Pickup Comparison: 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT vs Ford F-150 Tremor

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I recently shared my key impressions of this $84,000 Ford F-150 Tremor and this $82,000 Ram 1500 Rebel GT, based on about 1,800 kilometres of testing at the wheel of each.

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Below, we’ll revisit those machines again — this time to highlight their key similarities and differences side by side, and to see where they’re the closest together and the farthest apart. If you’re cross-shopping this pair of key competitors, you’ll be able to use the information below to help make a better purchase decision.

What is a Ford F-150 Tremor?

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The Ford F-150 Tremor is a specialized F-150 model that employs a specific set of suspension, off-road, cosmetic, driveline, tire, and chassis upgrades which gear it up for a shopper seeking a more athletic F-150 driving experience that’s ready for off-road use.

My tester came with a 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 good for 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, all-wheel drive with locking rear axle, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and a 10,900-pound towing capacity.

Rated fuel economy clocks in at 13.2 L/100 km combined.

What is a Ram 1500 Rebel GT?

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The 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT uses a similar recipe. My tester ran the Rebel’s tire upgrade, suspension lift, and off-road ready hardware package, alongside some additional trim, graphics, and interior upgrades to target shoppers after more athletic Ram 1500 driving experience that’s also ready for fun in the bush.

My tester got the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 with eTorque system generating 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Look for an 8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive with locking rear axle, and 11,210-pound towing capacity. Fuel economy comes in at 13.8 L/100 km combined.

How do the powertrains compare?

With the 2022 F-150 Tremor’s 13.2 L/100 km combined fuel economy and the 2022 Ram 1500 Rebel GT’s 13.8 L/100 km combined fuel economy, there’s little separating the two machines when it comes to fuel mileage. Assuming an annual distance driven of 25,000 kilometres and a fuel cost of $1.50 per litre, the annual gas bills of these trucks are less than $230 apart — about $5,175 for the Ram and $4,950 for the Ford.

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Though the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 and its new power-adding eTorque system provide improved throttle response and fuel economy, it’s the EcoBoost V6 that makes the best use of your fuel dollars. The twin-turbo engine uses a little less fuel, but makes a lot more torque, turning in a 90 lb-ft advantage over the Ram.

Both engines are smooth and easygoing when driven gently, and thanks to the eTorque system bolted atop the Hemi V8, low-rev, off-the-line snap from both engines is very similar.

Still, it’s the Dodge with the more pleasing soundtrack. My tester’s sports exhaust left an all-American rumble following this truck around, where the F-150 EcoBoost sounds like there’s a sock in its throat.

From the driver’s seat, the superior torque from the EcoBoost V6 generates a stronger sensation of overall pulling power at full throttle, while the Hemi generates a more satisfying overall experience with the orchestra created by its sharp gearshifts and signature soundtrack.

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From the Tremor’s engine, the gushing tidal wave of torque is responsible for the largest smiles. From the Rebel’s engine, it’s the exhaust music.

What about the ride?

Both trucks make lovely highway cruisers, but I noted the biggest difference between this pair of machines in ride quality, comfort, and consistency.

To my ear, the Ram Rebel is the quieter drive at higher speeds, though its suspension felt a bit more unsettled at times by certain imperfections in the road that could coax out the occasional bump or whack from beneath.

In my testing, the Tremor edged out the Rebel GT as the more comfortable overall highway drive, despite being slightly louder. Here, the Tremor’s ride feels less bothered by the same disturbances that can occasionally break the Rebel GT’s composure. These are minor differences.

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Both machines turn in a highway drive that borders on that of a luxury SUV, the Ram proving a little quieter, and the Tremor a little smoother.

Driving through rough- and backroad settings flips things around.

After a week at the wheel of the Tremor, my main complaint was the ride quality on badly beaten backroads surfaces and rocky trails. I left my tester wishing that more of that highway comfort translated to rough-road use, where the Tremor’s ride can quickly get choppy, busy, and abrupt. Further, certain surfaces seem to want to send the rear axle skittering around behind you as the tires fight for contact with the road.

Though the Ram Rebel GT isn’t quite as smooth on the highway as the F-150 Tremor, it’s a lot smoother on these same backroads surfaces. Here, the Rebel’s suspension soaks up imperfections with less noise, less drama, far fewer abrupt or jarring sensations. There’s even better steering isolation which makes it easier to keep the truck going where it’s pointed, and the driver uses less bandwidth to keep the truck on course.

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As a result, the Ram 1500 Rebel feels like it can move over these sorts of rough surfaces at higher speeds before ride comfort and control take a hit. Both trucks feel durable and tough when the going gets rough, but the Rebel’s suspension seems much more difficult to overwhelm.

A common complaint

Both trucks in this comparison left me with a common complaint: the feel at the controls. Though not a key consideration for many pickup shoppers, I left both the Tremor and the Rebel wishing for a higher-precision feel from both the steering and brakes.

Despite their athletic intentions, neither truck has a particularly exciting feel to speak of in these areas. In both trucks, I wished for steering with more meaningful feel, better feedback, and faster responses, as well as a more precise and eager feel from the braking system, especially during hard stops.

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If you’re looking for a pickup that impresses with quick and precise reflexes at the tips of your fingers and toes, the Toyota Tundra might make a better choice.

Interiors

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The Ram 1500 Rebel GT’s interior is one of its very best assets. Carefully controlled use of colour and texture keeps the overall scenery dark, formal, and sporty, with a just-right combination of dark colours, metallics, stitching, and glossy display surfaces.

With metal sports pedals, a leather-wrapped console shifter, and giant metallic paddle shifters set just ahead of an instrument cluster with physical dials, the Rebel GT’s interior gives the driver plenty of sporty signals. That helps make it a great choice for the shopper after a pickup cabin that’s sporty, upscale, and presented with the charisma of a high-end sports coupe.

Conversely, I found the Tremor’s interior to look and feel more open and inviting, bright, and busy. Big windows and a giant sunroof left me feeling like I was driving a 4×4 aquarium. All this glass can have a calming effect on the driver, since it improves visibility, eases claustrophobia, and makes it easier to gather information about your surroundings, all to the benefit of stress levels at the wheel. The brighter colour scheme and more prominent use of screens, animations, colours, and displays provide a high-energy, high-tech punch in the Tremor, too.

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So, things in the Tremor are brighter and more exciting, and the technology and displays make up a bigger part of the visual experience. Things in the Rebel GT seem darker, more formal, and more focused, allowing the high-end materials and trimmings to shine through more powerfully.

Those planning to use their truck to unwind, relax, and socialize with passengers on the open road may find the Tremor’s more upbeat-looking cabin right for the job, while those planning to use their truck as more of an intimate, personal space may find the Rebel GT’s cabin the best choice for the dollar.

Which one would I buy?

This one’s tough, but it’s the Ram Rebel GT for me.

I’d miss the Tremor’s all-out torque and pulling power, as well as its bright, open, high-visibility cabin. Still, for where and how I drive, the Ram 1500 Rebel GT left me with fewer complaints in key areas. To this writer, it feels like the better-balanced driving experience. As a fan of travelling by sports coupe, there’s something in the Rebel GT’s interior design that  pulls me straight into the experience too — nearly as much as the sound and sensation of its electrically boosted Hemi V8 in action.