The Basics
Both the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado are full-size pickups available in a wide range of trim levels, engine configurations, and seating capacities. In their most basic form they both seat three, come with V6 engines making approximately 300 horsepower, and get 24 or 26 mpg on the highway.
Pricing
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
With a starting MSRP of $26,540, the F-150 undercuts the least expensive Silverado by just over $1,000. However, a fully loaded F-150 will run just over $63,000, almost $9,000 more than the most expensive Silverado.
To get a four-door F-150, you’ll have to pay at least $33,000, while the cheapest four-door Silverado runs $37,000.
Safety
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
Both the F-150 and Silverado received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five-star scores in frontal crash and side crash, and four stars in rollover protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the F-150 as Good in all five categories it measures, while the Silverado was Good in four of the five, with a Marginal rating in small overlap front testing.
Seat Comfort and Interior Refinement
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
The F-150’s comfortable front seats make it easy to find a pleasant driving position, and in the versions with rear seating there is plenty of rear legroom for adults. Cloth upholstery is standard, with vinyl and leather available. Soft, high-quality materials abound. The Silverado makes vinyl the standard seating material (with cloth and leather available). Seating is spacious in both the front and rear, and when the Silverado is fully decked out reviewers say it has a more upscale feel than most trucks.
Interior Technology
Winner: 2017 Chevrolet Silverado (Details Below)
Neither truck gets much in the way of standard features, though the Silverado does have a standard USB port, while the F-150 only has it as an option. Both trucks offer mostly the same tech goodies as options, with one exception: The Silverado has an available built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, the F-150 does not.
Cargo Space
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
Both trucks offer three different bed lengths, and they’re the same except that the small bed on the Silverado is two inches longer than the small bed on the F-150. Ford offers BoxLink, a system of movable tie-downs that help simplify cargo storage, while the Silverado has a number of small-item storage compartments in the cabin.
Towing
Winner: 2017 Chevrolet Silverado (Details Below)
The Silverado has a maximum towing capacity of 12,500 pounds, the most in the class. But the F-150 isn’t far behind at 12,200. Ford offers some driver-assist features in the F-150 that make the towing process easier, such as Dynamic Hitch Assist, which uses a rearview camera to assist in hooking up a trailer, and Trailer Sway Control. Test drivers say both trucks have drivetrains well suited for heavy duty work.
Hauling
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
With a max payload of 3,270, the Ford F-150 can outhaul the Silverado by more than 1,000 pounds, and its BoxLink system gives the Ford an advantage when it comes to organizing and securing cargo too.
Fuel Efficiency
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
Making good use of turbochargers has helped Ford give the F-150 plenty of power without sacrificing much fuel economy. With a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6, the F-150 SuperCab is capable of 26 mpg on the highway and 19 in the city. The best the Silverado can do with a V6 is 24 mpg on the highway and 18 in town. Upgrade to a V8 and it’s a similar story, although a Crew Cab Silverado with four-wheel drive and a V8 will get 22 mpg on the highway, compared to 21 in a similarly equipped F-150.
Performance
Winner: 2017 Chevrolet Silverado (Details Below)
The most powerful engine available in either truck is Ford’s 450-horsepower V6, though you can only get it in the Raptor version of the F-150. Otherwise it’s Chevrolet’s 6.2-liter V8, which makes 420-horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The base model trucks are nearly identical in terms of horsepower, with the Silverado getting 285 horsepower out of a 4.3-liter V6 as compared to 282 horsepower from Ford’s 3.5-liter V6.
Test drivers had a lot of praise for the F-150’s handling, which benefits from Ford’s lightweight aluminum body, resulting in a nimble truck that drives more like a crossover SUV, test drivers say.
The Silverado handles OK, but its suspension does a better job of creating comfort and quiet than it does imitating a sports car. The ride is firm, but not stiff, with sharp steering and a nice balance of road feel and maneuverability from the electric power steering.
Off-Road Performance
Winner: 2017 Ford F-150 (Details Below)
Both trucks are available with four-wheel drive, though it is worth nothing that the Raptor version of the F-150 is specifically designed for off-road fun and is easily the best version of either pickup if you plan to do a lot of that sort of thing. Off-road, the Silverado’s balanced suspension has been described as “soft” and “bouncy.”
Reliability
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
Updated reliability information isn’t yet available for either vehicle, though the Silverado has a safety recall involving its suspension and the Ford has no recalls. Both trucks come with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
The Winner Is …
2017 Ford F-150
No surprise here. The F-150 is the No. 1 full-size pickup in our rankings for a reason. Whether it’s power, fuel economy, towing and hauling capability, or a luxurious interior you’re looking for, the F-150 doesn’t disappoint. The Chevrolet Silverado has a few small advantages, but unless you simply prefer the Silverado’s styling, or are a Chevy loyalist, the F-150 is a superior truck.
More Tools From U.S. News & World Report
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2017 Ford F-150 vs. 2017 Chevy Silverado
The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado are two of the longest-running and most popular vehicles in automotive history. With lineages that go back decades, it is impossible to discuss the history of the pickup truck without mentioning these two vehicles.
Both began their run as simple work vehicles, competing mostly with each other and Dodge, in a market that has gradually demanded more and more from its pickups as the decades have passed. It is no longer unreasonable to expect a full-size pickup to run like a muscle car, tow like tractor, and drive like a luxury sedan.
The 2017 Ford F-150 tops our ranking of full-size pickups, while the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado ranks fifth out of six.
But how do they compare in a head-to-head matchup? Click through to find out.