2023 Ford F-150 vs Chevy Silverado
It’s a battle of two full-size pickup stalwarts in this Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado comparison that looks at which truck is the better value.
The Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado
An important note in this new Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado comparison is that both of these half-ton trucks are excellent.
Ford’s perennial best-seller is part of the 14th generation that arrived in 2021. It’s an aluminum-intensive affair that adds an insane Raptor R and budget-friendly Rattler off-road option this year.
Though Chevy has been at the full-size pickup truck game for just as long as Ford, the standalone Silverado brand is relatively newer, meaning the 2023 version is part of the 4th-generation that was unveiled in 2020.
One of the Silverado’s distinguishing features is the available turbodiesel engine and for 2023, it adds 28 hp and 35 torques. The rest of the powertrain lineup remains plenty capable and the trim levels cover virtually every need a full-size pickup truck buyer could imagine from a basic vinyl-covered work truck to leather-laden luxury cruisers.
As noted, both the Silverado and F-150 are incredible machines however, one of them does stand taller at the end of the day. Let’s dive into this comparison to find out which one it is.
Specs
Ford goes wild with engine offerings in the 2023 F-150. The range consists of a base 3.3L V6 with 290 hp, a turbocharged 2.7L V6 making 325 hp, the classic 5.0 V8 rated for an even 400 horses, and a twin-turbo 3.5L V6 also rated for 400 hp but with 90 more lb-ft of torque for a total of 500. This latter engine can also be had in hybrid form to kick output up to 430 hp and 570 torques.
The wild Raptor sports a high-output version of the turbocharged 3.5L V6 that generates 450 horsepower and the bonkers Raptor R has an exclusive supercharged 6.2L V8. That brute comes in at 700 hp and 640 torques. Every one of these engines pair with a 10-speed automatic to spin the rear wheels with 4WD available across the board.
Chevy keeps the powertrain conversation far simpler by fitting most models with a turbocharged 2.7L inline-4 rated for 310 hp. There are two optional V8s, a 5.3L that makes 355 hp and a 6.2L variant punched up to 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.
The Bowtie brand also offers a 3.0L straight-6 turbodiesel with 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of twist, something you couldn’t have on the last generation which we discuss here. An 8-speed automatic pairs with the base four-cylinder while the rest come with a 10-speed transmission.
Interestingly, Ford’s base boosted V6 fares better than Chevy’s base four-pot setup at the pumps with EPA ratings of 20/26 mpg in city/highway driving versus 19/22, respectively, for the Silverado. The rest of the big V6 and V8 options from both brands can’t crack 20 mpg around town with the exception of Ford’s hybrid and Chevy’s diesel. Ford’s F-150 hybrid comes in at 25 mpg in both city and highway driving, while the Silverado Duramax is rated for 24 mpg around town and 29 on the highway.
Driving and Performance
As most buyers of a half-ton pickup are of the towing mindset, we’ll start there. The Silverado tops out at 13,300 pounds of towing when fitted with the 6.2L V8 or 9,500 pounds with the base motor. Ford bests the max figure with 14,000 pounds of capacity using the twin-turbo V6, but the base 3.3L V6 can only handle 5,000 pounds of towing. The F-150 also takes the payload crown with a max rating of 3,315 pounds versus 2,250 for the Silverado.
Trailering tech has become a whole separate arena for one-upmanship in the full-size pickup arena. Chevy has some nifty systems like cameras that show you what’s happening with the bed or hitch connection from the central cabin display along with a transparent trailer view that shows you what’s directly behind that trailer. Ford fires back with integrated bed scales to ensure safe loading and a dashboard dial that drivers can rotate to steer their trailer in reverse.
Unlike the Dodge Ram with its independent rear suspension, both trucks in this Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado comparison sit on a leaf-sprung rear setup, so you can expect the traditional pickup truck ride comfort that leans towards a bit of bounce, jounce, and shake.
That much bounce makes some of the acceleration figures a little scary – these trucks are fast. A 2023 Silverado with the 6.2L V8 can hit 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, which the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid model matches. The Raptor drops that time by two-tenths of a second and the Raptor R clocks in at just 3.6 seconds. Wow.
