How Does the 2024 Silverado 1500 Stack Up Against the Ram 1500?

When you’re shopping for a truck, good enough is never good enough—you deserve the best of the best. As your Chevy dealer near Breaux Bridge, we’re proud to be able to give you the best, whether you’re looking for a midsize, full-size, or heavy-duty pickup. Full-size light-duty trucks are the most popular type of truck in the country, and we know that there are a lot of different brands fighting for your attention. One of the most popular of those brands is Ram, and their 1500 truck does have a lot to offer, especially if you can afford to upgrade to one of its luxurious top-tier trim levels.

If you’re deciding between the Silverado 1500 and the Ram 1500, then you’ll want to know some solid facts about the differences between these two trucks. So today, we’ve put these two bestsellers head-to-head in a variety of categories that make a big difference in your everyday life as a truck driver. We know that the facts speak for themselves, and we’re more than happy to help you make an informed decision before you commit to a model. Since trucks, and especially Chevy trucks, are built to last for the long haul, it’s not a commitment to be taken lightly.

Powertrain Options

We’ll start off with one of the most important things about any truck: how powerful it is. That means getting into the engine options available for both of these models. We’ll start with the most affordable choice for each truck: the base engine. At first glance, you might think that the Ram offers the better base engine since it comes standard with a 3.6L Pentastar V6, while the Chevy comes standard with a 2.7L TurboMax I-4. But cylinder count isn’t everything. While the Ram’s V6 can produce up to 305 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, the Silverado’s I-4 cranks out up to 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. That not only makes the Chevy more fun to drive, but it also lets it tow more: Ram’s base engine can only handle a maximum of 8,110 lbs, while Chevy’s gets you 9,500 lbs. The Ram does offer more payload capacity, but just barely. Both trucks get their highest payload maximums with their base engine, and while the Ram 1500 is the winner at 2,300 lbs, the Silverado can carry up to 2,260 lbs, so it’s not much of a difference, practically speaking.

Whether you go with the Ram or the Chevy, you’ll have two V8 engine options to choose from if you want to upgrade beyond the capability of the base powertrain. For the Silverado, the next step up is the 5.3L EcoTec3 V8, which produces 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, allowing you to tow up to 11,300 lbs if your truck is properly configured. Admittedly, the Ram’s 5.7L HEMI V8 is more powerful than that. It uses a mild hybrid system to deliver 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, giving you 12,750 lbs of towing capacity on a properly equipped truck. But for Ram, that’s the end of the line unless you want to shell out $96,585 for the off-road TRX trim, which sports a 6.2L HEMI “Hellcat” supercharged V8. But while that TRX-exclusive engine boasts an impressive 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, it’s meant for thrills, not hard work, so it brings the towing capacity down to 8,220 lbs.

Turning our attention back to the Silverado, there are two engine options that allow you to tow up to 13,300 lbs, something the Ram can’t do no matter what powertrain you pick. The 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 is the gas-powered option, delivering 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel I-6 generates less horsepower (305 hp) but more torque (495 lb-ft), and it’s also the most fuel-efficient option for either truck, rated at 26 MPG combined when paired with RWD and 24 MPG combined when paired with 4WD, thanks to how much power diesel can pack into each gallon compared to gasoline. If you have to take a long drive down I-10, that can save you time and money by letting you pass by the gas station more often than not. With both gas and diesel options, the Silverado gives you more choices so you can make your truck just right for your needs.

Cargo Bed

The cargo bed is an important part of any truck, whether you’re using it for work, personal errands, or tailgate parties. While payload capacities determine how much weight you can carry in the bed, weight isn’t everything. Sometimes things are just plain big, like long boards of lumber for a home improvement project, an ATV for a camping trip, or a new home appliance that costs a lot less if you don’t have to pay for delivery. Or maybe you want to set a new world record for the largest number of crawfish stuffed into the bed of a truck—if that doesn’t impress them at the Crawfish Festival, what will? The point is that having a big cargo volume can be just as important as having a high payload capacity, if not more.

When it comes to cargo volume, there’s no contest here. The Silverado comes out on top any way you slice it. The Ram has two bed sizes, while the Chevy has three. The shortest offerings on these trucks are the 5.8′ bed on the Silverado (which has 62.9 cu.ft. of cargo volume) and the 5.6′ bed on the Ram (which has just 53.9 cu.ft. of cargo volume). The 6.4′ bed on the Ram doesn’t even match the volume of Chevy’s short bed, at a mere 61.5 cu.ft. Meanwhile, the Chevy has a 6.6′ bed that can hold 71.7 cu.ft. of cargo. The Ram has no equivalent to the 8.2′ bed on the Silverado, which can hold just about anything within its 89.1 cu.ft. of cargo volume. It’s no contest; the Silverado 1500 has more space for all your needs.

Tailgate Capabilities

Whatever size bed you get, you’ll need to open the tailgate to access it. Both the Ram and the Silverado come standard with a basic tailgate that opens and shuts manually in the way the trucks have traditionally operated for decades now. But for a little extra money, both of these trucks have innovative available tailgates that have multiple functions for extra versatility. However, while the Ram Multifunction Tailgate and Chevy Multi-Flex Tailgate have similar names, they have very different designs.

The Multi-Flex tailgate has an inner gate that can be positioned independently of the main gate, giving you six different configurations. It can act as a backstop for extra-long cargo, a full-width step for accessing the cargo bed, an inner gate load stop, an ergonomic work surface for making measurements out on a construction site, or a convenient east access point that lets you reach further into the bed without having to climb up with an inner gate that folds down and out of the way. All of these functions have the potential to save you effort and make your truck’s bed work for you, which can be a big deal if you’re working under the hot sun during a humid Louisiana summer.

The Multifunction tailgate is a bit of a one-trick pony by comparison. In addition to opening up and down like a traditional tailgate, it can also swing open like a pair of barn doors. Now, there’s no doubt that this can come in handy: you can get the gate out of the way to reach further into the bed when loading or unloading cargo, for one thing. It also has a 60/40 split, so you can open the shorter end to avoid hitting a hitch while a trailer is hooked up, the longer end when you have more space, or both at once for full access. However, the uses are pretty limited compared to the multiple functions offered by the clever design available on the Silverado.

Versatile & Capable, the Silverado Is Tough to Beat

With so many useful features on offer, the Silverado is a tough truck to beat. The Ram 1500 may offer some lush interior options and a high-powered, top-tier off-road trim, but it doesn’t match the Silverado when it comes to towing capacity, engine options, and cargo volume. Whether you use your truck for work, play, or a little of each, the Silverado has what you need to make the most of your time behind the wheel. We’re sure that Breaux Bridge drivers will appreciate all of the special touches that come together to make this pickup the best option in its class.

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