The rear seatbelts optional on the F‑150 SuperCrew inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Silverado doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.
The F‑150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Silverado only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
To help make backing safer, the F‑150 (except XL)’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Silverado doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.
Both the F‑150 and the Silverado have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available four-wheel drive.
The F‑150’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Silverado’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).
For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the F‑150 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engines in the Silverado.
J.D. Power and Associates rated the F‑150 first among large light duty pickups in their 2014 Initial Quality Study. The Silverado isn’t in the top three.
As tested in Car and Driver the Ford F‑150 2.7 ECOBoost is faster than the Chevrolet Silverado 5.3 V8:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|
Zero to 60 MPH |
5.7 sec |
6.7 sec |
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start |
6.4 sec |
7.3 sec |
Quarter Mile |
14.3 sec |
15.3 sec |
Speed in 1/4 Mile |
95 MPH |
92 MPH |
Top Speed |
104 MPH |
99 MPH |
On the EPA test cycle the F‑150 2.7 ECOBoost gets better fuel mileage than the Silverado V6:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|||
4x2 |
Auto |
19 city/26 hwy |
18 city/24 hwy |
|
4x4 |
Auto |
18 city/23 hwy |
17 city/22 hwy |
On the EPA test cycle the F‑150 gets better fuel mileage than the Silverado:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|||
4x2 |
3.5 V6/Auto |
18 city/25 hwy |
18 city/24 hwy |
4.3 V6 |
2.7 ECOBoost V6/Auto |
19 city/26 hwy |
16 city/23 hwy |
5.3 V8 |
|
3.5 ECOBoost V6/Auto |
17 city/24 hwy |
15 city/21 hwy |
6.2 V8 |
|
5.0 V8/Auto |
15 city/22 hwy |
n/a |
||
4x4 |
3.5 V6/Auto |
17 city/23 hwy |
17 city/22 hwy |
4.3 V6 |
2.7 ECOBoost V6/Auto |
18 city/23 hwy |
16 city/22 hwy |
5.3 V8 |
|
3.5 ECOBoost V6/Auto |
17 city/23 hwy |
14 city/20 hwy |
6.2 V8 |
|
5.0 V8/Auto |
15 city/21 hwy |
n/a |
In heavy traffic or at stoplights the F‑150 2.7 ECOBoost’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Silverado doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.
To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford F‑150 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Silverado with the 6.2 V8 engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.
The F‑150’s optional fuel tank has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Silverado Long Bed’s standard fuel tank (36 vs. 34 gallons).
The F‑150 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Silverado doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.
For better stopping power the F‑150’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Silverado:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|
Front Rotors |
13.8 inches |
13 inches |
The F‑150 stops much shorter than the Silverado:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
||
70 to 0 MPH |
174 feet |
186 feet |
Car and Driver |
60 to 0 MPH |
126 feet |
131 feet |
Motor Trend |
For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the F‑150’s wheelbase is longer than on the Silverado:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|
Regular Cab Standard Bed |
122.4 inches |
119 inches |
Extended Cab Standard Bed |
145 inches |
143.5 inches |
Extended Cab Long Bed |
163.7 inches |
n/a |
Crew Cab Short Bed |
145 inches |
143.5 inches |
Crew Cab Standard Bed |
156.8 inches |
153 inches |
The F‑150 5.5 ft. bed Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 handles at .75 G’s, while the Silverado 1500 Short Box High Country Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.
For greater off-road capability the F‑150 4x4 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Silverado 1500 4x4:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|
Regular Cab Standard |
9.4" |
8.6" |
Regular Cab Long |
9.4" |
8.8" |
SuperCab Standard |
9.4" |
8.9" |
SuperCrew Short |
9.4" |
8.9" |
SuperCab Standard |
9.3" |
8.9" |
The Ford F‑150 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 pounds less than the Chevrolet Silverado.
The front grille of the F‑150 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Silverado doesn’t offer active grille shutters.
As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the F‑150 5.5 ft. bed Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 is quieter than the Silverado 1500 Short Box LTZ Crew Cab 4x4:
F‑150 |
Silverado |
|
At idle |
34 dB |
41 dB |
Full-Throttle |
73 dB |
74 dB |
70 MPH Cruising |
65 dB |
68 dB |
The F‑150 Regular Cab has 1.8 inches more front hip room and .7 inches more front shoulder room than the Silverado Regular Cab.
The F‑150 SuperCab has 1.8 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom and 4.5 inches more rear hip room than the Silverado Double Cab.
The F‑150 SuperCrew has 1.8 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom, 4.4 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Silverado Crew Cab.
A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the F‑150 easier. The F‑150 Regular Cab’s bed lift-over height is 34.7 inches, while the Silverado Regular Cab’s liftover is 36.3 inches. The F‑150 SuperCab’s bed lift-over height is 34.1 inches, while the Silverado Double Cab’s liftover is 34.8 inches. The F‑150 SuperCrew’s bed lift-over height is 34 inches, while the Silverado Crew Cab’s liftover is 34.9 inches.
The F‑150 XLT/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Silverado’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.
In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the F‑150 XLT/Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s exterior keypad. The Silverado doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system, and its extra cost OnStar ® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.
Intelligent Access standard on the F‑150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum allows you to unlock the driver’s door, tailgate and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading cargo, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Chevrolet Silverado doesn’t offer an advanced key system.
The F‑150’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Silverado’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The F‑150’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.
While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the F‑150 (except XL/XLT) detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Silverado doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.
Both the F‑150 and the Silverado offer available heated front seats. The F‑150 SuperCrew also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Silverado.
Both the F‑150 and the Silverado offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the F‑150 SuperCab/SuperCrew has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Silverado doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.
To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the F‑150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Silverado doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.
The F‑150 Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum’s optional Lariat/King Ranch/Platinum can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Silverado doesn’t offer an automated parking system.
Truck Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2015 issue and they ranked the Ford F‑150 5.5 ft. bed XLT SuperCrew 4x4 first. They ranked the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Short Box High Country Crew Cab 4x4 third.
J.D. Power and Associates rated the F‑150 first among large light duty pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Silverado was rated third.
Motor Trend selected the F‑150 as their 2012 Truck of the Year. The Silverado was Truck of the Year in 2007.
The Ford F-Series outsold the Chevrolet Silverado by 42% during 2014.
© 1991-2016 Advanta-STAR Automotive Research. All rights reserved.
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