2021 Ford F-150 vs 2021 Chevy Silverado

Valley Chevy - Ford F-150 Towing Capacity - All Trims Levels

When you’re looking for the best American pickup trucks, it’s almost always going to come down to Ford vs. Chevy. For people who are buying powerful trucks like these, much of the decision is likely to come down to things like bed choices, engine options, and towing capabilities. We’ll touch on all of those things as well as cover some other critical considerations.

For example, some people might be attracted to the Ford F-150’s smooth 10-speed transmission. Others might be more impressed by the Silverado’s highway efficiency with a diesel engine, or its integrated bed step with a six-way power tailgate. For some, the decision may ultimately come down to price and value. No matter what you’re looking for in your next truck, there’s a good chance you can find it by comparing Chevy vs. Ford to determine which is a better match for your situation and lifestyle. With that in mind, let’s dive in to compare the 2021 Chevy Silverado with the 2021 Ford F-150.

F-150 Vs. Silverado Engines

Given the nature of pickup trucks, it only makes sense that we’d start by considering the different engine options. After all, this is a big part of determining the towing capabilities, hauling capabilities, and vehicle’s overall power. The 2021 Ford F-150 has a more diverse lineup of engines, which is nice for people who want to have many choices. Still, you can only choose one engine to put in your truck, so all of the other engine options they have don’t ultimately do you much good.

In the case of the Silverado, the engineers over at Chevrolet elected to create fewer engine options and make each of them as good as possible. Even though the Silverado is available with fewer engine choices overall, drivers still get to select from some incredibly diverse options. For example, you can choose an exceptionally smooth and efficient turbo-diesel 3.0-liter inline-six, which creates 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. 

The Silverado is also unique in that it offers a four-cylinder engine. This is extremely rare in this vehicle class, considering that many people get wrapped up in size above all else. You may be surprised by what the turbocharged four-cylinder in the Silverado 1500 can do, though. It puts out 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque, proving you don’t need more cylinders to generate solid performance.

Chevrolet also offers a 4.3-liter V6 that can produce 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Step up from there to get a 5.3-liter V8 that generates 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. For those who really want the most possible power, choose the massive 6.2-liter V8 to experience 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Depending on the model selected, your Chevrolet engine will be paired with either a six-speed, eight-speed, or 10-speed automatic transmission. The V8 engine options even include cylinder deactivation technology to preserve fuel economy without sacrificing smoothness or potential power.

The most interesting F-150 engine is the hybrid variant, which adds an electric motor with 47 horsepower to a V6 engine. The F-150 hybrid can churn out 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet of torque, which is obviously quite impressive. There’s a negative stereotype about the capabilities of hybrid vehicles, but this one really challenges that. The hybrid powertrain is now available across the entire lineup for those willing to make the jump.

Here’s a comparison of all of the engine options for these two trucks:

  • 2021 Ford F-150
    • 3.3-liter V6 with 290 hp, 265 lb-ft
    • 2.7-liter V6 with 325 hp, 400 lb-ft
    • 5.0-liter V8 with 400 hp, 410 lb-ft
    • 3.5-liter V6 with 400 hp, 500 lb-ft
    • 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 250 hp, 440 lb-ft
    • 3.5-liter V6 hybrid with 430 hp, 570 lb-ft
  • 2021 Chevy Silverado
    • 4.3-liter V6 with 285 hp, 305 lb-ft
    • 5.3-liter V8 with 355 hp, 383 lb-ft
    • 2.7-liter I4 with 310 hp, 348 lb-ft
    • 6.2-liter V8 with 420 hp, 460 lb-ft
    • 3.0-liter I6 diesel with 277 hp, 460 lb-ft

Silverado Vs. F-150 Towing

Valley Chevy - Ford F-150 Towing Capacity - By the Numbers

One of the big reasons that engines are so important is that many pickup drivers demand a lot from their vehicles when towing. The 2021 F-150 and the 2021 Chevy Silverado are both right at the top of the class for towing capacity, beating other competitors like the RAM. The 2021 Ford F-150 has a max towing capability of 14,000 pounds with the 3.5-liter V6, and the 2021 Chevy Silverado is right behind it with the 13,300 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8.

