The F-Super Duty offers optional Pre-Collision Assist, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Silverado HD offers an available collision warning system without the automated brake feature that would prevent or reduce the collision if the driver fails to react.
The F-Super Duty offers an optional 360 Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Silverado HD 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-Super Duty’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 HD doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.
Both the F-Super Duty and the Silverado HD have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and blind spot warning systems.
The F-Super Duty’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Silverado HD’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).
The F-Super Duty 4x4 has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Silverado HD 4x4’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.
To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the F-Super Duty has larger alternators than the Silverado HD:
|
F-Super Duty |
Silverado HD |
Standard Alternator |
157 amps |
150 amps |
Optional Alternator |
240 amps |
220 amps |
2nd Optional Alternator |
417 amps |
370 amps |
J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 6th.
From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ December 2018 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 5 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.
The F-Super Duty’s standard 6.2 SOHC V8 produces 25 more horsepower (385 vs. 360) and 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (430 vs. 380) than the Silverado HD’s 6.0 V8. The F-Super Duty’s optional 7.3 V8 produces 70 more horsepower (430 vs. 360) and 95 lbs.-ft. more torque (475 vs. 380) than the Silverado HD’s 6.0 V8.
The F-Super Duty’s 6.7 turbo V8 diesel produces 30 more horsepower (475 vs. 445) and 140 lbs.-ft. more torque (1050 vs. 910) than the Silverado HD’s 6.6 turbo V8 diesel.
The F-Super Duty’s optional fuel tank has 12 gallons more fuel capacity than the Silverado HD (48 vs. 36 gallons).
For better stopping power the F-Super Duty’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Silverado HD:
|
F-Super Duty |
F-450 Crew Cab |
Silverado HD |
Front Rotors |
14.3 inches |
15.4 inches |
13.98 inches |
Rear Rotors |
14.3 inches |
15.75 inches |
14.17 inches |
The F-Super Duty stops much shorter than the Silverado HD:
|
F-Super Duty |
Silverado HD |
|
60 to 0 MPH |
135 feet |
146 feet |
Motor Trend |
For better traction, the F-Super Duty’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Silverado HD (285/75R18 vs. 265/70R17).
The F-450’s wheels have 10 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Chevrolet Silverado HD only has 8 wheel lugs per wheel.
The F-Super Duty’s optional suspension has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the F-Super Duty flat and controlled during cornering. The Silverado HD’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.
The front suspension of the F-Super Duty uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Silverado HD, which uses torsion bars in front. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.
For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the F-Super Duty’s wheelbase is longer than on the Silverado HD:
|
F-Super Duty |
Silverado HD |
Extended Cab Standard Bed |
148 inches |
144.2 inches |
Extended Cab Long Bed |
164.2 inches |
158.1 inches |
Crew Cab Standard Bed |
159.8 inches |
153.7 inches |
Crew Cab Long Bed |
176 inches |
167.7 inches |
For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the F-Super Duty is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Silverado HD.
The F-250 Standard Bed Crew Cab 4x4 handles at .75 G’s, while the Silverado 3500 Long Box LTZ Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .68 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.
The F-250 Standard Bed Crew Cab 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Silverado 2500 Standard Box LTZ Crew Cab 4x4 (28.8 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 29.5 seconds @ .55 average G’s).
For better maneuverability, the F-250 Regular Cab 4x4’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Silverado 2500 Standard Box Double Cab’s (47.6 feet vs. 49.2 feet).
The Ford F-Super Duty may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 500 pounds less than the Chevrolet Silverado HD.
The F-Super Duty Super Cab has 1.8 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 4.5 inches more rear hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Silverado HD Double Cab.
The F-Super Duty Crew Cab has 1.8 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom, 4.5 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Silverado HD Crew Cab.
The F-Super Duty Super Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Silverado HD Double Cab shortbed (65.4 vs. 61 cubic feet). The F-Super Duty Super Cab longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Silverado HD Double Cab longbed (78.5 vs. 76.3 cubic feet).
The F-Super Duty Crew Cab shortbed has a much larger cargo box than the Silverado HD Crew Cab shortbed (65.4 vs. 61 cubic feet). The F-Super Duty Crew Cab longbed has a much larger cargo box than the Silverado HD Crew Cab longbed (78.5 vs. 76.3 cubic feet).
A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the F-Super Duty easier. The F-Super Duty Crew Cab’s bed lift-over height is 34.8 inches, while the Silverado HD Crew Cab’s liftover is 34.9 inches.
The F-Super Duty’s cargo box is larger than the Silverado HD’s in almost every dimension:
|
F-Super Duty Regular Cab |
F-Super Duty Super Cab |
Silverado HD |
Length (short/long) |
98.1” |
81.9”/98.1” |
78.9”/97.8” |
Max Width |
66.9” |
66.9” |
64.6” |
Height |
21.1” |
21.1” |
21.1” |
The Ford F-Super Duty has a standard tailgate assist feature, which prevents the heavy tailgate from falling with a crash and causing injury. It allows adults and children to easily open and close the tailgate with one hand to better facilitate loading and unloading. Tailgate assist isn’t available on the Silverado HD Crew Cab Work Truck.
The F-Super Duty’s available front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Silverado HD’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.
If the windows are left open on the F-Super Duty the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Silverado HD can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.
In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the F-Super Duty’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on F-Super Duty XL). The Silverado HD doesn’t offer an exterior PIN 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.
In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the F-Super Duty’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on F-Super Duty XL). The Silverado HD doesn’t offer an exterior PIN 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-Super Duty 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 HD doesn’t offer an advanced key system.
The F-Super Duty’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 HD’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The F-Super Duty’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 standard on the F-Super Duty detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Silverado HD doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.
Both the F-Super Duty and the Silverado HD offer available heated front seats. The F-Super Duty Crew Cab also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Silverado HD.
Both the F-Super Duty and the Silverado HD offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the F-Super Duty SuperCab/SuperCrew has standard rear air-conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Silverado HD doesn’t offer rear air-conditioning vents, only heat vents.
To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the F-Super Duty (except XL/XLT) 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 HD doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.
To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Ford F-Super Duty (except XL/XLT) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Silverado HD doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.
J.D. Power and Associates rated the F-Super Duty first among large heavy duty pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Silverado HD isn’t in the top three.
Motor Trend selected the F-Super Duty as their 2017 Truck of the Year. The Silverado was Truck of the Year in 2011.
The Ford F-Series outsold the Chevrolet Silverado by 57% during the 2019 model year.
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