Big Truck Challenge: Ford F-250 Super Duty vs. Chevy Silverado 2500HD

It could be difficult to decide which of the heavy-duty pickup trucks you want to drive. If you’re without the typical brand loyalty and want to drive either the Ford F-250 Super Duty or the Chevy Silverado 2500HD, you’re in luck. We’re going to take a look at both of these trucks right now and let you know which one has everything you’re looking for when you want to get a lot of work done.

You’ve Got to Start with the Engines

Whenever you talk about the power of a truck or sports car, you start with the engine and what it can offer when you’re ready for a drive. The engine has been a source of bragging for many years, with big honking V8s getting the most respect in the market.

What do our two trucks have under the hood?

Ford F-250 Super Duty

If you look to this big Ford, you have the choice of three engines for the drive:

• 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine – 385 horsepower/430 lb.-ft. of torque
• 7.3-liter V8 gasoline engine – 430 horsepower/475 lb.-ft. of torque
• 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine – 475 horsepower/1,050 lb.-ft. of torque

Chevy Silverado 2500HD

For the Chevy, you’re only going to find two engines to choose from. These engines are:

• 6.6-liter V8 gasoline engine – 401 horsepower/464 lb.-ft. of torque
• 6.6-liter V8 Duramax turbocharged diesel engine – 445 horsepower/910 lb.-ft. of torque

Which engine appeals to you?

It’s easy to see the engine lineup for the Ford F-250 Super Duty is more powerful than the Chevy.

How Strong Are These Trucks?

The next question we want to answer for you is how much each of these trucks can haul. Whether you’re looking at the towing or the payload, you’ll want to know how big of a load you can put into your truck.

Let’s take a look at the towing and payload numbers:

Ford F-250 Super Duty

• With the 6.2-liter V8 engine – max towing is 15,800 pounds
• With the 7.3-liter V8 engine – max towing is 19,500 pounds
• With the 6.7-liter diesel V8 engine – max towing is 22,800 pounds

The maximum payload rating for the F-250 is 4,160 pounds.

Chevy Silverado 2500 HD

• with the 6.6-liter gasoline V8 engine – max towing is 17,370 pounds
• with the 6.6-liter diesel V8 engine – max towing is 18,500 pounds

The maximum payload raging for the Silverado 2500HD is 3,979 pounds.

As you can see, with more power comes more capability. You can haul more and carry more when you choose the Ford and not the Chevy truck.

Technology Can Give You the Added Benefits You Desire

You want to make it easier to pull a heavy load, see around your truck, and know what’s in your way.

Neither of these two trucks is cheap, which means you want to keep them from being dented, dinged, or damaged when you’re driving.

Both the Ford and the Chevy heavy-duty trucks bring you towing and trailering technology that can help you avoid an accident and put your trailer where you want. The base model of the Ford does not come with a touchscreen, but the Chevy does. The Chevy truck gives you a seven-inch screen that uses Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While the base models might not compare with infotainment technology, these are the least popular versions of these trucks and are typically only used for fleet operators.
As you move up through the trims of both trucks, you’re going to find comparable infotainment technology with nearly identical connectivity options for you to have the drive you want to enjoy.

Looking at the Advanced Features

The Ford F-250 Super Duty and the Chevy Silverado 2500Hd come with available automatic emergency braking, blind-spot alert, lane departure warning, and traffic-sensing high beams.
The Ford also has adaptive cruise control to give you the safe distance you need from other vehicles on the road.

The Chevy brings you rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and the safety alert seat.

This truck does have cruise control, just not an adaptive version of it.

Trailering Help

Both of these trucks offer you hardware and software to make putting a trailer where you want much easier for you.

The Ford gives you the most advanced feature, which is the Pro Trailer Backup Assist. This system gives you a knob on the dashboard to guide the truck and trailer into a spot when you’re in reverse.

Depending on the trim you choose, you’ll have up to 15 cameras for the Chevy while also enjoying the benefits of the transparent trailer view and the angles you need.

The right system for you will have a lot to do with how comfortable you are pulling a trailer behind your truck.

Another Feather for the Ford

The base pricing for the Ford F-250 Super Duty comes in at $34,230, which is cheaper than the starting price of $35,300 for the Chevy Silverado 2500HD. This means you can have more power and capability with the base version of the Ford. It’s not likely you’ll stick to the base model, but it’s good to know where the pricing begins.

Which Truck Should You Choose?

Based on our comparison, if you’re looking for the most powerful truck with the most choices for various power levels, you’ll want to choose the Ford F-250 Super Duty. This is the truck that has the towing and payload numbers you need. If you add the benefits of the Pro Trailer Backup Assist technology to the mix, you’re going to have a truck that makes it easy for you to place your trailer where you need to.

What are you looking for in your heavy-duty truck? When you’re looking for a truck that can pull all the gear, you need for the job to the site, the truck that can bring in the materials needed, and the truck that will make your day easier, you’ll want to drive the Ford F-250.