Chevy Vs. Ford Truck Payload

Sometimes you’re not necessarily towing anything, but you have the bed of your truck loaded to the brim. At those times, you’ll be thankful for the large maximum payload of either the 2021 Ford F-150 or the 2021 Chevy Silverado. Once again, both of these trucks boast payload capacities that are beyond impressive for the class. The 2021 F-150 can achieve a maximum payload of 3,325 pounds with the 5.0-liter V8 engine in it. The 2021 Silverado has a maximum payload of 2,280 pounds.

F-150 Vs. Silverado Pickup Bed

Unless you lead a particularly demanding life, it’s not especially likely that you’ll ever put the full payload capacity of either of these two trucks to the test. It’s a bit more likely that the bed itself will limit you. This is one of the big edges that Chevrolet has in the comparison of the F-150 vs. Silverado. Whether you pick the short, standard, or long box, the Silverado 1500 offers more pickup bed space than the new F-150. The Silverado 1500 also crushes other competition like the RAM 1500.

The 2021 Ford F-150 only offers 53 cubic feet of available bed space in its 5.5-foot bed, which is smaller than what you could get from most other key competitors. It almost makes you wonder about the point of all of those engine options and the high payload capacity when there’s such limited space in the bed. Even the RAM 1500 offers more space than the new F-150 does. The Chevy offers way more space with the short bed, giving you a full 63 cubic feet to work with.

The Ford F-150 does offer a bit more space if you upgrade to the 6.5-foot bed, creating 62 cubic feet of bed space. Still, this is even less space than you can get from the Chevy Silverado with the short bed. With the same length bed of 6.5 feet, the Chevy Silverado offers up a whopping 72 feet of space.

The story remains the same when you look at the eight-foot bed. At this level, the F-150 offers 77 cubic feet of space, while the Chevy provides 89 cubic feet of space. Combine this with state-of-the-art design features like an integrated bed step and six-way power tailgate, and it becomes even more clear that the Silverado has a superior bed.

Silverado Vs. F-150 Price

The starting price for the 2021 Chevy Silverado is $28,900, and the starting price for the 2021 Ford F-150 is $28,940. These prices may start to get further apart as you move up through the trim levels and select various options, and most of our drivers generally find that the Silverado offers more value at lower prices. This will be much more apparent at higher trim levels than it is when you compare base models.

F-150 Vs. Silverado Technology

Part of the reason the Ford F-150 is so expensive, especially at higher trim levels, is because Ford made so many attempts to refine the interior of this vehicle. Unfortunately, Ford saw fit to add soft touches without actually making the vehicle as smart and capable as they could have. The new Silverado is a clear winner in this category, and it isn’t just because of the intuitive Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system, which is among the best infotainment technology options in the industry right now.

The new 2021 Silverado also offers drivers all of the following:

  • Up to 15 Available Camera Views – Thanks to more camera views than you can get from any other competitor, the Silverado makes driving, parking, hitching, and towing easier than any other truck on the market.
  • In-Vehicle Trailering System – The Advanced Trailering System technology is a first for the segment, but it isn’t likely to be the last time you see incredible tech like this. Take advantage of customized trailer profiles, pre-departure checklists, trailer lighting diagnostics, trailer tire pressure/ temperature monitoring, and more.
  • More Trailering Tech – The Silverado also has incredible trailering assistance features like Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, and Auto Grade Braking. You can even make the most of other features like Electric Parking Brake Hookup Assist, Brake Gain Memory, and Trailer Theft Alert.

The new Ford F-150 has some trailering technology of its own, but it simply doesn’t compete with the Chevy Silverado. It’s not even close. If you want to have the latest and greatest technology in your truck, you should be choosing Chevy. If you still take pleasure in working harder than you need to because that’s how people did things “back in the day,” look elsewhere.

Test Drive a New Chevy Silverado Near Arizona

A written comparison can only take you so far. Make your own decisions by checking out these trucks in person. Visit your Valley Chevy dealer.