Ford F-150 Platinum Plus | 11,600 lbs vs 9,150 lbs for the Tungsten |
| Cabin luxury | Ram 1500 Tungsten | 24-way massaging seats, Klipsch 23-speaker audio, suede headliner — the richer room |
| Technology | Ford F-150 Platinum Plus | 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard turns the truck into a job-site generator; BlueCruise included |
| Value | Ford F-150 Platinum Plus | Similar as-built money, far better fuel economy, and a lower entry price for the Platinum line |
| Best for long trips | Ram 1500 Tungsten | Standard air suspension and the best seats in the segment eat highway miles |
At a Glance
| Spec | 2026 Ford F-150 Platinum Plus | 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten |
| Engine | 3.5L PowerBoost twin-turbo V6 hybrid | 3.0L Hurricane High-Output twin-turbo I-6 |
| Power | 430 hp / 570 lb-ft | 540 hp / 521 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Hybrid Electronic 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | 4x4 standard (703A package) | 4WD standard |
| Fuel economy (EPA) | 22 city / 24 hwy / 23 combined mpg | 15 city / 21 hwy / 17 combined mpg |
| Max towing | 11,600 lbs | 9,150 lbs (per CarBuzz) |
| Max payload | Up to 1,740 lbs (4WD) | Not published for the Tungsten |
| Cab / bed | SuperCrew only; 5.5-ft or 6.5-ft bed | Crew Cab only; 5-ft 7-in bed (53.9 cu ft) |
| Fuel tank | 30.6 gal | Not confirmed for the Tungsten |
| Starting price | $68,800 Platinum base + $2,595 dest.; Platinum Plus as built ~$90,090 before dest. | $87,320 + $1,995 dest. = $89,315 |
Design & Exterior
Parked side by side, these two trucks tell you everything about their makers' idea of luxury. The Ford is restrained, almost corporate in its confidence: a big chrome grille, satin-finish details, and 22-inch premium wheels with chrome inserts that announce money without shouting. For 2026 there is also a new Platinum Satin Appearance Package, a $395 option for buyers who want the chrome dialed back. What you notice most is how normal the truck looks — Ford's flagship does not beg for attention.
The Ram is the extrovert. The Tungsten wears its flagship status openly: unique badging, a sculpted front fascia with adaptive LED headlamps, 22-inch wheels, and a stance that sits lower and wider thanks to the standard four-corner air suspension. The RamBox is built into the bed sides, the multi-function tailgate splits and swings, and power running boards unfold when you open a door. It is a truck that looks expensive from fifty yards away — Ram built the Tungsten to be noticed in a valet line next to an Escalade.
Both trucks are Crew Cab only, five seats, full-size footprints. The Ford gives you a bed choice — 5.5 or 6.5 feet — while the Ram is strictly a Crew Cab with the 5-foot-7 short bed. If you regularly haul long cargo, that flexibility matters. The Ram answers with the RamBox, which turns wasted bedside space into lockable, drainable storage. Neither is wrong; they just solve different problems.
Interior, Comfort & Technology
Open the Ford's door and the first thing you feel is the seat. The Platinum's multi-contour leather buckets are heated, ventilated, and fitted with Active Motion massage, with 10-way power adjustment for the driver and memory for the driver, the pedals, and the steering wheel. The leather is full quilted, the instrument panel is leather-wrapped, and the illuminated scuff plates light up when you step in. The 12-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen runs navigation and the 5G modem, and the Bang & Olufsen Unleashed system — 14 speakers including a subwoofer — is the kind of audio you notice on the first song.
Then you open the Ram's door, and the Ford suddenly feels like the sensible choice rather than the special one. The Tungsten's cabin is the finest interior ever fitted to a Ram truck, and it is not close. The seats are 24-way power adjustable with heat, ventilation, memory, and massage. Quilted Natura Plus leather in Indigo and Sea Salt, a suede headliner, and real wood, metal, and carbon-fiber accents run across the dash. There are two wireless charging pads, a 12-inch digital cluster, a head-up display, and a 10.25-inch interactive display for the front passenger. The 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 screen is the largest in the segment, and the 23-speaker Klipsch system, at 1,228 watts, is the best factory audio in any pickup we have tested.
Comfort on the move favors the Ram by a clear margin, and the reason is underneath: four-corner air suspension is standard on the Tungsten, letting the truck kneel for entry, rise for clearance, and float over broken Ohio pavement. The Ford counters with a quiet cabin and a ride tuned for long highway days, but it cannot match the Ram's isolation. The Ford pulls ahead in daily use with the Pro Access Tailgate, which swings open from the center so you can reach deep into the bed. The Ram's is the one you show off; the Ford's is the one you live with.
