Ford F-150 vs Chevy Silverado 1500: Which Truck to Buy

The Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500 are evenly matched: Ford rates the F-150 at up to 13,500 lb of towing and 2,440 lb of payload, Chevrolet the Silverado at up to 13,300 lb and 2,260 lb. Base 2026 prices are within $400. Pick the F-150 for its hybrid and onboard power, the Silverado for its diesel and 6.2L V8.

By CarWhere Research · Updated November 3, 2026

F-150 vs Silverado engines, towing and payload

Ford publishes towing and payload per engine; the table below uses the 2026 F-150 technical specifications. Chevrolet publishes engine outputs and the Silverado's overall maximums.

2026 Ford F-150 engines: horsepower, torque, maximum conventional towing and payload (4x4 unless noted)
F-150 engine	Output	Max towing (lb)	Max payload (lb)
2.7L EcoBoost V6	325 hp / 400 lb-ft	8,400 (4x2)	1,775 (4x2)
5.0L V8	400 hp / 410 lb-ft	12,800	2,235 (4x2)
3.5L EcoBoost V6	400 hp / 500 lb-ft	13,500	2,440 (4x2)
3.5L PowerBoost full hybrid V6	430 hp / 570 lb-ft	12,400 (4x2)	2,045 (4x2)
3.5L EcoBoost H.O. (Raptor)	450 hp / 510 lb-ft	8,200	1,405
5.2L supercharged V8 (Raptor R)	720 hp / 640 lb-ft	8,700	1,410

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engines: horsepower and torque, with overall maximum towing and payload
Silverado 1500 engine	Output
2.7L TurboMax I-4	310 hp / 430 lb-ft
5.3L V8	355 hp / 383 lb-ft
6.2L V8	420 hp / 460 lb-ft
3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel I-6	305 hp / 495 lb-ft
Silverado 1500 maximums	13,300 lb towing (Max Trailering Package) · 2,260 lb payload

Ford figures: 2026 F-150 technical specifications; 13,500 lb requires a SuperCrew with the Max Trailer Tow Package and Max Tow Axle. Chevrolet figures: chevrolet.com, read November 2026. Confirm the rating on the door-jamb label of the exact truck.

The practical differences: the F-150 offers a full hybrid and up to 7.2 kW of Pro Power Onboard for job sites and camping; the Silverado offers a 495 lb-ft turbo-diesel and a big naturally aspirated V8. For engine-by-engine detail see Ford research and the F-150 build sheet page.

F-150 vs Silverado price

2026 base MSRP, Ford F-150 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500, excluding destination
Configuration	Ford F-150 (USD)	Chevy Silverado 1500 (USD)
Cheapest regular cab 4x2	$37,290 (XL, 8-ft box)	$36,900 (Work Truck, 6.6-ft box)
Cheapest crew cab 4x4	$47,820 (XL SuperCrew 5.5 ft)	$46,000 (Work Truck Crew 5.8 ft)
Volume mid trim, crew 4x4	$51,915 (XLT SuperCrew 5.5 ft)	$53,700 (LT Crew 5.8 ft)
Luxury trim, crew 4x4	$72,600 (Platinum)	$66,500 (High Country)
Off-road flagship	$79,005 (Raptor)	$71,800 (ZR2)

2026 model-year base MSRPs before options and destination ($2,795 on both), compiled by CarWhere on November 2, 2026. Ford has begun listing 2027 F-150s on ford.com; prices change by model year.

For what dealers pay on each trim, see F-150 dealer invoice prices. A reasonable target discount depends on the trim, region and month.

F-150 vs Silverado depreciation

Median asking price by age from CarWhere's live-listing study.

F-150 vs Silverado 1500: median used asking price and percent below new, by age
Age	F-150 median price (USD)	F-150 below new (%)	Silverado 1500 median price (USD)	Silverado 1500 below new (%)
New (2026)	$66,338	—	$61,029	—
1 year old	$44,865	32.4%	$42,033	31.1%
3 years old	$39,968	39.8%	$37,355	38.8%
5 years old	$31,977	51.8%	$30,593	49.9%
8 years old	$23,199	65%	$22,193	63.6%

CarWhere live-listing depreciation study, data as of 2026-10-25. “Below new” compares the median asking price of that model year with the median price of a new one today; model-level medians mix trims, cabs and options. Full curves: F-150 depreciation and Silverado 1500 depreciation.

