So you’re considering a new pickup. The first thing you need to do is decide which of the two is right for you. You really can’t go wrong with any of the American build pickups (some Toyota models do have powerful V8s, although others feel sluggish and are underpowered). But which of these trucks will reign the ruler of your pickup world? Two of the top models out there right now include the Silverado and the Ram 1500. To determine which of these two pickups is right for you, it’s necessary to dive into the 2020 Chevy Silverado vs 2020 Ram 1500 comparison.
Checking Out That Price Point
More so than probably any other kind of vehicle build out there, a pickup can vary wildly in its price point from an entry model to the top-tier trim. It isn’t unusual to see a truck double in price at the top performance trim, and that’s without the additional features. When comparing pickups, you need to look at not only what you’re paying for a lower or higher trim, but also what kind of features come standard. You might find the base trim of one truck is more expensive, but it also comes with more features to make up for the price. Thankfully though, with a truck, you can select the trim that offers the kind of features you’re interested in.
As for the MSRP, with the 2020 Chevy Silverado, you’re going to start at $28,300. This is for the base pickup. Now, most trucks that are at the dealership will have some upgrades, optional features, offer upper-tier trims, and so on. Even at a base trim, there are optional additions, so the price point is as low as it gets. For the Ram 1500, the base MSRP is $31,895, so a good chunk more expensive.
For the top-trim of the Silverado, you have the High Country. This truck as a 4×4 crew cab is going to have an MSRP beginning at $56,800, although if up opt for the 6.3L V8 or the 3.0L Duramax Turbo I6 diesel you will bump the price up to at least $60,590. With the top-tier Ram 1500 trim, the Limited, you’ll start at $53,615 for a 2WD drivetrain. Should you opt for 4WD or the diesel engine, you will push the price to nearly what the High Country costs.
Engines and Performance
The biggest difference in truck offers over every other vehicle type out there comes in the form of engines. You have far more engines to choose from when picking a truck than on an SUV, car, minivan, or crossover. With the Chevy Silverado, you have up to four engines. On the Ram, you have three, but these engines also come with an optional eTorque feature (which helps improve torque), which means you have six engine variations.
With the base 2020 Chevy Silverado, the pickup comes with a 4.3L V6 that puts out 285 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque. This is a larger engine than the 3.6L V6 that comes in the base 2020 Ram 1500. So not only do you get a bit more engine on the base trim, but you’ll also cut down on your price tag as well. The 3.6L V6 in the Ram gets 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. While the horsepower is a bit higher in the Ram, the Silverado offers significantly more torque, which helps boost the towing numbers.
As for the top trim options, you have several engine options to choose from. The High Country trim comes with a standard 5.3L V8, although you can opt either for the 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine or the diesel offering. As for the Ram, the pickup comes with a 5.7L V8 HEMI, which you can add eTorque onto, or you can go with the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6. The EcoDiesel does give you the max 480 lb-ft of torque, which is the most torque of either of the pickups. However, in terms of towing potential, it still doesn’t surpass what the Chevy can give.
The Towing Potential
Speaking of towing, there is a pretty big difference in towing options, at least when it comes to the Ram. With the 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500, the towing numbers start high and finish higher. The base engine in the Silverado will give you 10,000 max towing. This means you can purchase the base model and be ready to go with some impressive towing numbers. The Ram 1500 base doesn’t even come close to this. In fact, it only offers you 6,730 pounds of towing.
If you were to max out the towing on the Ram 1500, you would boost this up to 12,750 using the 5.7 V8 Hemi with eTorque. You will pay a premium for the eTorque feature, but it gives some solid towing. However, it still can’t compete with what the Chevy Silverado can offer. The top-tier trim does initially give 12,000 pounds, but if you spring for the trailering and towing packages offered with the High Country trim, you’ll boost towing up to 13,400 lbs. Not even the Ford F-150 can beat the Silverado in terms of maximum towing capacity.
Entertainment Features
Perhaps you’re someone who’s looking for a pickup based on the entertainment factor. After all, it doesn’t always need to be about towing. Sometimes it’s just about what kind of music you can listen to while driving or Bluetooth capability.
On the base model Chevy Silverado, the pickup comes with AM/FM stereo, MP3 player, AUX input, smart device integration via Bluetooth, and an optional 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. If you are looking for a truck that offers more internal features, the ability to spring for WiFi is big. With the Ram 1500, the basic features are AUX input, AM/FM stereo, MP3 player, and optional satellite radio. There is no WiFi hotspot option on the base Ram.
For the High Country Silverado, you’ll land the same basic features, plus HD radio, satellite radio, a premium sound system, Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium System, which offers an 8-inch HD color touchscreen and Bose Premium Sound System with seven speakers and a Richbass Woofer. On the Ram 1500 Limited, you receive the same base features, plus standard WiFi, HD radio, satellite radio, a premium sound system and the company’s U-Connect device integration with built-in navigation.
What Truck Are You Considering?
So what features of a pickup are important to you? Do you shop around based on the engine performance and towing potential? Maybe it’s more about the interior cabin of the truck and less about what it can physically do? Is there a particular body look you like? And are you a traditional two-door truck fan, or is it always bigger means better? Whatever you’re a fan of and whatever kind of features you love, let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear your take.