Performance & Driving Feel
The numbers tell a simple story, and then the driving tells a more interesting one. The Ram's Hurricane High-Output makes 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque, and Edmunds recorded a 4.7-second run to 60 mph in its instrumented test. That is sports-car quick for a full-size truck. The engine note is no V8 rumble — 2025 is the year Ram went without a HEMI entirely — but the shove when you floor it leaves no doubt about what is under the hood.
The Ford's PowerBoost is a different kind of fast. Its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 plus a 35 kW electric motor inside the 10-speed automatic make 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet — more torque than the Ram, delivered lower in the rev range thanks to the electric assist. Around town, the hybrid fills the gaps a turbo leaves, so the truck feels effortless pulling away from lights and merging onto I-71.
Towing is where the Ford's torque and cooling pay off. The PowerBoost is rated to tow up to 11,600 pounds, and Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist and onboard scales make the job easier than the numbers suggest. The Tungsten, per CarBuzz, is rated at 9,150 pounds — respectable, but a real step down, and a reminder that luxury costs capability: the leather, the speakers, the air suspension, and the big wheels all eat into the truck's working margins. If your trailer is a 7,000-pound boat, either truck handles it. If you tow near five figures, the Ford is the only honest choice here.
Fuel Economy & Running Costs
This is the section where the comparison stops being close. The Ford's EPA rating is 22 city, 24 highway, and 23 combined miles per gallon in four-wheel-drive form, and with a 30.6-gallon tank that works out to roughly 700 miles of theoretical range. Edmunds' real-world testing of the Ram's High-Output engine returned 19 mpg combined — better than its 17 mpg EPA combined figure — but even that flattering number leaves the Ram six miles per gallon behind the Ford. Over 15,000 miles a year, that is roughly 200 extra gallons — the better part of a thousand dollars — every year.
Depreciation deserves an honest mention too. CarBuzz reported in June 2026 that the Tungsten had lost roughly $20,000 of value in its first year on the market, with average transaction prices near $68,000 against an $87,000 sticker. Flagship trucks always depreciate hard — the buyer pool for a $90,000 pickup is small — but the Ram's drop is steep even by that standard. The Ford faces the same forces, but its lower Platinum entry price and hybrid running costs give it a softer landing.
Features & Technology
Both trucks come standard with hands-free highway driving, and the systems are more different than the marketing suggests. Ford's BlueCruise lets you take your hands off the wheel on pre-mapped highways, and for 2026 it is available as a one-time purchase as well as a subscription. Ram's Hands-Free Active Driving Assist is a Level 2 system that works on roughly 125,000 miles of mapped roads in the US and Canada, and it is standard on the Tungsten. In practice both work well on long interstate stretches; the Ford has the larger mapped network, while the Ram's pairs with the air suspension to make the whole experience feel more relaxed.
The Ford's trump card is Pro Power Onboard. The Platinum Plus carries the 7.2 kW version, which turns the truck into a rolling generator: it will run a job site, a tailgate, or — and this matters in Ohio storm season — a house's essentials during a power outage. The Ram has an onboard inverter of up to 2 kW, which is useful for tools and coolers but is not in the same league. Add the Platinum Plus Experience — a two-year maintenance plan, a welcome package, and one-to-one texting with a Ford truck expert — and ownership starts to feel like a concierge service.
The Ram answers with screens and sound: more than fifty inches of display glass, a passenger screen, dual wireless charging, smartphone-as-key, and that Klipsch system. If your measure of technology is what you can see and hear from the driver's seat, the Ram wins; if it is what the truck can do when the power goes out, the Ford wins.
Safety & Driver Assistance
Neither truck makes you choose between luxury and safety. The Ford's BlueCruise is backed by the usual suite of assists, and the 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist are all part of the Platinum's equipment. The Ram's kit is just as deep: a 360-degree camera, automated parking assist, traffic-sign recognition, drowsy-driver detection, and intersection collision assist all come with the Tungsten. Both carry the essentials — automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, adaptive cruise — as standard at this price.
Pricing, Trims & Value
Here is where the Ford's 2026 price cut changes the math. The Platinum's base price fell from $74,095 in 2025 to $68,800 for 2026, because Ford made two-wheel drive standard and now charges $3,800 for four-wheel drive. The Platinum Plus package itself — Equipment Group 703A — adds $14,200, and the PowerBoost engine is a $1,340 option. Add the $2,595 destination charge and a real Platinum Plus stickers at roughly $90,090 before destination; window stickers we found run $92,565 to $93,090 loaded.