F-150 vs Silverado reliability and mileage

CarWhere’s NHTSA owner-complaint analysis flags 7 F-150 model years to avoid (2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) and 5 Silverado 1500 years (2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022). On the used market, 38.2% of F-150s and 33.5% of Silverado 1500s for sale show more than 100,000 miles, with medians of 79,477 and 74,192 miles. Year-by-year verdicts: F-150 years to avoid, Silverado 1500 years to avoid and best F-150 years.

Which should you buy?

F-150 — the higher towing and payload ceilings, the PowerBoost hybrid, an aluminum body and the Raptor/Raptor R. Equipment groups (101A, 302A and so on) decide most of the features; see Ford equipment group codes explained.
Silverado 1500 — the diesel, the 6.2L V8 and a slightly lower entry price on work-truck configurations.
Used — depreciation is similar, so condition, mileage and the factory tow package matter more than the badge. For a cross-shop on transaction prices, see the F-150 vs Silverado price comparison. Comparing the F-150 with the Ram instead? Read F-150 vs Ram 1500.

Comparing two used trucks? Compare their factory options

Check the exact factory options and packages of the F-150 you are looking at before you buy — tow package, axle ratio, equipment group and Pro Power Onboard. Enter the VIN on the Ford build sheet page: the availability check is free, and you pay $9.99 only if detailed build data exists for that truck.

Ford build sheet by VIN

Free availability check first · $9.99 one-time only if detailed build data exists for the VIN · no subscription

FAQ

Which tows more, the F-150 or the Silverado?

On paper the F-150, narrowly. Ford rates the 2026 F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost and Max Trailer Tow Package at up to 13,500 lb; Chevrolet rates the 2026 Silverado 1500 at up to 13,300 lb when properly equipped with the Max Trailering Package. Actual ratings depend on cab, bed, axle ratio and options, so check the specific truck.

Is the F-150 or Silverado cheaper?

Their 2026 base prices are close: about $36,900 for a Silverado 1500 Work Truck Regular Cab 4x2 and $37,290 for an F-150 XL Regular Cab 4x2 (8-ft box), before destination. Most buyers shop crew-cab 4x4 trucks, where both start in the mid-to-high $40,000s.

Does the F-150 or Silverado hold its value better?

They are close. In CarWhere’s live-listing study (data as of 2026-10-25), five-year-old F-150s listed a median 51.8% below the new-truck median and five-year-old Silverado 1500s 49.9% below.

Is the F-150 or Silverado more reliable?

Neither is clearly better across the board. CarWhere’s NHTSA complaint analysis flags 7 F-150 model years and 5 Silverado 1500 model years to avoid, from 19,967 and 10,402 complaints respectively. F-150 sales volume is higher, which raises raw complaint counts, so compare specific model years.

Does the F-150 have an aluminum body?

Yes. Ford lists the 2026 F-150 body as high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy on a fully boxed high-strength steel frame.

Should I buy an F-150 or a Silverado?

Choose the F-150 for the widest engine menu (including the PowerBoost full hybrid with up to 7.2 kW of onboard power) and the highest towing rating. Choose the Silverado for the 3.0L Duramax diesel, the available 6.2L V8 at 420 hp, or a slightly lower entry price. Equipment on both varies more by package than by brand.

Sources

Ford — 2026 F-150 Technical Specifications (03/31/26 v1.1) — engines, towing, payload, body, dimensions
Ford — F-150 (ford.com) — Pro Power Onboard up to 7.2 kW
Chevrolet — Silverado 1500 (chevrolet.com) — engine outputs, max trailering, max payload
CarWhere — Car depreciation by model (live-listing study)
CarWhere — Ford reliability by model (NHTSA complaints)
CarWhere — How long do cars last? (live-listing mileage)

Towing, payload and output are manufacturer maximums for properly equipped trucks and are not achievable simultaneously. Base MSRPs are 2026 model-year manufacturer prices excluding destination ($2,795 on both), compiled by CarWhere on November 2, 2026. Used-market figures come from licensed vehicle-data providers, aggregated by CarWhere.