Chevy Vs. Ford Truck
The Chevrolet Silverado and the Ford F-150 have been perennial competitors in the light-duty market since the postwar trucks made their debuts in 1947 with the "Bonus Built" Ford F-Series and Chevy's "Advance Design" models. Today, that competitive nature remains strong, although the F-150 usually edges the Silverado in overall annual sales. Yet both are fairly evenly matched in performance and features.
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F-150 Specifications
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The 2009 Ford F-150 regular cab pickup is powered by a 4.6-liter V-8 engine generating 202 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It sits on a 126-inch wheelbase, measures 213.1 inches long, 78.8 inches wide and 74.6 inches tall. It's equipped with a 26-gallon fuel tank. Curb weight is rated at 4,707 pounds.
Silverado Specifications
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The base 2009 Silverado 1500 regular cab truck features a 195-horse, 4.3-liter V-6 engine for 260 pound-feet of torque. The truck is placed on a 119-inch wheelbase and is 205.6 inches long. It measures 79.9 inches wide and 73.6 inches tall. Like the F-150, it holds a 26-gallon gas tank. Curb weight is 4,558.
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F-150 Features
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Standard features are plentiful on the F-150: air-conditioning, AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 capabilities, driver/front passenger airbags, front side curtain airbags, a 40/20/40 seat and cloth upholstery. The truck comes in the regular cab, extended cab and crew cab configurations. Seven trim levels are offered: the base XL, the sport-style STX, the heavily equipped XLT, the all-terrain FX4, the luxury Lariat and King Ranch and ultra-luxury Platinum.
Silverado Features
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The base Silverado comes equipped with a driver/front passenger airbag, anti-theft system, exterior foldaway mirrors, privacy glass, power locks, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, air-conditioning, keyless entry, satellite radio and CD player with MP3 capability. The Silverado is offered in cab sizes of regular, extended and crew cab. Trim levels are the base, work, mid-level LT and the semi-luxury LTZ.
F-150 Performance
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In addition to the standard 4.6 V-8 comes the 292-horse, 4.6-liter as well and the optional 320-horse, 5.4-liter V-8. The F-150 offers the best towing capacity of any pickup with the 5.4-liter V-8 capable of towing up to 11,300 pounds and carrying 3,030 pounds in the cargo box.
Silverado Performance
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The Silverado's base four-speed automatic transmission can be hesitant, but the six-speed auto is faultless. The overall power is more than adequate, and the ride is smooth, but it doesn't match the pulling and payload benefits of the F-150. In addition to the base engine, the Silverado can be equipped with four other types of engines, but, according to edmunds.com, even the 315-horse, 5.3-liter V-8 with 339 pound-feet of torque can't match the F-150's overall strength.
Head-to-Head
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The F-150's stiff suspension provides a smooth ride, and its massive torque allows it to pull heavy loads with ease, but it lacks the raw horsepower output of the Dodge Ram, Silverado and Toyota Tundra. Chevy improved the Silverado's steering, which had been somewhat unresponsive in past models. The Silverado starts at $19,375. The F-150 begins at $21,565.
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- Photo Credit Ford Motor Company; latemodelresto; airgap; paladin27: flickr.com
