Some drivers are looking for a large truck to tear through uneven terrain on the trails, while others are looking to tow a large camper for weekend getaways. The vast majority, however, are looking for a reliable workmate, one that can take on tasks without a struggle and deliver unmatched productivity to your day. This is where two crowd favorites come to compete to show off their power, durability, and versatility, proving that when it comes to top work trucks, they’re it. The battle today is the 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD vs the 2022 Ram 2500, two tough trucks that take heavy-duty to a whole new level. In today’s work edition competition, we’re putting these powerhouses through some of the toughest tasks imaginable to see which truck comes out on top.
Work Task #1: Towing
When you have to pull machinery, building materials, or other heavy vehicles to the job site, it takes a tough-as-nails truck to handle some of the most cumbersome loads around. Well, rest assured that both the Silverado 2500HD and the Ram 2500 can take on most any load with ferocity; but one truck can do more. The 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD comes equipped with a dutiful 6.6-L V8, which showcases 464 lb-ft of torque to tow up to 17,370 lbs. The Ram 2500’s V8 is essentially the same, able to tow up to 17,540 lbs. Upgrade to the 2500HD’s Duramax Turbo-Diesel for 910 lb-ft of torque or the Ram 2500’s Cummins Turbo Diesel for 850 lb-ft of torque to pull even more.
Where the two begin to differ is with their available trailering tech, which drivers can take advantage of during the workday. With up to 15 camera views, the Silverado 2500HD keeps you aware of what’s going on around your vehicle at all times. Plus, with a transparent trailer view available, you’ll be able to see beyond your cumbersome trailer to what lies behind you.
The Silverado 2500HD’s segment-first Advanced Trailering System keeps you in control of whatever you’re pulling, allowing for maximum confidence during your busy workday. We’ll give it to Ram, though, as you can still enjoy some trailering tech, like a Trailer 360-Degree Surround View Camera and a trailer light hitch. However, it doesn’t hold a candle to what resides in the Silverado 2500HD. Due to its immense strength and its exceptional trailering tech, the Silverado pulls ahead in our first pickup task.
Towing Winner: 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
Work Task #2: Hauling
Equally as important as towing, what you’re able to haul in your truck matters on the construction site and beyond. These two power players impress with their outstanding payload abilities, making them two of the most trusted workhorses in the country. The Silverado 2500HD boasts an ultra-rugged exterior with a reinforced frame and loads of durability throughout, making it easy to handle just about anything you toss inside of its strong bed. Opting for its diesel engine will allow you to handle up to 3,715 lbs of payload, while the Ram 2500’s diesel is only able to accommodate up to 3,160 lbs.
Another big win for the Silverado 2500HD is its durable bed, accurately named the Durabed. Not only do the Silverado HD models offer more cargo volume than any of their competitors, they include other features to make your day easier. From 12 standard tie-downs to a built-in 120-volt outlet, the Silverado HD arsenal makes it easy to get big jobs done right. Now, don’t be fooled…the Ram 2500 is built strong—with a ruggedness that extends from its menacing grille to its functional tailgate. We already know that the Silverado 2500HD, armed with the exciting Duramax Turbo-Diesel, can haul more than the Ram 2500. Plus, it has the most cargo volume compared to its rivals, so the winner of this segment is pretty self-explanatory.
Hauling Winner: 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
Work Task #3: Organization
During the workday, you may not always be tackling tough tasks. You may be fine-tuning plans or going over documents with your team, which means that staying organized in your truck is a necessity. If this sounds like you, then you’ll love the interior of the Silverado 2500HD, which not only boasts best-in-class headroom and legroom, but heightened organization as well. Segment-first available rear in-seatback storage compartments allow you to have a place for all of your work documents, while a 24-L storage compartment in the rear is the perfect place to keep your tools organized on the road. With enough room to transport your crew to the job site in comfort, as well as innovative storage solutions located all throughout the interior, the Silverado 2500HD is ready to handle your workday.
You already know that Chevy takes the lead when it comes to interior space for your crew, but when it comes to staying organized, the Ram 2500 is ready to wow you. Various cubbies and storage compartments can be found throughout the luxurious interior of the Ram 2500, including in-floor bins and a center console cubby system. Both trucks offer outstanding ways to stay organized inside their carefully crafted cabins, which places both the Silverado 2500HD and Ram 2500 neck-and-neck in this segment.
Organization Winners (Tie): 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD and 2022 Ram 2500
Work Task #4: Functionality
Always be prepared; that’s the name of the game on the construction site, which means that your truck must offer a level of functionality and versatility to stay ready for anything. Perhaps nothing can showcase this better than the Silverado 2500HD’s Multi-Flex Tailgate, which configures six unique ways to handle the unexpected. Able to accommodate long, cumbersome materials; act as a full-width step for easy access to the bed; or even function as a work surface, the Multi-Flex Tailgate is a gamechanger in the industry.
Not to be outdone, the Ram 2500 features the RamBox Cargo Management System, which includes two lockable, drainable storage bins, a 115-volt outlet, and more versatile tools inside. A kick-out bed step is also at-the-ready to make loading and unloading your truck easier. Meanwhile, a power release button, accessible through a key fob, makes opening and closing your truck bed seamless. Although this amount of functionality is great, the Ram 2500 is lacking the six-function Multi-Flex Tailgate, making the winner obvious here.
Functionality Winner: 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD
The Work Task Winner
All in all, it was a tough competition between two outstandingly capable trucks. The 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500HD was able to pull ahead in most of the work tasks, with its incredible power and high-end trailering tech taking the lead with towing—and its strong, durable bed allowing it to capture the win for hauling. The Ram 2500 showed its worth when it came to organization, helping it to share the spotlight with the Silverado 2500HD (if only for a moment). Then, the Silverado 2500HD and its Multi-Flex Tailgate put any questions to bed.
Rest assured that both trucks are fierce competitors, offering their drivers more features than most rivals do—which places them both on a pedestal. There’s no doubt that if hard work is on the agenda, both the Silverado 2500HD and the Ram 2500 are phenomenal choices. In the end, though, if you want to drive a winner, take a closer look at Chevy’s heavy-duty Silverado lineup.
