Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs Ford F-150 Model Comparison

Stuck between the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150? While they’re both excellent pickups, it usually comes down to how you want your power delivered. Both trucks tow heavy, both carry a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from NHTSA, and both are the best sellers for their respective companies. Chevy offers the Silverado 1500 in four engines, while the Ford F-150 is available across six different options. Our comparison walks through the engines, the trim ladders, and the technology in each truck, section by section. Take a look at our new inventory to see which Chevy trucks we have for sale, and visit Ressler Chevrolet to explore both trucks for sale in Bozeman

 

 

 

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs Ford F-150 Engines

Powertrains are the biggest difference between the two pickups. Four engines cover the Silverado 1500:

Silverado 1500 Engine:	Horsepower:	Torque:
2.7L TurboMax (standard)	310 hp	430 lb-ft
3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel	305 hp	495 lb-ft
5.3L EcoTec3 V8	355 hp	383 lb-ft
6.2L EcoTec3 V8	420 hp	460 lb-ft

 

Chevy’s spread covers a standard turbo four, a pair of V8s and a diesel. While Ford doesn’t offer a diesel powertrain, you’ll find the F-150 comes equipped with your choice of six powertrains:

Ford F-150 Engine:	Horsepower:	Torque:
2.7L EcoBoost V6	325 hp	400 lb-ft
3.5L EcoBoost V6	400 hp	500 lb-ft
5.0L Ti-VCT V8	400 hp	410 lb-ft
3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6	430 hp	578 lb-ft
3.5L High-Output EcoBoost V6	450 hp	510 lb-ft
5.2L Supercharged V8	720 hp	640 lb-ft

 

The Ford F-150 lineup is broader, and the PowerBoost hybrid and the supercharged V8 have no counterpart on the Chevy side. If you need a hybrid half-ton or 720 horsepower, the F-150 is the truck to buy at this price point. On the numbers most owners actually use, though, the two trucks land close together. The Ford F-150 tows up to 13,500 pounds when it’s properly equipped and carries up to 2,440 pounds of payload. The Silverado 1500 sits just behind on both counts, at 13,300 pounds of towing and 2,260 pounds of payload. Chevrolet’s Duramax turbo-diesel returns a best-in-class 28 mpg on the highway, and there’s no diesel among Ford’s six engines. We’ll give the nod to the F-150 for breadth and to the Silverado if you want diesel power. Let’s see how the trim ladders compare.

Comparing Silverado and F-150 Trim Levels

Both lineups deliver tons of configuration and trim options. Below, we’ve included a brief snapshot of what you can expect when you browse your options:

Trim Ladder:	Chevrolet Silverado 1500:	Ford F-150:
Gas trim levels	9	8
Starting MSRP	$36,900	$39,585
Top trim MSRP	$71,800	$79,005
Off-road trims	Custom Trail Boss, LT Trail Boss, ZR2	Tremor, Raptor

 

Three of the nine Silverado 1500 trim levels are purpose-built for dirt roads, and each one arrives with a factory 2-inch lift, off-road-ready suspension, and red tow hooks. Ford counters with the Tremor and the Raptor, and the Raptor is more expensive than anything Chevy offers. The Silverado starts lower, and the F-150 climbs higher at the ceiling, so the ladder you want depends on which end you’re shopping from. Ford offers Regular Cab, SuperCab, and SuperCrew bodies with three bed lengths. You can order a 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, or 8.0-foot bed, so there’s a setup for families and haulers alike. Chevy’s Durabed answers with roll-formed high-strength steel and 12 standard tie-downs rated at 500 pounds per corner. While not a one-to-one comparison, Chevy trucks are reliably less expensive than their Ford counterparts and offer near-identical features and capability. Check out our new vehicle specials and visit Ressler Chevrolet to look at both ladders in person.

Chevy and Ford Truck Technology and Safety

Screens and driver assistance are the last place these two separate, and both trucks come away from NHTSA with the same overall score. Here’s how the technology stacks up:

 

Technology:	Chevrolet Silverado 1500:	Ford F-150:
Center touchscreen	13.4 inches	12 inches
Driver display	12.3 inches	4 inches on XL
Head-up display	Available, 15 inches	Available
NHTSA rating	5-Star Overall	5-Star Overall

 

Chevrolet hands you the larger center screen and driver display, and Super Cruise is available on the High Country for hands-free driving on compatible roads. Ford’s answer is Pro Power Onboard, a truck-mounted generator rated at 2 kilowatts standard and 7.2 kilowatts on Platinum Plus models. That’s a useful tool on a job site, and the Silverado has nothing like it, so Ford gets the point. Chevy Safety Assist comes standard on our side, with features like Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Front Pedestrian Braking. Both trucks offer trailering camera systems, with ours adding HD Surround Vision and up to 14 camera views. We’ll call the technology section a split, with the screens going to Chevy and the onboard power going to Ford. Swing by our Chevy dealership in Bozeman to compare the two side by side.

Which Truck Should You Buy at Ressler Chevrolet?

Ready to pick one? The F-150 has tons of engine choices and onboard power, and if either of those is what your work demands, buy the Ford. For many Montana drivers, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 delivers the bigger screens, the deeper off-road ladder, and the only diesel engine in the class. That’s why it’s the truck we’d put in your driveway. Come test-drive the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at Ressler Chevrolet in Bozeman today!