Heavy-duty pickups make the economy roll. If you plant, plumb, pave, or electrify something, you probably spend significant time in a full-size heavy-duty truck. The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty battle daily for the hearts and minds of plumbers, electricians, farmers, cement workers, and more each day. Typically, opinions run strong about which one is better.
However, we checked out each of these rough and ready — and sometimes luxurious — beasts to show you what you’ll want to know about each truck. Let’s check them out.
2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD
The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD is a three-quarter-ton workhorse. It hauls, tugs, pushes, and transports heavy things to places across the U.S. daily. It looks the part because it plays the part, especially after a midcycle refresh for 2024.
Buyers get two options under the hood: a 6.6-liter V8 gas engine or a 6.6-liter turbocharged diesel V8. The former produces 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, while the latter pushes 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque (most of that comes at the low end). Each is tied to a 10-speed transmission, which helps with fuel economy and grade braking.
There are five trim levels: Work Truck, Custom, LT, LTZ, and High Country. In addition, Chevy now offers the ZR2 and ZR2 Bison off-road packages for the 2500 HD. The cabin is roomy in the crew cab, with room for up to six people. The regular cab can hold three with a bench seat. An available 13.4-inch touchscreen handles infotainment controls. It’s part of a new instrument panel canted toward the driver, making it more like a mobile workspace than a pickup. Pricing starts at $46,395, including the destination fee.
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Highlights
Multi-Flex tailgate: Available on all trim levels, this innovative tailgate can be used in six different ways to help load cargo or gain access to the truck bed. It can also act as a work surface and provide hauling flexibility.
Towing excellence: The 2500 HD with the turbodiesel can tow up to 22,500 pounds, and the gas engine pulls 18,700 pounds when properly equipped. Those numbers rise if you move up to the 3500 HD.
Off-roading: For the first time in a Chevrolet Silverado HD, a ZR2 model joins the lineup with a specialized suspension, all-terrain tires, and more. The HD also gets a ZR2 Bison sporting special wheels, bumpers, and skid plates.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Silverado 2500 HD models near you.
2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Ford’s F-Series is the best-selling truck lineup in the U.S., and the workhorse of that group is the Super Duty. The F-250 Super Duty is the entry point for the automaker’s biggest, strongest pickups.
Buyers get a choice of four powertrains: two gas and two diesel. The first is a 6.8-liter gas-powered V8 putting out 405 hp. If you need a bigger gas engine, move up to the 7.3-liter V8, putting out 430 hp. The diesels are a 6.7-liter turbo V8 putting out 475 hp and a high-output version that pushes the top end to 500 hp. All four engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity for the Ford F-250 is up to 23,000 pounds with the high-output diesel. As is the case for its competitor, 4WD is available.
On the inside, the Super Duty is clean, functional, and comfortable. Its focus isn’t on luxury, but usability. That said, high-end features such as leather heated and ventilated seats and a Bang & Olufsen sound system are offered. This truck is as much a mobile office as it is a method of transport. The optional Work Surface transforms the compartment between the two front seats into a laptop holder or workstation. Pricing starts at $46,965, including destination charge.
Ford F-250 Super Duty Highlights
Onboard power: Ford’s optional Pro Power Onboard system is a 2-kilowatt electrical system with domestic outlets, allowing the Super Duty to power a lighting system, tools, or a tailgate party. The Chevrolet Silverado HD doesn’t offer a feature like this.
Weighing in: Using either a smartphone app or the truck’s intelligent taillights, the Super Duty’s onboard scales let the driver know if their potential cargo is within acceptable weight limits.
Improved trailering: Thanks to the optional Tailgate Down review camera and rear parking sensor system, it’s now easier to reverse toward a gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailer or up to a docking bay. You can tackle those issues regardless of whether the tailgate is up or down. This option is a first for the class.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the F-250 Super Duty models near you.
Similarities
The Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and Ford F-250 Super Duty both have big grilles, big engines, big cabins, big towing capabilities, and big style. They also share one other thing: big fuel bills.
Conclusion
Assuming you’re not stuck on one brand or the other because of a lengthy family history, it’s a very difficult choice between the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and the Ford F-250 Super Duty. That said, Ford has incorporated a lot of technology into its latest model, which gives it a slight edge.
| 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (crew cab) | 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty (crew cab) | |
| Starting Price | $49,895 (as optioned) | $50,755 (as optioned) |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 6.6-liter V8 | 6.8-liter V8 |
| Horsepower | 401 hp @ 5,200 rpm | 405 hp @ 5,000 rpm |
| Torque | 464 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm | 445 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 15 city/19 highway/16 combined mpg | 30 city/31 highway/30 combined mpg |
| Also Available | 6.6-liter V8 turbodiesel | 6.7-liter V8 turbodiesel, 6.7 HO V8 turbodiesel, 7.3-liter V8 |
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | N/R | N/R |
| Max Seating Capacity | 3 | 3 |
| Wheelbase | 158.9 inches | 160.0 inches |
| Overall Length | 250.0 inches | 250.0 inches |
| Width | 81.8 inches | 80.0 inches |
| Height | 79.8 inches | 78.3 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 52.7 feet | 54.7 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 43.0 inches | 40.8 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 40.1 inches | 40.4 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 44.5 inches | 43.9 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 43.4 inches | 43.6 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 66.0 inches | 66.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 65.3 inches | 65.9 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 69.5 cubic feet | 65.4 cubic feet |
