Picking Between America’s Two Favorite Pickups
Walk through any jobsite parking lot in Kentucky, and you’ll count more blue ovals and bowties than everything else put together. That’s no accident. Both brands have spent decades sharpening their half-ton trucks for drivers who pull a horse trailer on Saturday and run the school route on Monday. For 2026, the answers hide in the trim ladder rather than the badge.
- Ford fields six engines across the F-150 lineup while Chevy counters with four, including the only diesel offered in the half-ton class.
- Maximum towing lands at 13,500 pounds for the F-150 and 13,300 pounds for the Silverado 1500, though both figures demand very specific configurations.
- Trim pricing runs $37,290 to $79,005 on the Ford side and $36,900 to $71,800 on the Chevy side, excluding destination.
What Sits Under the Hood
Ford starts the F-150 with a 2.7L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 rated at 325 hp and 400 lb-ft, then piles options on top. There’s a 5.0L V8 good for 400 hp and 410 lb-ft, a 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 at 382 hp and 500 lb-ft, and the 3.5L PowerBoost full hybrid making 420 hp and 570 lb-ft combined. Raptor buyers get a 450 hp high-output 3.5L, and the Raptor R runs a supercharged 5.2L V8 worth 720 hp. All of them route through a 10-speed automatic.
Chevy keeps the menu shorter. A 2.7L TurboMax four-cylinder makes 310 hp and 430 lb-ft through an 8-speed automatic, the odd one out since every other Silverado engine uses a 10-speed. From there, you can pick the 5.3L V8 at 355 hp and 383 lb-ft, the 6.2L V8 at 420 hp and 460 lb-ft, or the 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel inline-six making 305 hp and 495 lb-ft. That diesel has no direct rival among half-tons, and it’s why plenty of shoppers put a Silverado on the list at all.
Towing Numbers Worth Reading Twice
Ford’s headline is 13,500 pounds, and reaching it takes the 3.5L EcoBoost, a SuperCrew cab, 4WD, the 6.5-foot bed, and the Max Trailer Tow Package. Chevy’s best is 13,300 pounds using the Duramax in a Double Cab with the standard bed and 20-inch wheels. Two hundred pounds apart, or roughly one heavy passenger. Payload tips toward Ford at 2,440 pounds, compared with 2,260.
Shopping the 2026 Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado on pulling power? Watch how that torque behaves instead of chasing the peak number. Chevy’s diesel hands over 495 lb-ft low and stays flat. Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost puts its 500 lb-ft down with a shove once the turbos wake. Neither is wrong. They just feel different with 9,000 pounds behind you on I-75.
Fuel Economy Swings Hard by Engine
Nothing splits these trucks like your engine choice. Chevy’s 2WD Duramax posts EPA estimates of 23 city and 28 highway, for a combined 25, the best set of numbers in any half-ton. Ford counters with the PowerBoost hybrid at 22 city, 24 highway, and 23 combined in 4WD form, and it carries Pro Power Onboard as a jobsite generator. Gas V8S land where you’d guess. Chevy’s 5.3L in 2WD returns 17 combined against 19 combined for Ford’s 5.0L in 2WD.
2026 F-150 and Silverado 1500 Trim Comparison Chart
| Segment | Ford F-150 Trim | Chevy Silverado 1500 Trim | What Separates Them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work Truck | XL, $37,290 | WT, $36,900 | F-150 XL includes a 12-inch touchscreen and 12-inch digital cluster. Silverado WT uses a smaller display. |
| Second Rung | STX, $41,510 | Custom, $42,400 | STX opens the door to the hybrid and the new Lobo Package. Custom adds keyless entry and power locks. |
| Volume Seller | XLT, $44,500 | LT, $47,900 | XLT undercuts LT by $3,400. LT is where Chevy’s 13.4-inch screen and EZ Lift tailgate arrive. |
| Street Sport | STX with Lobo Package, from $41,510 | RST, $51,300 | Lobo is a lowered SuperCrew 4WD build with the 5.0L V8. RST leans on body-color trim and the 2.7L TurboMax. |
| Leather Step-Up | Lariat, $53,135 | LTZ, $58,000 | Lariat now starts as RWD for 2026, which drops its price. LTZ makes the 5.3L V8 standard. |
| Off-Road | Tremor, $58,115 | Custom Trail Boss, $52,900 / LT Trail Boss, $59,700 | Tremor comes with 4WD standard. Trail Boss trims stack, a lift, and skid plates on cheaper starting points. |
| Top Luxury | King Ranch, $60,960 / Platinum, $63,575 | High Country, $62,900 | Ford splits the top end into two personalities. Chevy runs one flagship with the 6.2L V8 available in 4×4. |
| Extreme Off-Road | Raptor, $79,005 | ZR2, $71,800 | Raptor packs 450 hp and desert-runner suspension. ZR2 pairs the 6.2L V8 with 11.2 inches of ground clearance. |
All MSRPs exclude destination and reflect the lowest-cost cab, bed, and drivetrain configuration per trim. Ford’s site is currently showing promotional employee pricing on most trims, so confirm the current MSRP with your dealer before ordering.
Screens, Beds, and the Stuff You Touch Daily
Ford put a 12-inch touchscreen and a 12-inch digital gauge cluster in every 2026 F-150, base XL included, running SYNC 4 with a 5G modem that’s now standard. Chevy holds its 13.4-inch display with Google built in for LT and above, so Work Truck and Custom shoppers settle for something smaller. Both include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Chevy fires back on cargo. Its Durabed measures 89.1 cubic feet, a figure Chevrolet calls best in class, with 12 tie-downs rated at 500 pounds per corner. Ford answers with bed lengths of 5.5, 6.5, and 8.0 feet.
Where Each Truck Earns Its Keep
Buy the Silverado if the diesel range fits your week, or you want the biggest bed available without stepping up to a heavy-duty. Buy the F-150 if you want six engines to choose from, a hybrid that powers your tools, and a big screen even on the cheap trims. Neither truck is a bad call. Whichever trim you land on shapes your day-to-day far more than the emblem on the tailgate does, so price out the exact build you’d actually order and go sit in both.
Why Buy Your Next F-150 at Gates Ford Lincoln
Spec sheets only take you so far. We keep a wide mix of F-150 configurations on the ground in Richmond, so you can climb into an XLT SuperCrew and a Lariat back-to-back and feel the difference yourself. Our team can break down what the Max Trailer Tow Package adds to your rating, or whether the PowerBoost hybrid pencils out for your miles. Factory-trained technicians and genuine Ford parts keep your truck working hard long after you sign. Come drive a couple and settle this one on your own terms.
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