Skip to main content
A man looks at a Chevrolet Silverado truck at the auto trade show, AutoMobility LA, at the Los Angeles Convention Center

Ford or Chevy: Which Truck Should You Buy?

Ford and Chevy are the most popular trucks on the market, and they’ve been competing against each other for a very long time. When it comes to the pickup battle, you’ll find many people standing by their favorite brand – some die-hard Ford fanatics, and others are Chevy fans all the way. But maybe you’re …

Ford and Chevy are the most popular trucks on the market, and they’ve been competing against each other for a very long time. When it comes to the pickup battle, you’ll find many people standing by their favorite brand – some die-hard Ford fanatics, and others are Chevy fans all the way.

But maybe you’re planning to purchase a pickup and don’t have a favorite yet. Should you go for a Ford truck or a Chevy? U.S. News pits the two brands together with their cars and SUVs as well as trucks. Here, you’ll find what each automaker’s trucks can bring to the table.

The appeal of the Ford pickup truck

Ford is a brand that’s been around since the first vehicle came out. Ford’s Model T paved the way for a revolutionary means of transportation back when horse-drawn carriages and steam locomotives were the norms. Fast forward over a hundred years, and Ford is still around and is as strong as ever. Owning a Ford pickup is almost an American pastime. When you think of a truck, you think of a Ford.

When it comes to performance, Ford pulls out all the stops with their 4-cylinder engines as well as their V6 and V8 powertrains. The Ford F-150, a full-size truck, can run on a 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost motor and still haul up to 12,000 lbs. Another thing that sets Ford apart from other brand pickups is the luxurious interior and the fine details on the exterior.

With all the amenities, even the Ford F-150, the automaker’s most popular truck, can be a family vehicle as well as a work truck. The biggest problem most people have with Ford is the price points. They are some of the most expensive trucks on the market.

What’s so great about a Chevy truck

A man looks at a Chevrolet Silverado truck at the auto trade show, AutoMobility LA, at the Los Angeles Convention Center
A man examines a Chevy truck | David McNew/Getty Images

The year 1918 brought the first Chevrolet pickup on the market. They rolled out the one-ton truck, powered by a four-cylinder engine that ran on 36 hp – a beauty for the times. Chevy is still around today, making waves with pickups as well as SUVs and cars. Rivaling Ford, Chevy has no problem keeping up by producing trucks that are prime competitors in the field.

Chevy’s image is based on its ability to create high-powered trucks that are affordable to own. Compared to the Ford F-150, the Silverado, the most popular Chevy pickup is less expensive to own.

One area where Chevy overshadows Ford is with its choice of technology. The Chevy infotainment system comes standard on more Chevy vehicles than Ford. Also, the display is more responsive than most of the screens found on Ford trucks. However, with the price where it’s at, interior quality does suffer a little, at least when compared to what Ford has in the F-150 and a few other trucks. In the end, Chevy trucks aren’t all that bad.

Ford vs. Chevy – which truck should you buy?

When it comes to buying a truck, the winner will go to the one that suits you the best for the task you have in mind. If you have a lot of hauling needs, Ford is the best choice because of its towing and payload capacity. Whether you want to lug around a small trailer of items or a recreational speed boat that weighs several thousand pounds, Ford Tough is where it’s at. The V6 and V8 engines, matched with six-, eight-, or 10-speed automatic transmissions are more than enough to haul anything with ease. Ford’s trucks are versatile, appealing to the work crowd as well as to families.

For fuel efficiency, this is where Chevy comes out on top. According to fueleconomy.gov, the Chevy Silverado can get up to 29 highway miles per gallon for the V6 4×4 version. Ford’s F-150 received a rating of 23 mpg, the highest it can get for a four-wheel-drive pickup. Even Chevy’s V8 engine has ratings from 18-22 mpg, depending on the package you choose. The Ford F-150 V8 can get up to 21 mpg, just shy of the Silverado.

Both trucks are prime choices for the American market. Whether you’re a Ford Tough fan or Chevy supporter, both will deliver impressive goods for the pickup market.