The rivalry between Chevrolet and Ford is as old as the American automotive industry. The competition between the pioneers has defined the automotive landscape since the 1900s and continues today when you slate the 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD vs 2023 Ford F-250. Where one offers best-in-class capability, the other offers a revolutionary tailgate and a truck bed with best-in-class volume. Where one makes luxury affordable, the other requires paying a premium. So, which is which, and why is this rivalry beneficial to drivers?
It Gives Us More Value-Oriented Trims
Rather than share the spotlight, Chevrolet and Ford are constantly working to earn the title of America’s favorite truck brand. This perpetual competition pushes the automakers to outwork and out-innovate the other, and we reap the rewards with more capable and affordable trucks. We see this with the Silverado 2500 HD and F-250 lineups in 2023.
The F-250 XL starts the Super Duty lineup for 2023 at $43,970, a significant increase over the Silverado 2500 HD Work Truck that starts at $41,500. The trucks come standard with V8 powertrains, with the Silverado 2500 HD outperforming the F-250 with its higher torque output of 464 lb-ft over the Ford’s 445 lb-ft of torque. The Silverado 2500 HD gains another advantage because it has a heavy-duty air filter, trailering package, automatic locking rear differential, and the industry-leading Durabed with 12 standard tie-downs that pair exceptionally well with the Multi-Flex Tailgate.
Chevrolet’s lead over Ford in offering value-oriented trims is also apparent at the other end of the lineup with luxury-oriented models like the Silverado 2500 HD High Country vs the F-250 Limited. The High Country starts under $70,000 and features Chevrolet’s Advanced Trailering System, class-leading camera views, LED cargo area lighting, a Bose premium sound system, advanced safety and driver-assist technology, and premium interior finishes. Alternatively, the F-250 Limited costs over $96,000, a significant increase that Chevrolet doesn’t require of drivers looking for more luxury and innovation in their heavy-duty workhorse.
It Gives Us More Functional Features
The 2023 Silverado 2500 HD has another critical advantage over the 2023 F-250 because it makes your job easier when managing cargo in the bed. General Motors revolutionized the industry with the debut of the multifunctional tailgate, a prominent feature on the 2023 Silverado 2500 HD that you won’t find on the F-250. The Multi-Flex Tailgate transforms the traditional tailgate into a work tool with six unique functions.
The Multi-Flex Tailgate works like a traditional tailgate but adds convenience as the segment’s only power-up and power-down tailgate that you can open from the key fob, a button on the gate, or a switch in the cabin. In addition, you can unfold the primary gate load stop to keep longer items in place or fold the inner gate down to make your cargo more accessible. This accessibility increases when you fold the inner gate into a full-width step, which can support 375 pounds. Finally, you can use the inner gate load stop to keep second-tier items in place or fold the stop down to use the inner gate as a flat work surface.
The F-250’s traditional tailgate doesn’t offer this accessibility, nor will you find its bed as spacious or accommodating to cargo. As heavy-duty workhorses, the Silverado 2500 HD and F-250 offer an 8.2-ft bed that can handle heavy equipment and oversized items. However, even with the same size beds, Chevrolet does a better job of utilizing the space with its Durabed. The F-250’s 8.2-ft bed offers 78.5 cubic feet, but the Silverado Durabed offers best-in-class 83.5 cubic feet with a dozen standard tie-downs for multiple configurations and enhanced functionality.
It Advances Trailering Technology to Make Towing Easier
The Silverado 2500 HD and F-250 are legendary workhorses because Chevrolet and Ford constantly try to outdo each other with advanced technologies and features that give their models an edge. Fortunately, drivers reap the benefits because that competition leads to cutting-edge technology that transforms how we tow or haul heavy loads. Moreover, Ford and Chevrolet take unique approaches, with Chevrolet gaining an advantage with segment-exclusive features like the Advanced Trailering System with the in-vehicle app.
The Silverado’s Advanced Trailering System lets you create custom trailer profiles that create a bespoke experience behind the wheel. For example, you can use the system and in-vehicle app to complete pre-departure checklists and monitor the trailer tire pressure and lighting. Since the information can be synced with the myChevrolet Mobile app, you can access this vital information in the palm of your hand.
While the F-250 doesn’t offer an in-vehicle trailering app, it offers unique features like Onboard Scales with Smart Hitch that estimates the weight of the cargo in the bed and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist that makes hitching up to a trailer easier. The F-250 also features an expansive 360-degree camera that works with a trailer, but Chevrolet manages to up the ante with its class-leading camera system that offers 15 unique camera views. Rather than simply providing a bird’s eye view around the rig, the Silverado 2500 HD’s cameras offer four hitch views, six driving views, and five parking views. As a result, you can see every angle, from a top-down view of the front and rear to a transparent view through the trailer.
It Engineers Greater Confidence With New Safety and Driver-Assist Tools
The ongoing tug-of-war between Ford and Chevrolet as America’s favorite truck brand also gives us better and more comprehensive safety and driver-assist tools as the automakers work to prioritize driver safety and improve every experience behind the wheel. Ford accomplishes this with its Co-Pilot360 Technology suite on the 2023 F-250. The suite equips the workhorse with Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, a 360-degree camera system, Intersection Assist, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist. Upgrading that technology with tools like blind-spot monitoring for the trailer pushes the F-250’s price even higher, making the Silverado 2500 HD more appealing and affordable.
Chevrolet equips the Silverado 2500 HD with the Chevy Safety Assist suite and offers numerous safety and confidence package that don’t skyrocket the truck’s starting price. The suite includes advanced tools like Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking, IntelliBeam automatic high beams, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Lane Departure Warning, a Following Distance Indicator, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Additional tools equip the Silverado 2500 HD with Adaptive Cruise Control, Front and Rear Park Assist, and a Rear Camera Mirror that provides a live stream behind the truck.
The Value of Healthy Competition
Competing is incredibly beneficial in the automotive industry because it pushes automakers to raise the standards of excellence and constantly look for ways to improve. This competition has fueled Chevrolet and Ford since the 1900s, giving us best-selling trucks like the Silverado 2500 HD and the F-250 Super Duty. Incredibly capable and innovative, these trucks compete to outshine one another, providing drivers looking for class-leading workhorses with two exceptional options. For 2023, those options come down to a matter of what you want to spend and what you want to get for your investment: a value-oriented and innovative truck like the Silverado 2500 HD or a model like the F-250 that forces you to spend more of your hard-earned money?
