Both of these trucks can tow more than most drivers will ever need. The real differences show up in engine choice, cabin tech, and what you get for the price. At Chris Crain Dodge Jeep Ram in Hot Springs, we see why so many local drivers pick the 2026 Ram 1500 over the Ford F-150. Here's how the two trucks stack up, using each manufacturer's own numbers. Feel free to check our current Ram 1500 inventory as you read. Engine Lineup Ram gives you four engine choices, and all four pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 uses eTorque, a mild-hybrid boost, and makes 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Step up to the 3.0L Hurricane six-cylinder engine, and you get 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft. A high-output version of that same engine comes standard on the new RHO trim, producing 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque. The 5.7L HEMI V8 is also back for 2026, with eTorque assistance, rated at 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. Ford offers six engines across its trims, ranging from a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 (325 hp) up to a supercharged 5.2L V8 in the Raptor R (720 hp). Ram still wins in one spot: the RHO's 540 horsepower beats the standard Raptor's 450 horsepower. You'd need the pricier Raptor R to top it. Towing and Payload Ford wins on paper here. With its 3.5L EcoBoost engine, the F-150 can tow up to 13,500 pounds and haul up to 2,440 pounds of payload. The Ram 1500's best setup tows up to 11,610 pounds and carries up to 2,360 pounds. Both trucks can handle almost any boat, camper, or trailer you'd pull around Lake Ouachita. If you plan to tow near the top of either truck's limit, talk to our team first so we can match the right engine to your trailer. Ram closes the gap with its towing tech. The 1500 offers a knob that lets you steer your trailer while backing up, called Trailer Reverse Steering Control. It also offers a 360-degree towing camera, a trailer camera that streams to the rearview mirror, gridlines that show your trailer's path in reverse, and mirrors that extend for a better view. Ram calls this its best towing tech package yet, and once you've backed a boat trailer down a ramp using that steering knob, it's easy to see why. Cabin Technology This is where the Ram 1500 pulls ahead. It offers a 14.5-inch touchscreen, a digital gauge cluster, a head-up display, and a second touchscreen just for the front passenger. Add it up, and you get more than 50 inches of combined screen space. Ram also offers two wireless phone chargers up front, one for the driver and one for the passenger. An available power inverter puts out up to 2,000 watts through two household-style outlets, enough to run tools or a small fridge at the campsite. On the top Tungsten trim, the front seats heat, cool, and even massage you. The F-150 uses a 12-inch touchscreen with Ford's SYNC 4 system and a 4-inch gauge cluster on base trims, with a head-up display available higher in the lineup. Ford's Pro Power Onboard system puts out up to 7.2 kilowatts on the Platinum Plus trim. Both trucks offer hands-free highway driving on certain trims — Ram calls its version Hands-Free Active Driving Assist, and Ford calls its version BlueCruise. Safety Features Ford's Co-Pilot360 system includes automatic emergency braking, blind spot warnings that cover your trailer, adaptive cruise control, and help at busy intersections. Ram matches that with more than 100 standard and available safety features, plus its own hands-free driving assist on certain trims. Both trucks are safe choices. The real difference is which features come standard and which cost extra, so it's worth checking a real build sheet before you compare prices. Trim Lineup and Warranty Ram's 2026 lineup runs from Tradesman up to Tungsten, with Express, Warlock, Big Horn (called Lone Star in some areas), Laramie, Rebel, RHO, Limited, and Limited Longhorn in between. A few trims also offer a special America 250th Anniversary Edition. Ford's lineup covers XL, STX, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Tremor, and Raptor, with the Raptor R at the very top. Here's a number worth remembering: select 2026 Ram 1500 models come with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That's well beyond what most other trucks offer. You can check current pricing and deals on our specials page before you visit. Why Hot Springs Drivers Keep Choosing Ram A truck around Garland County needs to pull a boat to Lake Ouachita, haul a camper into the Ouachita National Forest, and still get through a full work week. The Ram 1500 gives you a real choice of engines, cabin tech that feels more like a luxury SUV, and a 10-year powertrain warranty backing it all up. That's a big reason the Ram 1500 is the truck most of our customers choose at Chris Crain Dodge Jeep Ram. Ready to see these trucks in person? Check our new vehicle inventory for current Ram 1500 stock, or visit our finance page to get pre-qualified before your visit. Stop by Chris Crain Dodge Jeep Ram in Hot Springs, and our team will help you find the Ram 1500 that fits how you really use a truck.
