There are many reasons to buy a pickup truck. They are versatile, strong, and dependable. They also look really rugged and cool, which may be one reason that suburban drivers have picked up on pickup trucks in recent years. But the main reason to buy a pickup is that it can do the job other vehicles like sedans and SUVs just can’t perform. Two of the most popular trucks on the market are the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and the 2021 Ram 1500. In comparing the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2021 Ram 1500, one of these two has to emerge as the leader in a number of key categories. As we shall see, if you want more options at a better price with exceptional towing capabilities, then you need to choose the Silverado 1500 over the Ram 1500.
Price Points
In today’s market, cash is king as there are so many options in a pretty tough economy. Let’s face it, it’s not easy parting with your hard-earned cash, so you want to make sure that you get the most for your money. The 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 has a base MSRP of $28,900, almost four thousand dollars less than the base MSRP of $32,245 on the 2021 Ram 1500. In each case, you will be getting the base trim. For the Silverado 1500, this is the WT, while the base model for the Ram 1500 is the Tradesman.
This difference in pricing carries over to the entire lineup of each truck. For example, if you are buying your truck to go off-roading, then you will be looking at the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 Custom Trail Boss and the 2021 Ram 1500 Rebel. Each of these has all the features and equipment you will need to take your truck out on the trail, including an automatic locking differential, a factory lift, tow hooks, four-wheel drivetrain, and special tires. Either one will serve you well whether you are hitting the sand dunes or driving through a forest trail. However, the difference is in pricing. The Ram 1500 Rebel will cost you a full $45,320, while the Silverado 1500 Custom Trail Boss has an MSRP of only $41,300, four thousand dollars less.
Some folks who are buying their trucks to use as a family vehicle are going to want to sprint for all the latest gadgets. You want to make sure their family is as entertained as you are driving your truck, so advanced infotainment systems and plush leather interiors are at or near the top of the list. If you want a pickup with all the bells and whistles, then you are going to have to choose between a 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country and a 2021 Ram 1500 Limited. For example, the High Country has the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium System with Navigation and a Bose premium sound system on an 8-inch HD color touchscreen, while the Limited features the Uconnect 12.0 system with navigation on a 12-inch color touchscreen.
Similarly, both these trucks have leather seats with interiors featuring real wood accents. The key difference between them is that the 2021 Silverado 1500 High Country has an MSRP of $53,800, while the 2021 Ram Limited has an MSRP of $56,250. Again, the Chevy Silverado 1500 will give you more truck at a better price point than the Ram 1500.
Options and Choices
When you are buying a truck or, for that matter, any vehicle, you want to know that you are getting all your needs met and fulfilling all of your desires. That’s why it is important to find a truck that comes with as many options as possible, including configurations, trims, and engine options.
The 2021 Ram 1500 gives you a choice of two different configurations, a crew cab and a quad cab. The crew cab has four full-size doors and two full rows of seats, while the quad cab has two full-size and two half-size doors with a shorter second row of seats than the crew cab. The 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 offers the crew cab, the double cab and the regular. The crew cab is comparable to the one on the Ram 1500, while the double cab is pretty much the same as the quad cab. However, the regular cab has two full-size doors and one row of seats, making it ideal for people who want to have more payload space while boosting trailer capacity by reducing gross vehicle weight. This is especially the case if you plan to use your truck for work purposes at least some of the time. The Ram 1500 does not offer this option.
Another key factor is deciding between trims. Both the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and the 2021 Ram 1500 come with eight different trims. However, Chevy also offers another 6 special editions of the 2021 Silverado 1500, making a full 14 different trucks on offer. Ram only offers one special edition for 2021, giving you only 9 options to choose from.
Finally, a key decision is over the powertrain. Both Chevy and Ram claim to offer a choice of five different engines on their trucks. But if you look closer, you’ll see that two of the engines on the 2021 Ram 1500 are the same, with the only difference being the addition of an eTorque system. This is the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, with the eTorque boosting the horsepower and the fuel economy in city driving from 15 to 17 miles per gallon, and the highway fuel economy from 22 to 23 miles per gallon.
Moreover, Chevy offers a 2.7-liter turbocharged I-4 on the Silverado 1500 that has no comparable engine on the Ram 1500. This powerful little engine provides exceptional fuel economy, too, with 20 miles per gallon in the city and 23 miles per gallon on the highway. In addition to the Turbo I-4, Chevy offers a 4.3-liter EcoTec3 V-6, a 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V-8, a 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V-8, and a 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6. In comparison, Ram only offers four basic engines: a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 with eTorque, a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6, and a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8.
Towing Capacities
A big reason folks like to buy trucks is that few other vehicles can match their ability to tow trailers. Both the 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2021 Ram 1500 are two of the best when it comes to this ability. The towing capacity on these two trucks depends in large part on the engine choice. For example, the Silverado 1500 with the 2.7-liter Turbo I-4 engine has a maximum towing capacity of 9,300 pounds. In comparing the two trucks, you will see that the only Ram 1500 with a decided advantage over the comparable Silverado 1500 is the one equipped with the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6, which has a higher towing capacity than the Silverado 1500 with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-6.
The Silverado 1500 with the 4.3-liter EcoTec3 V-6 engine has a maximum towing capacity of 7,900 pounds, slightly better than the 7,730 pounds on the Ram 1500 with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6. Similarly, the Silverado 1500 with the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V-8 can tow up to 11,500 pounds, while the Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with a maximum towing capacity of 11,610 pounds; though the Ram 5.7-liter Hemi with eTorque can tow up to 12,750 pounds. The biggest difference is seen in the largest engine on each model. The Silverado 1500 with the 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V-8 has a maximum towing capacity of 13,300, significantly greater than the 8,220 pounds towing capacity of the Ram 1500 with the 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8.
Pick Up a Pickup
If you are looking to buy a full-size truck, then you have to pay attention to the price, the performance, and the configuration. With a 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500, you are getting more options at a better price than a 2021 Ram 1500. Not only will you get the option of a Turbo I-4 engine and a regular cab model, but you also will get to choose from 14 different trims and special editions. Best of all, whichever 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 you choose, you will be getting it at a better price than the comparable 2021 Ram 1500 model. And what can be better than a little extra cash in your pocket?
