What’s most important when comparing the age-old rivalry between the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500? There are many ways to measure a truck, as you’ll see in this article. How much does the pickup cost? What about safety? Will gas cost me an arm and a leg? But, by and large, the most important thing a pickup truck does is haul and tow. That’s what trucks are for, unless you’re just buying one for looks. (And both the Ford and Chevy trucks look awesome.) We’ll hit as many of these categories as we can in this guide to what might be your next pickup truck.
Price: 2019 Ford F-150
If there’s one thing you should know about the starting price of the 2019 Ford F-150, it’s this: Ford has made a reputation for themselves for providing an affordable option for those who need a truck but are shopping on a budget. But Ford has also provided true luxury on the other end of the trim levels, for those who view money as no object. The same could be said for the Silverado, but less so. The 2019 Ford F-150 starts at only $28,000. Meanwhile, the 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 at $300 more than that. The Silverado tops out at $53,000 with the High Country while the F-150 goes all the way to $67,000.
At the lower end of the spectrum, the trucks are designed to be workhorses only. The base F-150 comes with few standard features, but they include automatic high beams, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and a rearview camera with Dynamic Hitch Assist. The base Silverado 1500 comes with emergency brake assist, USB, two speakers, air conditioning, rear view camera, 120-volt power outlet, and not much else.
Safety: 2019 Ford F-150
Good news for those of you with kids at home who depend on you. The Ford F-150 earned a five-out-of-five-star overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) agrees, giving the Ford the highest rating of Good in five crash tests and the highest rating of Superior for front crash prevention technology.
The Chevy Silverado 1500 got high marks from the NHTSA, but received the second-lowest rating of Marginal in the passenger-side front small overlap crash test. That’s a bit more of a gamble than we would like.
Fuel Economy: 2019 Ford F-150
Towing and Payload Capacity: 2019 Ford F-150
Most importantly, Ford pickups tow and haul more than the Chevy Silverado 1500. The 2019 F-150 tows up to 13,200 pounds when properly equipped. And the Ford pickup hauls up to 3,300 pounds if you’re using the truck bed. Meanwhile, the Silverado 1500 tows only 12,000 pounds and hauls just 3,000 pounds. That’s why we think the Ford F-150 is the better pickup between these two.