The Ram is simpler to price and harder to discount. The Tungsten starts at $87,320 plus a $1,995 destination charge, for $89,315 as it sits — and because the Tungsten is Crew Cab four-wheel drive only, there is no cheaper way into the trim. Fully optioned trucks run about $94,575 to $96,470. So as actually built, the two trucks sit within a few thousand dollars of each other — a genuine choice, not a price mismatch. The Ford gives you more truck for the money in fuel economy and towing; the Ram gives you more in power and cabin theater. Neither is a bargain, but both are fairly priced for what they are.
Pros and Cons
2026 Ford F-150 Platinum Plus — Pros: best fuel economy of any luxury truck (23 mpg combined); strongest towing here (11,600 lbs); 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard; BlueCruise hands-free driving; lower Platinum entry price after the 2026 cut; Pro Access Tailgate. Cons: 430 hp trails the Ram by 110; cabin, while excellent, is not as opulent as the Tungsten's; Platinum Plus is a package, not a trim; no V8 available on Platinum.
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten — Pros: 540 hp Hurricane High-Output, 0–60 in 4.7 seconds; the finest cabin in any pickup; standard air suspension; 23-speaker Klipsch audio; 14.5-inch touchscreen plus passenger display; hands-free driving assist standard. Cons: 17 mpg combined EPA; 9,150-lb towing trails the Ford by 2,450 lbs; steep first-year depreciation (about $20,000, per CarBuzz); no HEMI option for 2025; single bed and cab configuration.
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the Ford F-150 Platinum Plus if you tow real weight, drive real miles, or want the truck to earn its keep: the hybrid's fuel economy, the 11,600-pound tow rating, and the 7.2 kW generator make it the working luxury truck. It is also the pick if you like a flagship that does not announce itself.
Buy the Ram 1500 Tungsten if the cabin is the point. If you spend two hours a day on the highway, the air suspension, the massaging seats, and the Klipsch system will make every hour better, and the 540-horsepower engine will make every on-ramp fun. It is the truck for the buyer who wants the most indulgent pickup on sale and is willing to pay for it at the pump and at trade-in time.
Final Verdict
We would take the Ford home. The Platinum Plus does more things well — it tows more, sips fuel, powers a house, and costs about the same money as built — and for a truck that will live a real life of trailers, commutes, and Ohio winters, that breadth matters more than the Ram's extra horsepower. But we would understand the buyer who takes the Ram, because the Tungsten is the more memorable truck. It is faster, quieter, softer-riding, and its cabin is the single best reason to spend ninety thousand dollars on a pickup.
Either way, the real winner here is the buyer. Five years ago, a $90,000 pickup meant a diesel work truck with leather seats. Today it means a hybrid with a generator and a hands-free highway system, or a 540-horsepower luxury lounge with a bed. Both are on sale right now, and the only wrong choice is the one you make without driving both first.
FAQ
Is the F-150 Platinum Plus a separate trim?
No. Platinum Plus is Equipment Group 703A, a package on the Platinum trim. Ford's 2026 F-150 lineup has eight trims — XL, STX, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Tremor, and Raptor — and no Limited. The Platinum Plus package fills the flagship role the Limited held until it was discontinued after the 2024 model year.
Which truck tows more, the F-150 Platinum Plus or the Ram 1500 Tungsten?
The Ford, by a wide margin. The PowerBoost hybrid is rated to tow up to 11,600 pounds, while the Tungsten is rated at 9,150 pounds per CarBuzz. The Ram's luxury equipment — air suspension, heavy seats, big wheels — costs it working capacity.
Which is faster?
The Ram. Its 540-horsepower Hurricane High-Output six ran 0–60 mph in 4.7 seconds in Edmunds' instrumented test. The Ford's 430-horsepower PowerBoost hybrid is quick — and makes more torque, at 570 pound-feet — but it is not as fast in a straight line.
Which gets better fuel economy?
The Ford, and it is not close: 23 mpg combined EPA against 17 mpg combined for the Ram. The Ford's 30.6-gallon tank gives it roughly 700 miles of theoretical range; the Ram's real-world figure is better than its EPA number, but still well behind.
Does the 2025 Ram 1500 have a HEMI V8?
No. Ram discontinued the 5.7-liter HEMI across the 1500 line for 2025, replacing it with the Hurricane twin-turbo six family. The HEMI returned for 2026 on most trims, but the Tungsten — like the RHO — remains Hurricane-only.
For more luxury truck comparisons, see our GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate vs Ford F-150 Platinum Plus luxury truck battle, our GMC Sierra 1500 Denali vs Ram 1500 Tungsten review, and our Ram 1500 RHO vs Ford F-150 Raptor desert truck battle.
Which one would you take home — the hybrid Ford or the 540-horsepower Ram? Tell us in the comments, and let us know what you want us to compare next.
By Stefany Aurora, ABBOhio editorial team.