Comfort and Interior
Both Ford and Chevy offer their half-tons in regular, extended, and crew cabin configurations with 5 ½-, 6 ½-, and 8-foot bed lengths, depending on trim. With four full-size doors and huge rear cabins, the crew cab setup has become increasingly popular among those who use their pickups for both work and family duty.
Rear legroom on both crew cabs is within one inch of each other and likewise, seat material ranges from vinyl on the base models to cloth on mid-pack trims, and perforated leather towards the top end.
Widely available across both lineups is dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-sliding rear window, and even open-pore real wood trim. The key differences come into play on the more expensive models.
For example, the F-150 Limited has a panoramic moonroof, massaging front seats, and an 18-speaker stereo system. The Silverado’s audio options top out with seven speakers and the other two amenities are not available at all. That being said, the Limited is nearly $87,000 whereas the High Country Silverado starts 20 grand below that.
Trims and Features
Before we get into this section, it may be worth reviewing our tips on choosing the best trim level article as there are so many to trim levels to evaluate here. Ford’s F-150 hierarchy begins with the $35,000 XL that has steel wheels, a vinyl floor, 8-inch touchscreen with Apple and Android integration, as well as forward collision mitigation and automatic high beams. Chevy’s base Silverado, the WT, starts at $40,000 and is similarly outfitted.
The F-150 XLT and Lariat models jump to $43,000 and $59,000, respectively. An XLT brings alloy rims, a lane-keeping system, and blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. The value-packed Lariat adds full LED lighting along with 12-inch screens for the gauge cluster and infotainment system.
A $47,000 Silverado Custom is fitted with 20-inch wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a power-operated tailgate. For $51,000, the LT trim adds a 12-inch gauge cluster screen and 13.4-inch central touchscreen. While Ford sells the $62,000 Tremor as their standard off-road model, Chevy sells a $55,000 Custom Trail Boss and fancier $61,000 LT Trail Boss. Both Trail Boss models are, like the Tremor, lifted and upgraded to make them capable off the beaten path.
On the luxury end, the F-150 can be had as a $65,000 King Ranch with branded leather and wood bits, a $66,000 Platinum with power-deployable running boards and 360° camera view, or in $87,000 Limited-spec with the hybrid motor, power everything, a generator in the bed, adaptive dampers, and BlueCruise hands-free driving tech. This used F-150 comparison shows how you can keep that price tag down while enjoying the truck’s inherent capability.
Chevy’s premium Silverado models include the blacked-out RST for $56,000, the $61,000 LTZ with chrome trim and wireless charging, or the $66,000 High Country that has ventilated front seats and the option to add SuperCruise – Chevy’s hands-free driving tech – for $2,200. If it’s serious off-roading you’re after, the Silverado ZR2 starts at $75,000 and comes with the 6.2L V8, 33-inch mud-terrain rubber, loads of skid plates, and trick DSSV dampers from Multimatic. An optional Bison package adds even more rough road capability.
Ford fills this space with their Raptor twins. The “regular” model costs $78,000 and comes with huge fenders and wheels, equally trick dampers from Fox Racing, and a 450-horse twin-turbo V6. Not enough? For an extra 30 grand, you can have the Raptor R with 700 shrieking ponies and all the desert racing fun you can dream up.
For a deeper dive into each truck’s trims and features, have a look at our review of the 2023 F-150 here and 2023 Silverado here.
The Verdict
Bottom line? You can’t go wrong with either truck in this 2023 Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado comparison. While loyal fans of each brand might claim the other is a lesser vehicle, JD Power rates the reliability for the Silverado at 87 out of 100 and the F-150 nearly the same with a score of 86.
They both offer ample power, capability, and amenities for most any buyer’s needs. However, the F-150 is the clear winner when you consider that it has lower pricing, generally better fuel economy, higher tow ratings, more powerful engines, and a deeper list of fancy features like the cargo bed generator, 18-speaker stereo, massaging seats, and onboard payload scales. And let’s not forget those Raptors.
