With so many different types of trucks available on the market today, it can be confusing and overwhelming to shop for a new truck for your family or business. There are so many options that you might not be sure where to even begin your search. We take care of some of the legwork for you by pitting the 2018 Chevy Silverado against the 2018 GMC Sierra to see which one comes out on top in terms of performance, fuel economy, and safety features.
2018 Chevy Silverado: Performance
The 2018 Chevy Silverado has a lineup of powerful, fuel-efficient engines to choose from to ensure that you can save fuel without sacrificing power. The available engines include a 4.3L V6, a 5.3L V8, and a 6.2L V8.
With the 6.2L V8 engine, the Silverado has a maximum horsepower of 420 at 5,600 RPM and 460 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,100 RPM. The engine also gives the truck a maximum towing capacity of 12,500 pounds and a maximum payload of 2,250 pounds. Other features that make the Silverado a powerhouse of performance include a tow/haul mode that reduces shift cycling, StabiliTrak™ with trailer sway control to prevent and manage swaying trailers and Hill Start Assist to help prevent rollback. These features make sure that you can get the job done.
2018 GMC Sierra: Performance
The 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 is GMC’s light-duty pickup truck. The 1500 model has three available engines, the EcoTec3 5.3L eAssist, the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine, and the standard 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine.
The 2018 GMC Sierra gets 420 horsepower with the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine. With this engine and the available towing package, this truck can also tow up to 12,500 pounds.
Like the Chevy Silverado, the GMC Sierra also has many available features that make it easy to haul and tow just about anything. Some of these features include trailer hitching, trailering camera system, trailer sway control, tow/haul mode with powertrain braking, trailer brake control, and more.
2018 Chevy Silverado: Fuel Economy
The truck gets an EPA-estimated 15/21 MPG in the city and on the highway with the 6.2L V8 and 18/24 with the other two engines. The three block engines each contain various fuel-saving technologies like Active Fuel Management™, Direct Injection, and Continuously Variable Valve Timing to save you money. To get even more fuel efficiency, some models are equipped with eAssist Powertrain, a hybrid technology that pairs with the 5.3L V8 engine. This technology can see up to a 12 percent improvement in fuel economy.
2018 GMC Sierra: Fuel Economy
With the most fuel-efficient engine, the 4.3L EcoTec3 engine, the 2018 GMC Sierra gets 18/24 MPG in the city and on the highway. The GMC Sierra, like the Chevy Silverado, also contains several innovative technologies to improve fuel efficiency. Some of these technologies include active fuel management, direct injection, and variable valve timing.
2018 Chevy Silverado: Safety
As a company, Chevrolet has a threefold approach to safety: prevent, protect, and respond. With these three goals in mind, the 2018 Chevy Silverado has numerous safety features that work together to prevent accidents from occurring, protect the driver and the passengers in the event of an accident, and respond the accident should one occur. To prevent accidents, the Silverado includes low-speed forward automatic braking, Lane Keep Assist with lane departure warning, forward collision alert, safety alert driver’s seat, front and rear park assist, and rear vision camera. These features all work together to ensure that the driver and passengers are always safe no matter what might happen on the road. In addition to all of the available safety features in the 2018 Chevy Silverado, the truck is built with your safety in mind. The cab is designed to protect the occupants of the vehicle in the event of an accident with six standard airbags and a high-strength steel safety cage that prevents the cab from crushing. To protect the vehicle’s occupants after an accident, many Chevy models include a free trial of OnStar. With an active subscription to OnStar a representative will contact you immediately in the event of a crash and dispatch emergency assistance, even if you are unable to respond. The Silverado also has Teen Driver, an available system that helps protect your teens when you’re not in the car with them. This technology promotes safe driving habits by giving audiovisual warnings when the teen is going over a certain speed, muting the radio if any occupant isn’t wearing a seatbelt, and providing the industry’s first in-car report card to parents. This technology will help you teach your teenagers safe driving habits whether you’re in the car with them or not.
2018 GMC Sierra: Safety
The 2018 GMC Sierra has a variety of assistive technologies to help keep drivers and passengers safe. Some available driver assist technologies include low-speed forward automatic braking forward collision alert, Lane Keep Assist with lane departure warning, IntelliBeam headlamps, Hill Start Assist, front and rear park assist, and a safety alert seat. Standard on the GMC Sierra is the rear vision camera and the Pro Grade Protection Plan, which includes two maintenance visits, three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, five-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited, five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, 10 years of GMC Connected Access3, and a one-month trial of GMC Connected Services and one month of OnStar.
Although the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are similar in performance capabilities and fuel economy, the Chevy Silverado’s design with safety in mind puts it ahead of the competition. Though both trucks have comparable available safety features, only the Chevy Silverado is designed with a tough but lightweight frame that keeps the cab safe. To test out the power and other features of the Silverado for yourself, visit your local Chevy dealership today. Once you test a Chevy Silverado for yourself, you won’t want to settle for anything less.
