- Full-size pickup trucks get more capable, more luxurious
- Built for hard work and everyday life
- New features making towing easy for all experience levels
- Trucks are more fuel efficient without sacrificing power, ability
Ford, Ram and Chevy Square Off
The top three best-selling vehicles in the country are pickup trucks — Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram Pickup – which made up nearly two million units sold last year, a number that is on track to go up. Part of this growth in sales is the continued popularity of pickups, and part is that 2019 marks a banner year for brand-new truck offerings. Two of the three best-selling vehicles – the Ram and the Silverado – are all-new for 2019, with new frames, styling and powertrain options. Ford continues to make evolutionary improvements in its F-150. How do these pickups stack up?
To answer this question, the Kelley Blue Book editorial team brought together examples of each top-selling truck. The Ford F-150 has received the fewest updates since we last had it at our headquarters in Irvine, California. The truck is now available with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, which went on sale in the middle of the 2018 model year, and you can now get the Raptor’s high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost in the Limited trim level. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and its sibling GMC Sierra 1500 are all-new for 2019, with a lighter, tougher frame; a wide range of new engines including a turbocharged 4-cylinder and later in 2019, an inline-six turbodiesel; and new looks that stay true to Chevy’s lineage. Finally, the Ram 1500, also on a new lighter, tougher frame with standout styling, has new interior designs that border on luxurious, plus a mild hybrid system that adds extra torque when you need it most.
We evaluated all three trucks over multiple days of testing, splitting our time to evaluate many of the ways truck owners will likely use their pickups. We drove them unloaded on city streets and freeways. We towed a 5,000-pound trailer with each truck. While this amount doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s comparable to the weight of a camper or a boat and is a good representation of what most people will use their trucks to pull. And with the help of our friends at Foothill Feed and Grain in Orange, California, we drove each truck loaded with 1,200 pounds of “horse chow” and birdseed through horse country, over rolling hills and a mild grade.
Our testing was not to take each truck to its rated limits; rather, we looked at real-world scenarios. Most people don’t solely use a truck for work duty, either: The household truck is also expected to carry the family, whether it’s to the ball game, to school, or on a trip. With all of that in mind, we observed the similarities and differences among this trio, and got a feel for what each full-size pickup is all about – and it’s a lot more than just towing and hauling.
In alphabetical order:
2019 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab
With new looks, a quiet ride, and a wide array of engines, the Silverado is designed to appeal to die-hard Chevy fans while drawing in new buyers. See how the new Chevy Silverado compared in this test.
With a keen eye on fuel economy, power and capability, the country’s best-seller makes incremental changes to stay on top of the segment. See how the Ford F-150 compared in this test.
Upping its capability game, offering near-luxury interiors, and introduction of a compelling mild hybrid system make the Ram wonderfully well-rounded. See how the redesigned Ram 1500 compared in this test.
