Ram TRX vs. Ford Raptor MPG Showdown: Which Of These Two Sucks The Gas Station DRY In Moab?

We're sure you already know the answer

The 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor is the MPG winner on paper, thanks to its twin-turbocharged V6 engine. (Images: TFLtruck)

Ram TRX vs. Ford Raptor MPG showdown? Yep, we took them to Moab, Utah and recorded how they did on the way.

We love real world challenges, and the Ram TRX vs. Ford Raptor MPG showdown seemed too good to pass up on a trip from Golden, Colorado to Moab, Utah. Now, the real reason we’re taking these trucks to Moab is obvious — we’re going to test their off-road prowess.

There are a few things you should know:

  • It was cold – we did the whole run in mostly freezing conditions. Both trucks followed each other and maintained a similar speed. We did NOT hyper-mile either truck (not that it’s particularly doable to begin with).
  • The Ford Raptor has a 36 gallon tank and there’s a 33 gallon on the Ram TRX. Ford uses a 10-speed automatic in the Raptor, which has a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6. The TRX comes with an eight-speed automatic and a 6.2-liter, supercharged V8.
  • Our route was mostly on Interstate 70. This means that a good part of the journey wasn’t on a flat highway. We bounced around from about 4,000 feet of elevation, all the way up to 11,000 feet going through the Rocky Mountains.
  • Roman originally got 10.5 mpg on the Ram TRX, before being broken in. The EPA rates the 2021 Ram TRX at 14 mpg highway.
  • Our 2020 Ford Raptor is rated at 18 mpg highway, and it’s hard to match the EPA’s numbers in this truck. Often, it would appear to be driver error.
The Ram TRX proved its power on the track, but it’s certainly not the most efficient truck out there.

Ram TRX vs. Ford Raptor MPG showdown results:

According to the on-board computer in both trucks, the Raptor said it was getting 16.9 mpg and the TRX said it got 12.3 mpg on a trip that went just over 344 miles (according to their on-board calculations). We measured it by GPS and it said 345 miles from the gas pump in Golden, Colorado to the Moab pump. As such, we opted to use the GPS miles to factor mpg.

According to the pump, the Ram TRX sucked up 27.01 gallons (over $77.00 in fuel) and got 12.77 mpg. Not only is that a massive (about 24%) improvement over its first trip, it was achieved while driving up and down mountains. Its first trip, Detroit to Boulder, was mostly flat. There’s something to be said about breaking in an engine for better efficiency.

The Ford F-150 Raptor claims 18 mpg on the highway, but did we manage close to that?

The Ford Raptor was far more efficient. It saved us about $17.00 at the pump and got 16.24 mpg. Keep in mind that, despite the Raptor looking like the TRX (big tires, wide stance, high suspension) it is significantly lighter. Thanks to all of the aluminum used on its body, the Raptor weighs about 600 lbs less than the TRX.

This video was filmed as the crew was setting up for the main video: Raptor vs. TRX in Moab.

Not that either of these trucks are purchased because of their economy, it’s still interesting to see how they do in real world conditions. Check out the video!

Nathan Adlen
Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism - Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum. Brought up in the California car culture and educated in theater, childhood education, film, journalism and history, Nathan now lives with his family in Denver, CO. His words, good humor and video are enjoyed worldwide.