2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2023 Ford F-150

• 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500

  

  Starting at

  $36,300^[a]

  2023 Ford F-150

  

  Starting at

  $33,695

  305	Base Horsepower (hp)	290
  29	Best Fuel Economy (hwy MPG)	26
  89.1	Cargo Volume (cu.ft.)	77.4

  There has never been a better time to shop for a full-size truck since modern pickups deliver incredible power, innovative interior features, and great options throughout to make owning and using them easy and rewarding. With that in mind, it is still very important that you choose the right truck that will give you everything that you need in terms of capability and the features found inside and out. Not all trucks are made equally; even looking at two of the most popular models on the market, like the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2023 Ford F-150, we can see some significant differences between them.

  We will not deny that the Ford F-150 has a lot to offer, but in numerous ways, the Chevy Silverado 1500 is a superior option for many truck owners. For starters, although both of these trucks have an excellent array of engines between them, the Chevy Silverado 1500 has a significantly more-powerful standard engine. The Ford F-150 starts with a 3.3L V6 that offers 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the Silverado 1500 blows that away with a 2.7L High Output Turbo I-4 that delivers 310 hp and a massive 430 lb-ft of torque. Not only that, but the Silverado also has an available 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6 engine with 495 lb-ft of torque, while the Ford truck lacks any option for a diesel engine.

  These significant engine differences are not the only reason many people prefer the Silverado to the F-150––you get much more cargo capacity with the Silverado. No matter what bed length you choose––both of these trucks have three available––the Silverado gives you a lot more cargo space, up to nearly 12 cu.ft. of difference between the two trucks. Inside, you will find a number of fantastic features and options in the Silverado 1500 that surpass what Ford offers on the F-150. While the starting infotainment display is slightly larger in the F-150, the available 13.4-inch infotainment screen in the Silverado 1500 far surpasses the 12-inch display that is available for the Ford F-150, giving you superior overall functionality at many levels.

• Performance

  

  A Variety of Engines Available Across the Board

  Both the 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500 and the Ford F-150 offer a large selection of engines to choose from, and it would be unfair to say that Chevy’s engines are all superior across the board. What Chevy does provide, however, is a better overall array of engines for you to choose from, giving you superior starting power and a more diverse range of options. Ironically, the F-150 has five engines available while the Silverado 1500 has four, but the engineers at Chevrolet have made those four choices all you really need.

  The biggest difference between these two trucks in terms of their engines is what they start off with, and this is a major reason we prefer the current Silverado 1500 to what Ford offers. Having a number of great available engines is important, of course, but for anyone who is not looking to spend more for one of those options, the starting engine is vital. The Ford F-150 starts with a 3.3L V6 engine that offers 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. This is a fine place to start, but it is not exactly exciting, and it only allows for up to 8,200 lbs of towing capacity. By comparison, the 2023 Silverado 1500 gives you a standard 2.7L High Output Turbo I-4 engine that delivers 310 hp and a far-superior 430 lb-ft of torque. This engine feels amazing to drive and gives you up to 9,500 lbs of maximum towing.

  Despite the fact that Ford offers more available engines on the F-150 compared to the Silverado 1500, it is lacking something that a lot of truck owners consider crucial: a diesel engine. Ford recently discontinued their impressive diesel engine for the F-150, and now all you have are standard gas engines available. With the Silverado, on the other hand, Chevy gives you an available 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6 engine that delivers 305 hp and a beefy 495 lb-ft of torque for you to take advantage of. With this engine, the Silverado can haul up to 13,300 lbs of weight behind it, which is as good as the best gas engine with the Silverado. In other words, you do not miss out on any capability if you prefer a diesel engine in your Chevy pickup.

• Design

  

  Configure Your Truck to Meet Your Needs

  One thing that can become an unfortunate afterthought for some truck shoppers is the overall functionality that they will get from their pickup. It is easy to be impressed by things like horsepower or towing capacities, but less-glamorous factors can get lost in the proverbial shuffle. As you are shopping for your next truck, it is important to consider the sort of configuration options, trim levels, and similar features that will impact your day-to-day use of your truck. With this in mind, it is easy to see how the Chevy Silverado once again comes out on top.

  For example, a great deal of attention is often paid to towing and payload capacities, both of which are important, without considering how functional that space really is. There are three different bed lengths available on both of these trucks, giving you plenty of options to find the right one that is neither too big nor too small. Yet, in all three cases, the Silverado bed is not only longer but gives you more overall volume to utilize. The smallest F-150 bed is 5.5 feet long and offers 52.8 cu.ft. of cargo volume, while its largest bed is 8.0 feet long and provides 77.4 cu.ft. of total cargo space. With Chevy, on the other hand, the smallest bed is 5.8 feet long and gives you 62.9 cu.ft. of space, and the Silverado’s largest bed is 8.2 feet long and offers a substantial 89.1 cu.ft. of total cargo volume for you to use.

  One of the things we love about the Chevy Silverado is how well its trim levels just make sense, which the Ford truck lacks. For example, with the Silverado 1500, you can choose the starting WT or go up to the Custom, the LT, the RST, the LTZ, or the High Country for its standard trims with improvements and new features along the way. What we love about this is that you then have options in the form of the Custom Trail Boss and LT Trail Boss for off-road versions of those two trims, or the ZR2 for the ultimate off-road Silverado. The Ford F-150 has numerous trims like the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum. The naming convention is a bit less obvious here, and you do not have simple options for getting an off-road version of the F-150 based on those trims as you do with the two Chevy Trail Boss models.

• Interior

  

  Consider Your Comfort While You Drive

  Since you are going to spend most of your time with your truck sitting inside of it while driving, it is always important to look at the features and options within. The Ford F-150 has some solid standard and available features, but the Chevy Silverado 1500 simply goes further in some key ways. Ford packs an eight-inch infotainment display as the standard option in the F-150, and there is a 12-inch screen available for an improved system and better functionality. High trims feature a Bang & Olufsen sound system, dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control, and heated seating.

  The only real downside of the Chevy Silverado 1500 in this regard is that it has a seven-inch infotainment display on the starting trim. Looking at higher trims, however, you can get a gorgeous 13.4-inch infotainment system with Google built-in, support for Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Bose premium sound system with a Richbass woofer. You will find perforated leather seating in the High Country trim, with heated front and rear seats, along with a 12.3-inch color Driver Information Center display, a wireless charging pad, and much more. Again, what Ford offers is good, but the Silverado 1500 can simply go further and give you one of the most advanced and functional interiors we have ever seen.

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