Deer Season in the Ouachitas: Best Trucks and Jeeps for Hunting Around Hot Springs
The Ouachita Mountains are some of the best deer country in Arkansas. Thick pine forests, rocky ridges, and quiet creek bottoms surround Hot Springs on every side. For many local families, deer season is a tradition that gets passed down from one generation to the next. The 2026-27 season is already here. Archery season runs from September 26, 2026, to February 28, 2027. Muzzleloader (alternative firearms) season opens October 17, and modern gun season opens November 14 in the zones around the Ouachitas. Exact dates vary by zone, so check the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission before you go. Getting to your stand is half the battle in these mountains. At Chris Crain Dodge Jeep Ram in Hot Springs, we want to help you get there safely. Here is what to look for in a hunting vehicle, and which 2027 models we think best fit Ouachita hunters. What Ouachita Deer Hunters Need in a Vehicle Hunting in the mountains is different from hunting in the flatlands. Forest roads are steep, rocky, and full of loose gravel. A quick rain can turn a dirt road into a slick mess. Here is what your hunting rig should have: Four-wheel drive with low range. Low gearing gives you control on steep climbs and slow descents. Ground clearance. Rocks and deep ruts can damage the underside of a low vehicle. A place to haul your deer. A truck bed makes it easy to bring home a buck without making a mess inside the truck. Towing power. Many hunters pull an ATV or side-by-side to reach remote stands. Good tires. All-terrain tires grip better on rocks and mud. Keeping your vehicle in top shape is just as important as picking the right one. Our guide on how often you should service your Dodge, Jeep, or Ram explains what to check and when. 2027 Ram 1500: Comfort on the Highway, Grit in the Woods The 2027 Ram 1500 is a top choice for hunters who drive to the woods and back every weekend. It rides smoothly on Highway 7, then handles forest roads with ease. The 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo engine gives you strong power for climbing hills. When properly equipped, it can tow up to about 11,530 pounds. That is plenty for an ATV trailer, a side-by-side, or a camper for deer camp. New features for 2027 make hunting trips even easier: Available 360-degree camera on more trims, including Laramie and Rebel. It helps you spot stumps and rocks when backing into a tight spot. Available 2 kW onboard power with two 120V outlets in the bed on Pentastar V6 models. Charge batteries, run lights, or power tools at camp. Popular Equipment Group with a 14.5-inch touchscreen and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Want to see what's on the lot? Browse our Ram 1500 inventory in Hot Springs. 2027 Ram 2500: The Deer Camp Workhorse If you run a deer camp, haul a big side-by-side, or pull a travel trailer into the mountains, the 2027 Ram 2500 is ready for the job. The 6.4L HEMI V8 makes 410 horsepower. The available 6.7L Cummins High-Output turbo diesel makes 430 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque. That torque makes long, steep grades feel easy, even with a heavy load behind you. Here is what's new for 2027: The Payload Upgrade Package on most HEMI models boosts payload capacity to up to 4,580 pounds. Power Wagon with a Cummins diesel for the first time. It has locking front and rear differentials, 34-inch tires, and a 31-gallon tank good for about 600 miles. That means fewer trips to the gas station during a long hunting weekend. Standalone Warn winch available on HEMI Rebel and Power Wagon models. A winch can pull you or a buddy out of a muddy ditch or help drag a fallen tree off the trail. See our current Ram 2500 inventory in Hot Springs. If you use your truck for work too, check out our commercial vehicles. 2027 Jeep Wrangler: Made for Mountain Trails The Ouachitas are full of old logging roads and rocky trails. Few vehicles handle them better than the 2027 Jeep Wrangler. Every Wrangler comes with four-wheel drive, and its short size lets it squeeze down narrow paths where a full-size truck won't fit. The Rubicon is the trail king. It has front and rear locking differentials and a disconnecting front sway bar. Those features keep the tires gripping when the trail gets rough. If you want more power, the Willys 392 and Moab 392 use a 6.4L HEMI V8 with 470 horsepower. For 2027, Jeep added features that help on cold mornings: Sahara now has heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, and an off-road camera. Rubicon adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and navigation. Sport, Sport S, and Willys get proximity keyless entry so that you can unlock the doors with gloves on. The Wrangler can tow up to 3,500 pounds on select trims, which is enough for a small ATV trailer. Browse our Jeep Wrangler inventory, and learn how Uconnect keeps you connected on back roads. 2026 Jeep Gladiator: Trail Skills Plus a Truck Bed The 2026 Jeep Gladiator is the perfect mix for deer hunters. It has the off-road skills of a Wrangler, plus a five-foot pickup bed for your deer, stand, and gear. The Gladiator uses a 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 285 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 7,700 pounds and carry up to 1,720 pounds of payload. It has up to 11.6 inches of ground clearance and can cross water up to 31.5 inches deep, so rocky trails and swollen creeks are less of a worry. The Gladiator comes in Sport, Sport S, Willys, Mojave, and Rubicon trims. The Rubicon offers a crawl ratio of up to 77:1, which gives you slow, steady control on steep, rocky climbs. New for 2026, an improved door hinge design makes it quicker to pull the doors off for warm early-season hunts. Sport S buyers can also add aggressive all-terrain tires for better grip on gravel and mud. Check out our 2026 Jeep Gladiator inventory in Hot Springs to find the right one for your hunting trips. Get Your Truck or Jeep Ready for Opening Day A breakdown on a remote forest road is no fun. A little prep before modern gun season can save your hunt. Check your tires. Look at tread depth and air pressure. Cold weather lowers tire pressure. Test your battery. Frosty mornings are hard on old batteries. Inspect your brakes. Steep mountain roads put extra strain on them. Change your oil and top off fluids. Towing and hill climbing make your engine work harder. Add the right gear. Bed liners, tie-downs, and hitch accessories make hauling a deer or ATV easier. You can find bed liners, hitches, and more at our Mopar parts and accessories department. When you're ready for a checkup, schedule service online. Find Your Hunting Rig at Chris Crain Dodge Jeep Ram in Hot Springs The right vehicle gets you deeper into the Ouachitas and home safely with your deer. Choose the Ram 1500 for an all-around truck, the Ram 2500 for heavy loads, the Wrangler for tight trails, or the Gladiator for Jeep skills with a bed. See why so many hunters call us Hot Springs' trusted local dealership. Browse our new inventory, get pre-approved, and stop by for a test drive before opening day.