Battle of the Best-Sellers: The Chevy Silverado 1500 vs Ford F-150

Are you searching for a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado 1500 for sale? The truck market can get competitive fast. In a place where rugged performance is carefully balanced with contemporary comfort and cutting-edge technology, the decision-making process can often get overwhelming, leading drivers through a labyrinth of choices. The Chevy Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150 are both best-selling trucks with legions of loyal drivers. Picking between the two is a common dilemma most truck drivers face at one point or another.

Both the Silverado 1500 and the F-150 stand as titans in the full-size truck market, boasting powerful engines, noteworthy trailering abilities, advanced tailgates, and plenty of creature comforts. When you’re faced with the task of choosing between two iconic models, drivers will find they’ll have to answer countless questions about standard features, trim options, and performance potential. The Silverado 1500 excels when it comes to long-lasting durability, often leaving its competition in the dust and hitting the 200,000-mile mark with routine maintenance. It offers a no-nonsense interior with intuitive technology and impressive towing abilities, making it a great choice for a daily driver and adventure companion. On the other hand, the F-150 has legendary power combined with a well-tuned cabin that offers modern tech and comfort that contemporary drivers might find compelling.

If you find yourself trying to come to a decision, consider your driving habits and your needs now and into the future. Will the Silverado’s towing abilities and creature comforts fit your lifestyle yet remain flexible enough to accommodate your changing needs? Or does the F-150’s steady power and versatility seem even more appealing? Comparing the pros and cons of each model can lead to a headache, but if you find yourself in this position, you’re in the right place.

We were curious about a few things ourselves when it came to the Silverado 1500 vs F-150 and decided to dive deeper and shine some light on noteworthy differences, empowering drivers to make an informed decision when getting ready to make a big investment in a new truck. We’ve compared the Silverado 1500 and the F-150 to determine which one hits all the right marks for drivers navigating the full-size light-duty truck market.

Standard Power and Fuel Economy

Right off the bat, we noticed that the F-150 doesn’t have a diesel option for 2024, so if diesel is your preference, you’ll have no choice but to go for the Silverado 1500. In addition to three gas-powered engine choices, the 2024 Silverado features a modern Duramax 3.0L turbo-diesel engine. This offers exceptional performance with 495 lb-ft of torque and a towing capacity of up to 13,300 lbs, all without compromising on efficiency. If you want to go further for less, the diesel is unbeatable, with an estimated 29 MPG combined compared to the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid that clocks in at just 25 MPG combined.

How about the standard engines? For most recreational towing and casual driving, drivers will normally opt for the standard, so how do the 2024 models match up? The 2024 Silverado 1500 comes standard with a 2.7L TurboMax engine that has 430 lb-ft of torque and a max towing capacity of 9,500 lbs. For 2024, the Ford F-150 had its base engine upgraded to a 2.7L EcoBoost V6, but it still only offers 400 lb-ft of torque and a max towing capability of 8,400 lbs. That’s more than a 1,000-lb difference.

To get additional towing power from the F-150, you’ll have to upgrade to the available 3.5L EcoBoost. This is a great upgrade, yet the engine doesn’t have the fuel efficiency of the Silverado 1500’s diesel, which can pull roughly the same weight without straining your fuel economy. Overall, we have to give this round to Silverado for its standard powertrain that offers more horsepower and its diesel upgrade, which has great performance and saves on fuel. Frankly, we’re a little disappointed Ford’s hybrid doesn’t have a better fuel economy.

Tailgates, Beds, and Cargo Volume

Both the Chevy and Ford trucks offer drivers the option to upgrade their tailgates and beds for additional convenience and function. Sounds good, right? So, how do their designs stack up? The Silverado 1500 has the honor of boasting the most functional bed of any competitor and that includes class-leading cargo volume. Sorry, F-150. The Silverado bed features 12 standard tie-downs and up to 89.1 cu.ft. of cargo volume, making it the best in its class. The F-150, on the other hand, has a maximum bed volume of 77.4 cu.ft.

When it comes to tailgates, both models can be upgraded for advanced functions. The Silverado 1500 was one of the first trucks to feature a multifunction tailgate. The Multi-Flex tailgate was introduced in 2021 and features six different functions, including primary and inner gate load stops, a full-width built-in step, a primary gate and inner gate, plus an inner gate work surface. The tailgate is available on all trim levels, making it easy to upgrade your truck to meet your needs.

Ford has been messing around with its tailgate for decades, adding little features like an LED light in 2015 and a work surface in 2021. However, Ford decided to take things up a notch for the 2024 model, debuting its Pro Access Tailgate that opens outward a full 100 degrees, more like a car door than a truck tailgate. This was designed to allow drivers easier access to the bed even when a trailer is hitched up. It can also open like a traditional tailgate. It’s kind of cool in a novelty way but, frankly, feels a little underwhelming compared to the Chevy Multi-Flex tailgate.

The Multi-Flex tailgate adds to the Silverado 1500’s overall function and convenience in a way the F-150’s lackluster Pro Access tailgate does not. And when it comes to standard cargo volume, the F-150 again can’t keep up. We have to declare the Silverado 1500 our top choice for truck beds and advanced tailgate features.

The Most Advanced Technology

Most trucks on the market offer great standard tech. The Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150 are no different. When it comes to driver assistance features and advanced trailering technology, these trucks are ready to go to work for drivers. Both models feature standard safety packages as well as available trailering packages with multiple camera angles, an in-vehicle trailering app, and everything you would expect. But there is one major available feature that stands out, and if you’re a road tripper or long-distance driver, it could be an important one: hands-free driving technology.

The Silverado 1500 has Chevy Super Cruise. The Super Cruise technology is paired with OnStar and allows drivers to go hands-free while their truck maintains speed and steering. Super Cruise is considered the most advanced hands-free system in its class. One reason for this is that, unlike the F-150’s BlueCruise, the Silverado 1500 is the only full-size truck with a hands-free driving system that allows for trailering. Sounds good, right? The advanced Super Cruise technology can be used with your trailer! So when the road gets long, you can let Chevy take the wheel.

The Ford F-150 can be had with BlueCruise, Ford’s version of hands-free driving. It works much the way Super Cruise does, keeping you centered and safe while you take your hands off the wheel to relax for a bit. Hands-free driving can be a real mood booster when you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the driver’s seat. However, BlueCruise currently doesn’t have the trailering capability that Super Cruise has. A truck was made for hauling, so naturally, we’d lean toward the Silverado 1500 equipped with available Super Cruise with Trailering for all of our biggest and longest trips.

Take Your Pick

Drivers are free to do their own homework and take their pick. After all, the truck market is expansive and has many impressive models. Our pick, though? We appreciate the value and unique features that the Silverado 1500 offers. It has some of the most important things you could want from your truck, including a large cargo bed, a multifunction tailgate, a powerful diesel engine, and hands-free driving technology that can function with a trailer in tow. This is a combination you don’t see every day, and it impressed us.

The Silverado 1500 and F-150 are evenly matched in some areas. The 2024 models start around the same price and both have a diverse selection of trim options for extra comfort or additional off-road potential. There’s no denying they are tough trucks, but the Silverado has a lot of unique features that make it stand out from the competition.

Considering how close these two truck models are in price and appearance, it’s the little things that make a big difference to us. We appreciate the attention to detail Chevy put into creating a functional design that works for a diverse number of drivers. The Silverado 1500 is a truck that does a great job of ticking all the right boxes and picking up the slack when it comes to daily driving, big jobs, or long-distance trailering.

Posted in Chevy Silverado 1500 for Sale | No Comments »